I am a Music Educator, Not a Magician.

This has been weighing on my mind for quite some time, and I would like to share this with all of you.

First, let me preface this by saying that I am beyond grateful for my 12+ years of becoming a musician and falling in love with music. I am grateful for the sacrifice that my parents have made to put me and my sisters through piano lessons and always telling ups to do our best. I am grateful for the many music mentors and teachers that I have had over the years that have given me their patience and shared their love of music with me. I am also grateful for the opportunity that I have had to be a music educator myself, sharing my love and knowledge of music with a younger generation.

For the past four years I have been tutoring and teaching piano lessons privately and through my old piano studio (which is another blessing). All of the kids that I have had the privilege of teaching have been, without a doubt, blessings in my life. Yes, it would be dishonest of me to say that every child is a cakewalk and that every situation is an easy one. But the reality is, sometimes teaching can get difficult, whether it is a musical skill, instrument, or even something not music-related such as sports, languages or concepts.

As am music educator, I want to make it clear what my role is.

I am just what the job description says. I am a music educator, and not a magician. My job as an educator is to bring music into your life, give you tips and pointers on how to improve and go the extra mile and to motivate you to do the best that you can and be the best that you can be. I want students to put in the hard work and see the results that way, instead of just giving them the "easy" way out and cheap praise.

However, this is easier said than done. People want to see quick and immediate results. They do not want to wait 5 or 10 years before they see results. This is not a realistic of feasible goal. You cannot expect to go from music-less to Mozart over night. It would be unrealistic of me to push this goal onto my students. My job is not to give students a magic pill so that they can become a virtuoso musician. That has to be earned and worked at.

As it happens, students are often frustrated with their slow progress. A discussion I had with a parent had brought a lot of doubt into my mind, hence this post and a heavy heart. I questioned whether or not I was adequate enough to even begin to teach kids piano. I questioned whether or not I fully understood what I was getting myself into, and whether or not I fully understood the role of my job.

This discussion reminded me that piano, like many other activities, requires dedication and hard work. The relationship between a teacher and a student is not a one way street. Students need to practice - it is their job! You cannot expect progress with practice. With practice, you will go upwards and improve, little by little. The progress is not great to start with, but over time you grow in your craft and earn mastery over it. It is with this practice that a teacher can supplement the hard work that you have put in. I say 'supplement' because the critiques that teachers give should not replace the work that is already put in.

It works the same way with being a member of a sports team. You need to train and go to practice to improve. Without going to practice and demonstrating your technique and skills, how will your coach know whether or not you can handle a game? How will they know that you are dedicated? Coaches put their best players out on the field in order to create favourable situations for a win. 

With music, your "win" is the mastery of your skill.

Let me mention that I see both sides of the relationship equally. Currently, I am still a music student working at a goal that I have been dreaming over for a few years now, and that is a Diploma in Piano Pedagogy with the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. I feel the pains of finding time to practice, the feeling of discontent when I cannot get a piece right and also the feeling when I have disappointed my teacher. However,  I also have experienced the great joys that come out of playing a piece with finesse, making my teacher proud and being able to demonstrate a clear understanding of what I have learned over the years. Music is one of those things in life where determination and discipline is crucial in order to succeed, and it is a lesson that I have brought with me everywhere to this day.

I would be lying to you if I told you that this path was easy. In fact, there have been times when I felt like dropping out and not playing anymore. Piano has taught me to never give up and to practice even harder when you feel like you are not getting anywhere. Because if anything, you are progressing even when you feel like you are regressing. Mastery is a slippery slope - you need to keep going up, because the minute you plateau, it is difficult (but not impossible) to continue upwards.

They say that "practice makes perfect", and in this respect, it is so true. Find the drive and the discipline to practice and give your teacher a reason to praise you. Remember that this relationship, like so many others, is a two way street. Music educators cannot give you their hands and brains for you to play the perfect piece. Instead, we can only give you a critique of what you have done well and what you can improve on. The rest is up to the student: practice, endure, and excel.

I feel that this concept can apply to anything that you wish to excel in. Without discipline and hard work, we would take our talents and gifts for granted. Push yourself to improve and never accept just mediocrity. 

Oh, and show some love to your fellow mentors and teachers too. :)

Your fellow music educator and ink spiller,

x R

(PS - here is a #tbt of me in Banff with a super nice Steinway)

Dear (Younger) Me,

So I know I am slightly behind (2009 called, they want their idea back), but in my defense, YouTube was doing this too. They are behind, and I am behind them. So everyone is behind.

About a month ago YouTube had this explosion of Dear Me videos. I vowed that I would get around to doing something like a letter or a video, but unfortunately life got in the way. But now I am here, and I have a letter to myself. I was going to do a video but then I realized that I am not as technologically advanced as I think. The Dear Me campaign consisted of letters written by people who are now adults, looking back on their 16 year old selves and imparting on them the knowledge that they have now.

I realize that I am only 18 (going on 19, finally) and that 16 was only a mere 2 years ago. I may not have gotten that much older but I feel like I have grown wiser in some respects. Or, at least that is what I would like to claim.

But here we go.

Dear (younger) me,

Spoiler alert: Life goes down. It goes down. But then, it goes way up. Life, as I have finally figured out, works that way. There are ups and downs, nasty turns but marvelous views. There are a million and one ways to get to a certain destination, and even though you didn't see it at the time, the scenic route was definitely more rewarding than the straightforward route that is ten times faster.

The thing is, you learn so much growing up. Friends come and go, and sometimes even the bestest friends in the world have to fall apart. You don't have to do everything your friends do. It's alright that you don't feel comfortable partying or having loud nights out. You are still you, and you are still unique and important.

