I am reading a book I picked up in the library while just browsing, called Music Lessons: Guide Your Child to Play a Musical Instrument. As I am a music teacher, who teaches privately, I like to know what's being said about us. I also read these parents' books from time to time to pick up parenting tips. Anyway, I think this is a very good read for parents. I wish I had had it years ago to give copies of to all my students' parents.

I've often wondered why some students are very successful, some moderately so, and some, sadly, give up before they have a chance to shine. What is the formula? I've thought it was something like,
1. First, a desire within the child to create music.
2. The right teacher - warm, enthusiastic about music in general, flexible to different student learning styles, open to different methods and genres of music, skilled in the area of instruction.
3. Encouraging parents who provide, and insist upon, regular practice time in a quiet environment conducive to good concentration...mixed with a generous dollop of praise for sincere efforts.

Yet, sometimes, I've had students with seemingly all of the above, and they lose interest over time, even after fantastic success, and fizzle out. Others doggedly plod on through the years with little or no inspiration, and continue through high school graduation. Why do these lack the success that seems inevitable?

And my idea of success is not necessarily performance at Carnegie Hall. My idea of success is a lifelong love of learning, of developing skill, tastes, and perhaps venturing into new instruments and areas of musical expression.

In reading this book I am hoping to find a key that may have been missing for me. I want 100% of my students to be successful, and anything less feels like failure to me, personally.

And, on another personal note, Little-Sir-3-Year-Old has a hereditary love for music, and begs to play all the instruments he sees. About a month ago, I introduced him to his sister's old violin, thinking he'd play around for a few minutes, then lose interest and go back to his trucks and toy horses. Even tho' it's too big for him, he instinctively holds the bow correctly, and positions the violin quite well. He'll take 30 min. or so of mini lessons from me, and often will take the instrument out 4 or 5 times in one day. He's thrilled whenever I suggest it, and the promise of it will instantly snap him out of a cranky moment. I bought him a harmonica recently, too, so he can have his expression any time he likes, whether I'm home or not (he's not allowed to play the violin unless I or his sister are home to supervise. Respect for the instrument must be taught young.) Tonight, it was just the two of us home, so I put on Handel's Messiah full-blast, got out my flute, and the violin, and we had a joyous hour playing along. Of course he can't read notes yet, but the violin is tuned so that any string he plays won't sound off pitch with our selections.

I'm going to keep reading this book, and hopefully, with this little one, I'll get the formula just right.