There's no doubt about it - every student is unique. And as music teachers, we have the amazing opportunity to help them build their own unique musical identity —the best of their own musical brand! We can shape each student’s journey to reflect their personality, interests, and goals. Whether they’re playing for pure enjoyment or they dream of composing, performing, teaching, our role as music teachers is to help them develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence to make their musical identity shine. When students feel ownership over their journey, it seems safe to say they’ll be interested, inspired, engaged, and excited to explore what makes their musical journey truly their own.
What I appreciate is how success for my students doesn’t necessarily mean they’re performing the hardest repertoire possible or making huge improvements to their performances week after week. Take for example my student Alex, who right now, isn’t really interested in polishing his repertoire. Rather, he’s content to get a basic sense of what’s going on in a piece and then move on to the next attraction. To keep him in shape, I use a process of “small tests” to make sure he doesn’t lose sight of excellence (Can he keep the beat in a challenging section? Can he use his breath to support dynamics in a certain spot? Can he use two different kinds of tone in the final cadence). While I know that strong skills and knowledge are important, my goal is to ensure these aspects serve as tools for self-expression, not barriers to Alex's own personal connection with music.
Another way I measure success is in terms of students’ willingness to learn. Like my student Melanie, who struggles with almost everything at the keyboard. It’s as if her fingers have their own life separate from everything else. What I’ve come to understand is that her commitment to the piano isn’t dependent on playing the hardest piece in the repertoire. It's a reflection of feeling her own connection with music - her own personal fulfillment. My role is to be there for Melanie and support her with tools that open doors for her to thrive in her own way. My goal is to help Melanie build her own lasting relationship with music as something that feels authentic, fulfilling, and long lasting.
For music teachers, it seems the best thing we can develop in our students is a lifelong love for music that fits who they are. Imagine your students 20 years from now—what will their musical lives look like? Whether they’re enjoying music as a creative outlet, leading a band, or composing soundtracks, the foundation we build today will help them carry their passion forward. By expanding the definition of student success to acknowledge and value students like Alex and Melanie, we open the door for students to truly thrive. By recognizing success as including individual growth, meaningful experiences, and long-term engagement, we ensure that students see music not just as a skill but as a part of who they are.
