10Apr 2017 by Shelly Davis

Episode Highlights:

Becki Laurent is a piano teacher from Lubbock, Texas.

She can be reached at msbecki@gmail.com.

Student reminder: I want my students to own their learning and apply what they know. Playing piano is fun but it still requires a work ethic. I also constantly tell them two things: 1. Count and 2. F’s are sharp and B’s are flat!

“Talent is a great thing. But talent without a personal work ethic is useless.” Becki Laurent

Parent reminder: Parents have enough battles to fight with their kids. Piano practice doesn’t need to be one of them. I share the “Rule of Five” with my piano parents. That is, their child should practice each assigned piece 5 times well. That may take three minutes or thirty minutes. I tell my parents to stop stressing about piano practice minutes. They are told to tell their piano kids, “Practice your 5 and if you think Mr. Becki will be happy with how it sounds then you are done for today.”

“Practice your 5 and if you think Mr. Becki will be happy with how it sounds then you are done for today.”

I also teach them the “Rule of Age” for recitals. Students must play their recital piece well as many times as their age.

Teacher motivation: The thing that most keeps me motivated as a teacher is the thrill of learning. I love to learn. I love to try new things and make new connections. Nothing thrills me more than to learn something new. I also love to see a student learn. It is so exciting to see that moment. It is a unique experience to watch learning happen in someone else’s head and I love to be there for that.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Piano Maestro

Yamaha Chord Tracker

The Most Addicting Sheep Game

Becki’s Composer Pick: Bach. I woud love to know what made him tick. What was he like in real life that led to such tremendous musical thought? How did he manage multiple lines of melody? I think he was the ultimate multi tasker and I’d love to know how he did it.

I also think we would share a love of technology. I think he would explode with creative ideas if you put him in front of a Clavinova! Can you imagine?

Here is a video sample of the genius of Bach.

Parting Wisdom for New Piano Parents: The day is coming (probably sooner than you realize) when you will look at your child and think “Wow! That was really beautiful! My child is a musician!” That moment? Worth every bit of practice!