my future teacher at BYU sent me his syllabus today that was so eye-popping, I just have to share it!
I'll just quote select tid bits such as:
"All performance majors are expected, urged, and required to practice a minimum of 4 hours per day, 6 days a week. This is the minimum. As a student, I usually practiced between 35-40 hours a week, and more when I had intensive competitions, recitals or auditions. If an absolute genius like Sviatislav Richter felt it necessary to practice 12 hours a day, I’m not sure why others think that 2 hours is enough. " (aaand there goes my life) (p.s. 1, maybe 2 hours a day on a good week)
and little remarks likes this:
"Where is the high point of the phrase? How long is the phrase?. Are you following every marking, dynamic, articulation, rest, expression mark etc, and are you being creative in their interpretation? Are you creating ideas based on those markings? Do you like the tone you are making? If pianistic success means that you can cleanly play the music, it is memorized, up to tempo and in rhythm, you are only doing very primitive piano playing." (I am quite happy with myself to get through a piece without messing up the notes)
and encouraging words like this:
"You are wasting your time (and mine) if you have not “consulted” with other famous pianists playing your repertoire on a recording. It is baffling to me that a student would not listen in microscopic detail to a major artist playing their repertoire. I am horrified when a college student pianists is not well acquainted with the great pianists such as Ashkenazy, Argerich, Arrau, Brendel, Goode, Gould, Gilels, Hofmann, Friedman, Moiseiwitch, Horowitz, Lipati, Richter, Michelangeli, Lupu, Pollini, Kissin, Zimmerman etc etc. These should be your role models and musical heroes." (I know NONE of these people)
what was i thinking?? do i even want to be that good? am i still going to be taking regular classes at the university? am i going to have any resemblance of a fun college life at all? how on earth did i get in?? how many classes did you guys take your first semester of college? is piano really more than an intensive hobby to me? all these things were flying through my head as i read this syllabus.
My decision right now is to just throw myself into it...why not. I guess I'll just study up on those pianists, start increasing my practice time, and hopefully by fall, I'll be on the level. good luck, me.
8 comments:
Yea, thats pretty intense. So, what do you plan on doing with piano when you graduate? I do think that college teachers like to be overly scary about the work load sometimes. Have you gotten into BYU the school yet?
yes i got accepted to the university. maybe it sounds more intense that it is...but you can't exaggerate facts. 6 hours a day. pass/fail recital. as for what i plan on doing? i have no idea, my reasons for improving at piano were not really career oriented
Oh they're just trying to scare you. They also say you're supposed to do 2 hours of studying outside of class for every hour in class, and who the heck does that? But if piano isn't a career for you, you may want to look at other majors and just take fun music classes on the side. No use putting yourself through hell if you're not going to be able to use it in the real world.
Penny, you were so happy for the honor of being accepted into the Piano Performance major & I want you to stay happy. I like the plan of throwing yourself into it fully. Think of it as a music mission. When you hear about challenges a missionary will experience you don't say "well nevermind it sounds too hard". Have faith that it will open up doors to magical oportunities.
Sure, mom. Throw out my perfectly good idea of giving up before you start. Sheesh.
Sylabi almost always make the class sound far worse than it it. It's like flipping to the front at the beginnng g of the year thinking, how the crap will i learn this. and then by the end you know it like the back of your hand.
you did get into a competetive program, so they'll probably be pushing you harder than most normal undergrads. i'd expect to eat, sleep, and breath piano for the next 4 years. but it's byu and you'll have plenty of time for fun. don't worry about it.
I heard about piano majors in provo having to practice four hours/day, so that's why I wasn't a piano major when I was there...and I'm a piano major now in Idaho. We only practice 2 hours/day, and it's still a lot to do on top of other classes. If you think they're kidding about the four hour thing, think again. They will lower your grade if you don't do it, I promise. Music people can be nuts. If you like piano and want it to be an enriching thing for you but not kill your love of music, Idaho could be the place for you. If you want you can call me and I can tell you a little about the program here...also, they give piano scholarships to almost all of the piano majors.
Wow, that's really neat you got into the program! I remember the first time you played piano in sacrament meeting for the primary program. You were just a small kid and you did a great job. I think you have the talent and ability to go as far as you want with it. It sounds like everybody has a lot of advice for you, but of course you are the one who decides what you really want. As far as what to do with your talent for money...I know my sister has played for weddings and earned a nice paycheck for a one-night gig that way. That could be a nice way to bring in some money while you're in college (being in Utah with all the weddings all the time) and when you have kids that could be an easy side job that wouldn't take you away from your family all day every day. Just some thoughts. Good luck with whatever you decide! I'm sure you'll be great!
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