Studio News

July, 2008 -- 

Practice Triggers     Joplin

    Welcome to Studio News for July.

    How quickly we have come to the end of first semester.  I am proud of the progress of all students.  It is such a treat to see people learning. 

    The recital on the last weekend seemed a great success.  Many new and young pianists played for the first time and those with a little more experience showed confidence and performed very well.  I am sincerely amazed at the skills of our youngsters who have been playing piano for really such a short time.  I greatly appreciate the support of parents and other visitors who have supported the children, wherever they are at, and given by your attendance the message that you value the children’s musical development.  I also am thankful for everyone’s willingness to help and be involved.  This means a lot to me as a teacher. 

    In this newsletter we look briefly at a strategy for developing practice habits, called Practice Triggers.  We are also introduced to a brilliant musician whose music has survived, despite prejudice and poverty.  Scott Joplin was a great musician and is famous for his Ragtime hits, although he also wrote much Classical style.  Joplin became quite popular during the 1970s for his lively, syncopated music.  However, during his lifetime he longed to become and established composer of opera and serious works.

^ 

Practice Triggers

(This idea comes from the book The Practice Revolution by Philip Johnson)

    Often students have good intentions to practice, but find that the week gets busy or they get side-tracked and come the next lesson they realise with dismay that they have once again forgotten to complete their practice routine.  Another lesson without practice and they feel discouraged.  Parents also tire of being Practice Police and nagging, “It’s practice time!” 

Practice Triggers can provide that reminder, even making practice time a game.  Events that become practice triggers can be random and fun, self-chosen and changed every day.  They can help keep practice session focused.  Here’s how it works:

While this is probably not the most effective approach for a serious student, it could take some pressure off students and parents, even help create a practice habit.  Often all it takes is for students to see the progress they can make from regular efforts, and the motivation begins to grow.  

^ 

Scott Joplin   

Scott Joplin was born in Texas, America during 1868.  Prejudice against African Americans was still generally quite aggressive.  Joplin’s birth was not registered, but is often accepted that he was born in July of 1867 – although he could have been born anywhere in the following 6 months of that date.  Both Joplin’s parents were musical, but they were poor.  His father had been a slave and his mother was a domestic maid. 

    When Joplin’s talents were showing at 4 years of age, his mother found work cleaning houses where Joplin was allowed to play the piano.  A German piano teacher recognised Joplin’s ability and gave him free piano lessons, teaching him about the form and style of Classical Music.  These foundations were important for his later compositions.  When Joplin was 15 years old, his mother had finally saved enough money to buy him his own piano. 

    In his early twenties, Joplin joined a number of travelling bands and vocal groups, singing and playing cornet, violin and piano.  It was sometime during this time that he began composing small parlour songs – pieces that everyone would join in and sing. 

Ragtime music was first written down and published as instrumental arrangement in the late 1890s.  Joplin was one of the first to write music seriously in this genre.  Unfortunately, his earliest works were give an alternative name (that of a white American) when his first publisher put the music to print.  Another publisher was found and a legal contract signed.  In 1899, Joplin published Maple Leaf Rag.  His music was instantly successful and Joplin became famous, moving to the top of the hit list and establishing the style Ragtime.

    Joplin spent time living in St Louis and New York.  During his years in these places, he experienced a variety of ups and major downs.  While his music was very popular, he had great difficulties having any published.  He desperately wanted to write Opera and Classical style music, as this was seen as more sophisticated and legitimate by the American society of the time – the Ragtime showing an African heritage and the Classical based on European heritage.  Many critics have said Joplin’s operas were excellent musically, but they were never acknowledged at the time.

    Joplin died young, in 1917.  His music was quickly forgotten at the time.  However, revival of Ragtime began in the 1940s when groups began searching for the roots of Jazz (now the roots of contemporary music).  Some of Joplin’s music was put to recordings and his operas performed.  In 1970, Joplin was finally recognised as a legitimate composer and included in the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame.  In 1976 he was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his contribution to American music. 

    These days, Joplin’s music and other Ragtime pieces are included in the lists of sophisticated, Classical status music.  The associated genres are called Rag, cakewalk, two-step and march.  Among Joplin’s best know compositions are Maple Leaf Rag, The Entertainer, Magnetic Rag, and Pineapple Rag.

Annah Hyrst

Individual Dynamics

Music is what feelings sound like.

Last modified: July 09, 2008