Always be ready to learn.
Every day is a training day.
Never stop learning.
Learn something new every day.
We have all heard or read the above phrases at some point in our lives.
Every day is a training day, which was like a mantra during my time in the fire service. Even when we didn’t have company, crew, or multi-department training, a majority of us did individual training. We would look over building designs from buildings in our district so we could review apparatus placement, exits, and hazards. Sometimes we would work on ropes and knots, air pack confidence drills, and internet classes.
Our lives, and the lives of the citizens we served, depended on us learning as much as possible. There was never a chance of “over-learning”.
I know this is to be a blog for music and not about my former career in the fire department. However, it doesn’t matter what a person does, crossover in learning happens. When someone learns as much as they can about their job, school subject, hobby, or themselves, they begin to find comfort and a sense of accomplishment in what they have learned.
I am blessed to teach trumpet and brass lessons. The students range from 5th grade to high school. I say blessed because it is truly a blessing to spend time with students who want to learn. Even though some of the lessons are group lessons, they are still getting a chance to receive focused attention. It gives the band directors, who have hired me, the opportunity to focus on other sections in the band. It also gives the students I pull out of class the chance to break out and receive instruction on their specific instrument.
The high school student who takes private trumpet lessons from me is very talented, smart, and fun to work with.
Will he continue to play trumpet after he graduates high school? I don’t know.
Will he become a great trumpet player who travels all over the world sharing his tremendous talent? I don’t know.
Will he stop playing music altogether after graduating? I don’t know.
Will he continue to play in college while pursuing a degree in a subject other than music? I don’t know.
Along with not knowing, I don’t care.
I couldn’t care less if he or any of the other students continued with music.
I couldn’t care less if they go pro in the music business.
I couldn’t care less if they go into a career and never play music again.
What I do care about is them. I care about the students. I care about them as people.
I care about them so much that I teach them about music to the best of my ability. I give them lessons about how to handle life, through music.
Music is experienced differently by everyone. It can be an escape, therapy, re-create memories, a stress reliever, and a multitude of other ways a person uses or needs music to cope with life.
While they are in a lesson, I walk next to the student in their musical journey. Each student or group gets a specific lesson tailored to their need or wants. Individual attention to obtain success. Wow, what a concept huh?
During lessons, I will introduce new music. Sometimes I will have a student play it without giving them instruction, reminders, or a chance to practice the piece. It is the ultimate sight-reading challenge. I want to see if they apply what I had taught them in previous lessons to something new.
Did they look at the title? Did they look at the composer? Did they look at the key signature? Did they look at the time signature? Did they look for possible problematic passages? Did they sing through parts of the piece in their head while doing the fingerings?
I want them to take previously learned knowledge and apply it to something new.
I want them to relax when they play a new piece of music instead of feeling stressed.
I want them to find the patterns in the music and smile while knowing that they practiced and had lessons so they would succeed in that moment.
I want them to have confidence in themselves and their ability.
I want them to apply previously learned knowledge without the prompting of an instructor.
Mostly, I want them to always think for themselves, that when others try to think for them, their confidence will keep them on the right path.
You may have noticed that I have used, “I” a lot in this writing. I think I have used the word I more than any other time I have written in any other blog entry I have posted. :)
Even though this blog is mine and I write what I want, I don’t believe I am a selfish person and care only about myself. This blog is a way for me to express my thoughts and desires about how music has helped me and how I want to share it with others. My almost incessant use of I isn’t about my selfishness, it is about my selflessness in wanting to share the positive power of music.
I am learning lessons in music every day. I ask questions about trumpets, brands, types, and every other question I can think of so that I may be informed. I ask the people that know.
Some people may not be able to afford private lessons. If that is the case but you are able to get into a group lesson, take advantage of the group lesson.
Ask questions. It is amazing how easy it is to ask a question through email. I have asked many questions and have answered questions through this new-fangled way of communication.
Never stop learning. Never stop asking questions. Never stop growing. Never stop taking lessons.