During my years as director of the NIU Community School of the Arts, parents would sometimes tell me their child was quitting music lessons. The reason? Lack of talent.
Because everyone knows talent when they hear it, right? I say, not so fast!
I heard hundreds of solo performances by students who were learning the building blocks of music, mastering the motions that a musician needs to practice over and over to get the dynamics, rhythm, and intonation right -- all the nuances that make the sounds become music.
So what did I hear at all these recitals? Sure, I heard plenty of wrong notes, but more often, I heard good solid performances. In fact, it became easy to spot the students who were inspired by the challenge of trying to get it right, the ones who practiced a lot because they knew this was the only way to get to the next level. They recognized that it's a long and difficult process.
And just as important, I saw parents who understood this, too, and were inspired by watching their child progress.
It was not uncommon to hear a student make astounding progress from one semester to the next after years of plodding. Something had clicked, leading to a burst of productive practicing.
So stick with it, student musicians -- and parents. Talent may be revealed only after years of hard work. And the journey is a wonderful and rewarding adventure.
I'm Deborah Booth, and that's my perspective.
