How can music teachers decide the number of pieces our students should practice during the week? What’s an appropriate amount? Of course, it depends on age, level, and personality — but what else should we keep in mind? To answer these questions, I appreciate how language learning offers a parallel model.
Language Learning - In learning to speak, we always have far more internalized vocabulary than new words we’re trying to learn. That's a basic as our accumulated vocabulary provides a solid foundation for acquiring new vocabulary. New words are added gradually — resting on the ever-expanding foundation of what we already own.
Learning to sing or play a musical instrument can operate similarly in terms of students’ accumulated repertoire and new pieces. That means students always explore a combination of old pieces from their accumulated repertoire alongside their newest selections. For a healthy ratio, students benefit when they have more old pieces than new ones - similar to what we experience with vocabulary.
For example, my elementary student Jeremy has a total of ten pieces. He has seven accumulated repertoire pieces in which he continues to refine his technique, expressive control, fluency, and more. With his three newest pieces, one piece is coming along, another is still hands separate, and his third new element involves reading only. This ratio means that Jeremy thrives from having a mixture of stable and getting-stable elements in his practicing.
New Pieces and Old Pieces - The challenge with a diet of only new pieces is that students may spend a lot of time working just to get things up and running. And that can have a negative impact on the momentum of keeping things going week after week. The advantage of including accumulated repertoire in students’ homework is that those pieces serve as the active resource of abilities just waiting to be transferred into the newest pieces. Once the newest pieces have a certain amount of fluency, students can apply aspects like keeping a steady beat or shaping phrases that they’ve mastered in their accumulated repertoire.
A daily routine of old and new pieces also brings variety to students’ practice. New pieces may require a certain amount of diligence and perseverance that is nicely balanced by the comfort students have with their old pieces. In this way, students’ practice has an ebb and flow of intensity in relation to what they’re working on. Not to mention how the accumulated repertoire means students always have something to perform for impromptu concerts.
Teacher Organization - With the combination of old and new pieces, it’s absolutely essential that I’m organized in each week’s lesson - because both areas will require appropriate follow up. Spending time only in one area signals to students that the other area may not be all that important and before you know it - they’ve stopped practicing that area at home.
Over the years of my career, I’ve grown to really appreciate the benefits of combining old and new pieces. For sure, it takes some time to get things set up, but once that’s done - we just keep on going!! It’s a win-win for everyone!
Do you include your students’ accumulated repertoire? Why? Why not?
Where do you spend the most time: Accumulated repertoire? New repertoire?
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