February 1, 2025: Saturday Remix
Teachers and Staff: Happy Saturday!
Teaching Music Lessons (Part 1)
We teach piano. We teach voice. We teach instruments. And we often specialize in these things. Yes!
But, we also teach music.
This is important to reflect on. As music teachers, we sometimes focus solely (or too much) on the technical aspects of an instrument, and too little on other aspects of music learning, music-making, and musical skills development. I have heard music teachers say, “It’s not my job to teach general music, they get that at school.” (Or something to that effect.)
At our music school, our music education philosophy emphasizes that we teach music along with teaching technical skills. Musical skills, musicianship, music theory, etc., are part of our students’ music education, and not left for “someone else” to teach. We must incorporate general musical knowledge and skills into our music lessons, regularly.
And, another important feature of our music-teaching philosophy is that we, as music teachers, are able to teach some music lessons to students with no instruments at all, with several different instruments, or even to music students who play instruments we do not know how to play.
Because music is more than instruments. There is a world of musical skills, knowledge, theory, culture, history, performance practice, and other worthwhile and important elements of music that music students should be exposed to, learn, learn about, and practice. Regardless of what particular instrument they are focusing on.
Armed with this insight and determination, music teachers can teach a music lesson to any music student, and to any group of music students. At our music school, music teachers are asked to strive to gain experience and expertise doing this!
There is enormous opportunity and benefit for music teachers, music students, and our music school. We can be guest teachers sometimes to a wide variety of types of music students. We can sometimes have a wide variety of types of guest students in our classes. Practicing this, music students will develop as well-rounded musicians, and music teachers will gain additional advanced musical skills.
At our music school, our group classes are generally very small (1-4 students). If you teach a small group class, then one week per month, there is a chance that you could have a guest student in your class. This guest student may or may not play the same instrument you are teaching regularly in the class. (This generally will not happen more than once per month in any one class.) Teachers must be prepared to teach the class in a meaningful way with the guest student!
In addition, when a scheduled music teacher is absent, we strive to cover their lessons with a guest teacher (substitute). The guest teacher is not required to teach the student’s regular instrument. Why? Because, as we are discussing here, there is a world of music that can and should be taught to every music student, and the guest teacher can teach some of it. A guest teacher has the opportunity to teach something the student might not have learned in their regular lessons. To practice general musical skills that every musician should practice. To teach about music theory, music history, music cultures, and music performance practices. To listen to, to analyze music, to watch music performances, and to discuss any number of music topics.
Next week, some sample guest student and guest teacher lesson plans and ideas for your use and reflection will be presented in Teaching Music Lessons (Part 2).
Studio Theme for the Season and Next Theme Recital: Songs of the Irish and Springtime
Thank you teachers who have begun incorporating our season’s theme into your music lessons with students! Students are asking about it and parents are signing them up for our recital! Be sure to participate!
Remember, one option is to assign them a new piece. Another option is to talk about how the theme relates or is expressed by some of the music they are already familiar with or learning.
I have posted some simplified arrangements of additional themed songs and pieces of various levels as well in our shared Teacher Resources Google drive. Please send me requests as well, and I will do what I can to help!
Students are encouraged to play two or more songs or pieces from memory. They do not all have to follow the theme. If one does, that is sufficient. All music for themed recitals should be played from memory (no music sheets or books, if at all possible).
This is a studio-wide theme for this period of time. All teachers should encourage their students to participate in the theme, regardless whether they will play in the culminating performance.
(St.) Valentine’s Day
Friday, Feb. 14, 2025
Lessons are OFF for this day! It is an off-day if you teach on Fridays! Enjoy the day and evening! (p.s. You should see studio-wide off-days and events on your teacher calendar.)
__
Q. How should I respond when a student or parent asks me about my availability? Or to change our lesson schedule, or to reschedule a lesson?
A. Please remind them that all scheduling is handled by the office, and to please email the office at office@dennisfrayne.com. Teachers are not authorized to provide availability or scheduling information to students, parents, or families, or to schedule or reschedule any lessons.
__
Thank you, everyone, for all that you do!
Have a magical Saturday, a musical weekend, and a safe and healthy coming week.
Thank you,
Dennis Frayne
"Dr. Dennis"
Laguna Niguel School of Music
Dennis Frayne Music Studios
30110 Crown Valley Pkwy, Suites 105/107/108
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
(949) 844-9051 (office cell)
(949) 468-8040 (personal cell)
www.lagunaniguelschoolofmusic.com
Piano Lessons | Voice Lessons | Music Lessons
Music is... Creative, Thoughtful, Fun, & Rewarding!