Monday, June 21, 2021 by LaDona Ahenda | Teaching

The music year has almost come to a close. Exam students have taken their online exam, and we have had the "debriefing" and planning sessions for next year. 

It was a year unlike any other. We were in and out of the studio, most of the time in-person but sometimes online. Local restrictions made online lessons mandatory for awhile, and there were always one or more students who were isolating. 

Having my students in the studio was a joy. We thrive on human interaction, and Zoom doesn't quite deliver. We managed to stay safe and COVID-free in the studio, thanks to the constant sanitizing and masks and distance. I'm fortunate that I have the space and second piano that has made this possible. Having said this, I'm grateful that Zoom, and other online platforms, made lessons possible when physical proximity was not an option.

We as teachers noticed an interesting trend. For a good part of the last 15 months, students practiced well, more than was typical. They had nothing else to do. Great progress was made. Then it seems like we collectively hit a wall and motivation disappeared. The last few months were harder as COVID hung on and the third wave hit hard. But the students persevered and I think they all did quite well on the exam, some technical issues notwithstanding. 

Much as I welcome the summer break, I am excited about fall lessons. COVID has given us the gift of time - time to reflect and consider how we might do things differently and better. Ideas are percolating and demand to be written down before they disappear. Resources have been sitting on my shelves for years, begging to be opened and tried. Helping my students develop a better ear is a high priority for me; solidifying the fingering for scales and chords is an ongoing challenge. I have a brand-new beginner whom I will be starting in a new-to-me method, Piano Safari. I'll need to spend some time in August going through the method and familiarizing myself with everything it has to offer. 

The future is looking much brighter. Better days are ahead.