All the people that pushed you around at one time or another, another spoiler alert: they don't mean anything. In the future, you will find yourself talking and even reconciling with people that you never thought you would. You will push aside the brick walls that had separated you from them. There are some fights that are worth fighting, and some that you just have to let go of. You will have fights with people that, in the grand scheme of things, aren't there for you at the end of the day. So why are you upset? Why are you hurting over people that don't care for you? Move on! The people that truly do care about you are there: you have to let them in and push out the things and ones that don't matter.

And as for boys, you will meet many. I think this is the hardest part to write about to you, my dear. You know as much as I do that you fall hard for guys: the tall ones, the dark haired ones, the cute ones, the sweet talking ones. But you are so young! Why so serious? Why tie yourself down so quickly? The boys that you thought you were in love with, it's not serious. I'll say it to you again: you will move on! You will meet other guys! It's extremely difficult to move on from someone who you thought loved you, but you will. I know you will, because look where we are now. Focus on finding who you are, and what you want out of  someone, and find that one person that will respect you for being you, and not what your body can or cannot do.

Finally, guess who still hasn't figured their life out? You haven't, or I haven't. Both of us haven't. You probably aren't stressing about this part of life yet. But let your mind roam and your heart desire. There are so many opportunities in the world. Don't let others tie you down into believing that you have to go into a certain career for you to succeed. Because either way, you will. Never think that you are not good enough for this person or that position. Believe in yourself and others will believe in you.

The world has so much to offer you - all you have to do is stand up and go after what they have. Do your best always, never give up and always give 150% in everything you do. Because when you do, great things will happen.

I believe in you and I love you.

Love always,

Me

x R

an open letter - to the ones that have no clue

There are a number of things to think about on daily basis, regardless of what stage of life you are in (though granted, the young ones have less to think about). I miss the days where there is nothing to think about. There is nothing to worry about. You just live, and that is all you can do. Good times, rough times, you just roll with it.

People ask you innocent questions, you give them innocent answers. The most frequently asked question in any person's life? What are you going to be when you grow up?

As I got older, the question was worded and rephrased - what are you going to be when you grow up? What do you want to do when you are out of school? What are you going to do with your life? As I got older, my answers changed. I remember thinking that I wanted to be a princess, but elementary school taught me that unfortunately, that probably will not happen. The dreams and professions changed - a singer. An actress. A famous pianist. A lawyer. A politician. A teacher. A counselor. A journalist. An author.The list is endless and the choices keep changing with the times.

And 18 years later, I still have no clue. 

But something I learned recently is to embrace the unknown, the questions, the journey. Many of my peers are in the same boat as I am, and I learned from many people that are wiser than I am that there are more choices now than ever, and that my decisions do not necessarily need to be made now.

So an open letter, mostly to myself, but also to the ones that have no clue (like myself):

To all those going through high school, who are not really afraid of the future but are just realizing now how quickly time is passing:

You are so right, time is flying. And it is flying fast. One moment your biggest problem is trying to get that kid to notice you, and now you are dealing with other things, other big things. And maybe you are still struggling to get this kid to notice you. Remember that time is valuable, and that the time spent in such a confined space (aka high school) is a fantastic time to build up strong, solid relationships. This means taking care of the ones that really care for you. Listening to those who are there for you and holding on to the ones that are ready to listen to you. It means cutting loose all negativity and those that cut you down instead of building you up. Build up yourself while building up those around you. Together, you thrive. You do not need to go at it alone.

To all those ready to make the jump into the void (aka university):

Remember the question, "what are you going to do with your life?" How many times have you been asked that this year - what university are you going to? What are you going to study? What do you want to get into? 

It is an overwhelming time, especially if you have no clue. But remember that having a response to these questions now is only temporary. You will grow; thus, you will change. And change is a good thing: it means that you are being exposed to new things, learning new lessons and becoming a better person every single day. So keep an open mind, and remember that your values will change. Who you are now does not necessarily define who you will be. But do not despair, because this change is normal. This change is necessary.

And if you do not have an answer just yet and have no clue? That is okay too. No one says that by the time you walk into your first university lecture that you have to have your life figured out up until you graduate. While it can be done, it is almost impossible. So do not let that stress you out - figure out your likes and your dislikes. Find your passion, but look for practicality in that passion. You still have time to figure out what you want to do, and in the end, the many people that ask you those questions will not be figuring out the answer for you. Take the time to look into yourself and figure out what you want out of life; after all, you are the one living it.

To all those who are in the void and are worried about what is to come (aka life): 

It is time to take matters into our own hands. Take hold of a direction and look for a solution. There are so many possibilities, but remember that even after you get your degree and are ready to take on the world, change can happen. That does not mean to hide under a rock and try to guess what the world will be like in 20 years, but to have hope and faith. Have hope in what you are doing with your life and have faith in your ability. You made it this far, and you can definitely go the distance and make yourself (and all those who ever asked you the dreaded question) proud.

Personally I have already had many changes in my life's master plan. There are so many opportunities, so many directions, so many choices. And even with all of this selection, I still have no idea what to do with my life. 

As it sits right now, I am at the end of my first semester, afraid for exams but knowing that better things (and, spoiler alert, more exams await me). But there is so much ahead of me, and for all of us. I write this listening to smooth voices of male singer/songwriters and sipping strawberry-lemonade tea, with some sort of inkling as to what I am going to do with my life.

To the ones that have no clue - have faith, for bigger and better things await you.

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." - Proverbs 16:3

 So best of luck to everyone writing exams and filling out university applications and everyone's projects and tests. The best is yet to come - keep spilling more ink!

x R