Piano Lessons for Young Children
For Parents of Young Children
Concepts involved in LEARNING TO PLAY THE PIANO (pre-reading):
- Piano: notes, keys [the material we use (absolute)].
- compare to writing: letters.
- compare to foreign language: vocabulary.
- Piano: patterns
- compare to writing: words, whole-language concept.
- compare to foreign language: vocabulary.
- Piano: technique [physical (somewhat individual)].
- compare to writing: handwriting, how to hold pen, physically forming letters.
- compare to foreign language: pronunciation.
- Piano: theory, rules (incl. fingering, etc.) [intellectual (absolute but subject to change)].
- compare to writing: grammar (and spelling, punctuation).
- compare to foreign language: grammar (and spelling, punctuation).
- Piano: create songs, pieces, and musical stories, recreate what you've heard before (at first, disregard rules and technique).
- compare to writing: "creative writing" and writing down a story you have heard before.
- compare to foreign language: speaking, communicating.
Ultimate Goal:
- (re)create songs, pieces and musical stories using correct and appropriate rules and technique, notes and patterns.
My goal for the children is to learn to hear, think and play by interval rather than by note/key name.
Playing by absolute note/key names promotes vertical thinking which impedes the flow of music whereas interval relationships and direction (up, down or repeat) show where the music is going.
Thinking by key names is similar to spelling e-v-e-r-y w-o-r-d instead of speaking fluently.
Once we start finger numbers, we will add numbers to solfege singing because they, too, indicate interval relationships. This will also help with transposing (playing in different keys). Once the children know their note/key names very well, they will automatically know that, for instance, "C D E" means do-re-mi, or 1-2-3.
Keep in mind that we can handle only one thing at a time: when we try to figure out a new part of a song, we have no mental energy left to worry about handshape, - not even breathing, it seems! That's ok. You wouldn't correct a toddler's grammar when he excitedly tells you what just happened, either. We need to master one thing before adding another challenge.
Remember that the children are learning to speak a foreign language; eventually they will speak and read and write correctly. In your music sharing time at home, it is up to you to find the delicate balance between letting your child speak (disregarding rules if necessary), and reviewing rules, theory, and technique. Enjoy!
No matter how well, or not at all, you as a parent play the piano, I want you to play for your child. Make up songs, tunes, sounds, talk about them, perform for each other (modeling good listening behavior: listen quietly, don't interrupt). Play games with your child; they especially enjoy correcting you when you intentionally mess up: play a wrong note in a song we learned, or play with a bad handshape, or play unmusically, pounding the piano - let it be very obvious in the beginning, and then, as they get better, more subtle.
Enjoy the journey, make it an exciting adventure where new discoveries are to be made around every corner!