LeslieUpchurch.com

Moving Right Along

My idea to give discounted lessons during the day to adults has netted me 3 new students directly. And I also got 2 new adults at the regular rate in the evening. It seems when you throw an idea at he universe it responds. I enjoy teaching children but I want to eventually teach mostly adults. By taking this step it showed that I was serious.

My 3 new adult daytime students are 2 yoga instructors and one parent of 2 students. My other 2 adults are parents of a student. All 3 of them - the student and her parents - are going to take lessons one evening in their home. I am excited about all of this!

Why adults as piano students? I have taught thousands upon thousands of children - literally. I am good at it and it works on many levels. I have taught these throngs of children Dalcroze classes and piano lessons, as well as "general music". I think it is an age thing. You finally reach a point where you need more balance in your life. Enter, adult students. They are motivated, they are not going to resist having a lesson - though of course in the normal continuum of learning everyone has resistance points. Theses barriers are another type of challenge to work through - both for the student and the teacher. The adult students will take their lessons and the finer points are where the teacher is working.

To impact the world at large - society? - in terms of musical expression teaching children is vital. I am not saying I won't continue teaching children, but the balance in my life is directing me to teach adults. My Dalcroze teaching will follow into the world of adults too. I "put it out there", acted on it by offering discounted rates, and it is happening.

Making decisions is often my biggest obstacle when it comes to making changes. The day by day decisions are the ones that impact where we end up. We are always putting one foot in front of the other, so altering the steps slightly will bring vastly different results in the end.

I do quite a bit of Bikram Yoga and Bikram makes comparisons between yoga postures and airport gates. He says something like - if you go through the wrong gate, a gate only a few feet from the proper one, you could end up in London instead of Hong Kong - a BIG difference. And, it was only a few feet away from the desired gate.

I did not get to the Dalcroze workshop yesterday afternoon. I did get a new student during that time frame. I was teaching and ran a bit overtime - this often happens when I do not have a really set schedule. I was only going to be able to go to the closing 45 minute session and being late to that would be kind of ridiculous. I took the time to call a potential student and we agreed to start in a couple of weeks. This is one of my new adult students - at the discounted rate. He will be my third yoga instructor student. I love teaching my teachers. We are peers, we are on a journey, and it is amazing how there are so many parallels between how you interact with yourself between piano lessons and yoga class.

Off to teach today. I have a lovely young girl and we have the best time together. Why? She has "regular" piano lessons with someone else and her mother wanted her to experience improv and creativity at the piano. So, she asked me to do this! In the course of being the "regular" piano teacher there are so many responsibilities. I step up to the plate and teach all of the areas that are a part of the piano learning process when I am "it". It is such a luxury to have a student "just for fun"!

Next I teach my private yoga instructor - who is an opera singer and a very dedicated piano student. He is a blast.

Then, a rehearsal with the sax player - jazz! We are "on the verge" but I have to admit that I need to practice more for this endeavor. I do not love practicing - somehow I am always on the move and don't do it enough. (Sound familiar?)

Finally, yoga class with the very same teacher I teach in a couple of hours. Home to perhaps practice in the evening? Will see!

Have a great day!