WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED ...
I turned to Jacob and said:
“What kind of a pony is Yankee Doodle riding?”
“What?”
“What kind of a pony is Yankee Doodle riding? Is it tired or perky or stubborn, or what?” Jacob thought it over.
“Perky.”
“If people were listening to you play the song, could you do something to show them how perky the pony is?”
There was no response for almost a full minute. Just as I was beginning to think that I had confused him, Jacob suddenly sat up stick straight on the piano bench. He adjusted his posture, rolling his shoulders up toward his ears and then down his back. He paused, took a breath and began the song again, now prancing his fingers jauntily up and down the keys, shoulders bouncing, facial expression transformed. His hand position was impressive—he had found it naturally because it was the only way to give the song the perkiness he wanted. He played with such a lively rhythm that I couldn’t help tapping my foot. And I hadn’t given him a single direction; it had all come from his desire to convey the feeling of the song.
Other people might have a different concept of Yankee Doodle’s pony. But even if we go with perky, it is the way in which different individuals would interpret perky that makes each performance unique. Every performer brings something personal to his interpretation. If this were not the case, we would only need one pianist—one Blues singer! Jacob was able to completely connect with the feeling of “Yankee Doodle,” internalize it, and transmit it to the listener. A simple song, but an important step toward understanding what it means to become an effective performer. The biggest take-away for Jacob was the discovery that playing the piano isn’t only about “how to”; it actually has something to do with HIM!
Consider …
Emotion is the essence of music. While we can be wowed by someone’s virtuosity, it is the player’s ability to convey feeling through fingers or breath that touches us. Yet in a traditional music lesson, the emphasis is on developing proper technique, and the learner’s natural ability to feel the music is virtually ignored. Musical expression, which seems like the perfect opportunity to bring emotion into the picture, is instead taught through unfamiliar terms and symbols. Any discussion of actually feeling the music is saved for later—much later, after the student has achieved technical proficiency. As a professional violinist I know that it takes years to develop he technique needed to convey emotion with competence and grace. But that is a long time to wait to reconnect with what made the student want to make music in the first place! It is both possible and valuable to encourage students of all levels to experience feeling the music they are playing. And because music comes from human emotion, there is almost always something familiar that can be used as a starting point. As an example, Jacob and I played a game we called “Recipes”: analyzing and employing ingredients required for a particular song’s expression. I thought of the game, but it was Jacob who figured out the types and proportions of feelings for each song:
“Yankee Doodle” = 1 teaspoon happiness + ½ teaspoon bravery + 2 teaspoons energy.
“Rockabye Baby” = 1 teaspoon quiet + 2 teaspoons love + 1 tablespoon smoothness.
“Here Comes the Sun” = 1 tablespoon hope + 1 teaspoon brightness + a dash of misery
Recipes are just one idea. There are many ways to approach this. Here are a few possibilities:
“Row, Row, Row Your Boat”: You are the captain of the boat. What kind of stream is it? Are there rocks or is it smooth sailing?
“Take Me Out to the Ball Game”: How badly do you want someone to take you to this game? Is it sunny or cloudy at the stadium?
“Oh Christmas Tree”: Can you get the listener to imagine the tree? Can you feel the image flow through your fingers and onto the piano keys?
When Jacob played “Yankee Doodle” for his grandma (his mom told me), her eyes opened wide and she said, “I LOVE the way you played that song! Where did you learn to do that?”
It is always a thrill for me to witness students suddenly become aware of the power of music and their power as musicians, and to know that this happened right in their music lesson! There is a palpable “before and after,” and from that moment on, even the youngest of children see themselves in a new light. This can be so gratifying and inspiring for both learner and teacher!