tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post2501336722848636047..comments2024-03-27T23:06:03.736-05:00Comments on The Music Salon: Music Lessons Are Pointless?Bryan Townsendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-43304679993106177452016-03-03T08:42:07.439-06:002016-03-03T08:42:07.439-06:00Oh, not at all! But it depends on your goals. If t...Oh, not at all! But it depends on your goals. If the aim is to become the greatest pianist of your generation, then starting much younger is probably a good idea. But really, if your aim is simply to enjoy music by playing it, you can start at any age.Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-78541445132749774912016-03-03T05:46:56.409-06:002016-03-03T05:46:56.409-06:00Is 13-14 too old to start piano lessons?
irish dan...Is 13-14 too old to start piano lessons?<br /><a href="http://www.impactcentres.com/musiclessons" rel="nofollow">irish dancing classes</a>Jr. Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15627387829300054935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-58859633879129527752013-09-24T06:53:31.436-05:002013-09-24T06:53:31.436-05:00Lots of great points there! The bit about the joys...Lots of great points there! The bit about the joys of amateur music-making is really important. I have toured in Europe with a flute-player and it was a wonderful experience because of all the people we met. We had almost no time to do touristy things like visit museums and cathedrals, but we met people every night. People who wanted to talk to us, to buy us drinks, to invite us to lunch or dinner.<br /><br />Music is an important bridge between people. Making music with other people is a rare and important experience that I think is fundamentally elevating. It connects you in ways that nothing else really does.<br /><br />I wonder that anyone would call it "pointless".Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-91740393961353423522013-09-23T11:15:01.996-05:002013-09-23T11:15:01.996-05:00I agree with you that it's probably best to le...I agree with you that it's probably best to let children get introduced to lots of different things to see what they like. Maybe they will find something they really enjoy and want to do. Still when I get kids sometime in the future I think I will prioritize music education. Piano would probably be most important considering how versatile it is but other instruments could work too.<br />I've read Paul Berman's response and Mark Oppenheimer's response to the response. Mark noted that many people were enraged because of him comparing a violin and ukele. Just because an instrument is typically used in popular or folk music doesn't mean it can't be hard, there is probably classical music written for even the most unusual instrument and besides some pieces can be played on many different instruments. I've seen transcriptions of J.S. Bach's music for many different instruments, for instance<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKRj-T4l-e8 , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AOGAuOkgFI <br />and since I've mentioned Ukele:<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAgMqbsKhgw<br /><br />And here's a nice comment from the comment section of Paul Berman's article:<br />"I posted this in the other article but it is relevant here too:<br /><br />Becoming a professional musician is certainly not the only desirable outcome. I am an amateur violinist. Every time I move to a new city, I can find new friends by joining an amateur orchestra or looking people up in the catalogue of the ACMP, now called the Chamber Music Network. Whenever I travel, I can meet people through the ACMP as well (in Paris, I played piano trios and in Tokyo I played string quartets and string quintets. If I'd been a cellist, they could have lent me a cello!). I can go to music camp and get coached on hard pieces and perform them in front of other amateurs. It's *FUN*. When you have a pick-up group, there's no pressure to get the music perfectly - you just sit down and do your best, and laugh if you have to stop and go back to letter H. And you can talk and joke between movements, and have supper or tea, and play some more. Playing great music even at an amateur level is a rich experience - emotionally and intellectually. I was a kid who had to be forced, and so are my kids. I don't expect them to be professionals - I just want them to get good enough to play with other people. If it helps them in school, that's great - but mostly I just want them to have some wonderful social experiences later in life. <br /><br />Pianists who haven't touched the piano in years, do you realize that Brahms wrote piano four-hands versions of all his chamber works and all his symphonies? Do you realize how much sheet music you can get for free on imslp.org ?? Dust off your instruments and find someone to play with. For FUN."<br /><br />While I don't have any real experience with public performance of music I think he makes a great point about having fun. Playing music should be about having enjoyment and fun and there is lots in classical music.Rickardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08084578675339015204noreply@blogger.com