THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN (Revisited)
Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2011 11:28 PM
Subject: Re: TIP OF THE MONTH: THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE COIN
Hey there, Howard … If you don't have any
objection, I am going to make this my next
months Tip ... with some additional,
supporting comments of my own! Richard
Hi Richard: Great post. Always exciting to
read about your successes. As far as lesson
attrition … All of us experience that! I
think the primary issue is financial but
most people don't want to admit that. Also,
the 2nd main reason, in my opinion, is that
with a good teacher, the student is
basically SHOCKED into HOW MUCH DAMN WORK
THIS IS! (This usually doesn't happen with a
bad teacher, ironically, and that is why bad
teachers are able to sustain their students
for longer periods of time!) A good teacher
instills a work ethic and a realization of
the exact steps to take that will guarantee
that they reach their goal. I think the
average person is basically lazy and
unfortunately this overrides their desire to
reach their goal, so they quit.
I've been teaching now for 37 years and even
now, I have some students who are going
through this exact issue... impatient, not
having realized that the process is MUCH
slower than they had expected and they are
just too distracted and "ADD" about the
situation and they are so tempted to give
up... sadly just before they are about to
have a breakthrough. I do my best to explain
all this to them but alas, life pulls them
away.
Frustrating for the teacher, but actually it
is just as it should be, because it explains
why only a few make it to the top.
Howard
Howard Richman
Sound Feelings Publishing
18375 Ventura Blvd. #8000
Tarzana, CA 91356
USA
http://www.soundfeelings.com
(please do not publish email address on the
internet.)
Regarding Howard's letter … I couldn't have
said it better if I had coached him! Howard
is a wonderful piano teacher who taught my
son Sean for three summers while he was out
here on his visitations.
Howard's comments about how much work is
entailed in taking even a very natural
talent to the upper echelon wherein you
begin to realize that maybe doing what you
are doing, is good enough to do "for money,
perhaps even as a living" … This is becoming
a real possibility. But the vocal/pianistic
talents notwithstanding, they are only one
part—granted, the most important part—of the
total equation. As Howard noted, "… they are
often tempted to give up, sadly just before
they are about to have a breakthrough." (My
italics!) A profound thought: Perhaps that
may be the very reason they quit, or change
teachers; it scares the hell outta them!
"Now that the reality of success is manifest
… doesn't that mean that maybe I might
actually have to go out on a real stage and
put it all on the line, have to do this for
a living … with all the other
responsibilities and decisions thereto
appertaining?" Auditions, no health
insurance, days, weeks, months without work,
getting an agent/manager, learning
repertoire, repertoire, honing my craft so
that I am competitive, better than the
competition, etcetera … Aaaaaaagh!!!
I have had three just like that this year!
With them … singing was the "shining
castle/house on the hill," something to work
toward, it was the process, the "I'm
studying voice," I tell my friends and …
oops …Oh crap … I'm here! I can really sing
well, I'm thrilled with my voice ... but …
is this what I really want to do with my
life? If it never even occurs to you to
think about that, to even ask that question
… you may very well have a shot at a career,
all other aspects considered and consistent.
So, as Howard so eloquently put it,
"Frustrating for the teacher. But actually
it is just as it should be, because it
explains why only a few make it to the top."
or even a few rungs lower, sez I!
R
