TEACHING GIFTED CHILDREN
Gifted students are the future of classical music. How we relate to them will shape musical history in the twenty-first century. They are the teachers, concert artists, composers and conductors of coming years.
Gifted students are profoundly different than the average music student. They are not better but they are different. Especially as children they function at varying age levels, Each child has its own seed of greatness. A musically gifted student is like a rare orchid. They will only flourish with very special care in an extraordinary environment.
I was considered a talented child violinist. performing concerti with orchestras at a young age. From the age of nine, I practiced five hours a day. When I was fifteen years old I was accepted by Ivan Galamain into the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. AlSO my late brother, Lawrence Foster, a concert cellist, was thirteen years old when Leonard Bernstein declared him to be an authentic genius on national television when soloing on the "Young Peoples Concerts" from Lincoln Center.
First. they need a vision of what they can become as a musician. This vision can come from me or may be in them already as a result of other influences. It is an empowering vision and one that is not exaggerated. It is cruel to give them false hope.
I encourage my students to be superior in all aspects of performing, chamber music and orchestral music. They most become very diverse, as I do not want anyone putting all their hopes in achieving a solo concert career. There is no teacher that can guarantee that.
Secondly, they need a map of how to get there. This is a highly individualized. graduated plan that I create which integrates the technique with the music. It starts where they are and begin by filling in all their technical and musical gaps. Then I take them in a progressive and integrated way through all the varying technique and music. It is flexible and works over many years. With this map they get energy as they see their progress.Also, the student gains much confidence as they learn they can master everything. This all hinges on the sound judgment of the teacher.
With the vision and the map, they then need consistent. unemotional, positive, and accurate feedback at every lesson. Consistent feedback would mean that the teacher has an unchanging standard with which to evaluate each lesson. It is vital that nothing that happens in a teachers personal life could impact their evaluation of their students at any
lesson.
Unemotional and positive feedback means that I never attack the person of a student. I never raise my voice or criticize their performance immediately afterwards. Because it is so important to me that my students be motivated. I try to frame every correction in a positive perspective.
In giving accurate feedback, I carefully analyze each problem that surfaces every week and give workable solutions. In so doing I also make sure the student comprehends the process. This is done by me demonstrating for the student and asking the student to play it back for me.
With the vision, the map, accurate feedback, then they need training in how to perform. Many gifted students learn how to practice but few learn how to perform. Practice does not make perfect. OnIy perfect practice makes perfect. This however does not mean that it "will hold" under the stress of a stage and an audience.
First I teach my students to practice in the manner that they are going to perform it but we start very slow and use the metronome. We learn the piece very thoroughly over a period of weeks to several months depending upon the complexity. They must be able to perform the piece musically and perfectly by memory in several lessons. I have them
rehearse with a pianist and schedule them on a recital. The week before the recital I have them perform it once a day at home, often in their performing attire. Following their performance on the recital I allow them to enter competitions to train them for the psychological stresses for performing under varying conditions.
As teachers we are role models. Who we are speaks even louder than the words we say. Our own discipline with our art should bc an inspiration to our students.
With these needs being met, our fragile, sensitive, gifted ones ran reach their potential and find their dreams.
(This speech was given at the 2001 MTNA National Convention as part of a Panel, speaking about Gifted Children)
Bio:
Hailed by critics for her virtuoso technique and beautiful tone, Sonja Foster has combined a performing career with the teaching of gifted violinists. Trained by Ivan Galamian and a Juilliard graduate, Sonja maintains a private studio in Atlanta. Her students have won many competitions including National First Place at MTNA.
Gifted students are the future of classical music. How we relate to them will shape musical history in the twenty-first century. They are the teachers, concert artists, composers and conductors of coming years.
Gifted students are profoundly different than the average music student. They are not better but they are different. Especially as children they function at varying age levels, Each child has its own seed of greatness. A musically gifted student is like a rare orchid. They will only flourish with very special care in an extraordinary environment.
I was considered a talented child violinist. performing concerti with orchestras at a young age. From the age of nine, I practiced five hours a day. When I was fifteen years old I was accepted by Ivan Galamain into the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. AlSO my late brother, Lawrence Foster, a concert cellist, was thirteen years old when Leonard Bernstein declared him to be an authentic genius on national television when soloing on the "Young Peoples Concerts" from Lincoln Center.
First. they need a vision of what they can become as a musician. This vision can come from me or may be in them already as a result of other influences. It is an empowering vision and one that is not exaggerated. It is cruel to give them false hope.
I encourage my students to be superior in all aspects of performing, chamber music and orchestral music. They most become very diverse, as I do not want anyone putting all their hopes in achieving a solo concert career. There is no teacher that can guarantee that.
Secondly, they need a map of how to get there. This is a highly individualized. graduated plan that I create which integrates the technique with the music. It starts where they are and begin by filling in all their technical and musical gaps. Then I take them in a progressive and integrated way through all the varying technique and music. It is flexible and works over many years. With this map they get energy as they see their progress.Also, the student gains much confidence as they learn they can master everything. This all hinges on the sound judgment of the teacher.
With the vision and the map, they then need consistent. unemotional, positive, and accurate feedback at every lesson. Consistent feedback would mean that the teacher has an unchanging standard with which to evaluate each lesson. It is vital that nothing that happens in a teachers personal life could impact their evaluation of their students at any
lesson.
Unemotional and positive feedback means that I never attack the person of a student. I never raise my voice or criticize their performance immediately afterwards. Because it is so important to me that my students be motivated. I try to frame every correction in a positive perspective.
In giving accurate feedback, I carefully analyze each problem that surfaces every week and give workable solutions. In so doing I also make sure the student comprehends the process. This is done by me demonstrating for the student and asking the student to play it back for me.
With the vision, the map, accurate feedback, then they need training in how to perform. Many gifted students learn how to practice but few learn how to perform. Practice does not make perfect. OnIy perfect practice makes perfect. This however does not mean that it "will hold" under the stress of a stage and an audience.
First I teach my students to practice in the manner that they are going to perform it but we start very slow and use the metronome. We learn the piece very thoroughly over a period of weeks to several months depending upon the complexity. They must be able to perform the piece musically and perfectly by memory in several lessons. I have them
rehearse with a pianist and schedule them on a recital. The week before the recital I have them perform it once a day at home, often in their performing attire. Following their performance on the recital I allow them to enter competitions to train them for the psychological stresses for performing under varying conditions.
As teachers we are role models. Who we are speaks even louder than the words we say. Our own discipline with our art should bc an inspiration to our students.
With these needs being met, our fragile, sensitive, gifted ones ran reach their potential and find their dreams.
(This speech was given at the 2001 MTNA National Convention as part of a Panel, speaking about Gifted Children)
Bio:
Hailed by critics for her virtuoso technique and beautiful tone, Sonja Foster has combined a performing career with the teaching of gifted violinists. Trained by Ivan Galamian and a Juilliard graduate, Sonja maintains a private studio in Atlanta. Her students have won many competitions including National First Place at MTNA.