My jaw drops as my husband shows me the 60 Minutes interview of the Payam Method to teach piano.
Traditionally, says Founder Payam Khastkhodaei, more than 80% of students quit piano after about a year. We’re, like, the complete opposite of that.
My first piano teacher terrified me. Mr. Bogardus’s military approach (with buzz cut to match) meant playing to the strict tick of a metronome, hands arched precisely so, while he wielded his baton. I suffered through lessons and dreaded recitals.
The Payam Method’s priority of joy and creativity inspires kids to fall in love with music and their teachers. Here’s what’s possible:
Payam’s approach is based in this belief that time and effort is only possible if you fall in love with the piano. After, you’ll grow. That’s how these students become award-winning players.
Young kids learn first by muscle memory, hands on keys, which fosters confidence and allows space for their inner music to be embodied. Teachers are former students who develop special mentor relationships with kids and create community.
Look at what love can do.
In my joyless journey, Mom gives up insisting on lessons when I’m 11. I pick up the guitar, teach myself, and stay in love with music. But my heart never fully recovers from leaving piano behind.
Over years, I encourage myself to sit down and improvise on the keyboard, to enjoy the feel of my fingers on the keys. When I’m alone, I love playing a quality, an emotion, or the silence.
The 60 Minutes interview concludes [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4zUV-J6iU8.] Seeing my reaction, my husband grabs my phone and signs me up for lessons when they’re available in Minneapolis.
I knew there was a reason I bought that keyboard, he says.
That is living as music.
Comments:
That was really fun, Emma! Thanks for sharing this 60 Minutes episode. I too was taught piano the "disciplined way" and certainly did not love it. I've longed for the joy that might have come from a more creative way of teaching. After all, why would we want to do something we cannot do with love? Seems contrary to all life. It gives me joy now to see so many students learning to embrace the beauty of the magnificent instrument we call piano. I absolutely love the instrument and its sounds. It takes me out of my body consciousness to layers of divine sound.
I love the sound of the instrument as well, Terry. I can travel on the sound, too. And it is joyful to see students fall in love with piano. Freedom! Creative teaching is what we’re about, isn’t it? 💛Emma
Thank you Emma, as always. I love this. I loved music as a kid, and also had a hard time with piano lessons, quitting after not all that long. I had a hard time with reading piano music. I studied Music Ed. in college which required taking piano. I had learned to read music for Trumpet, which I took up in 5th grade and played through High School, and singing - which was my main instrument in my degree program. Still, reading piano scores created anxiety, terrified me, I 'couldn't do it'. I elected to join a group doing an 'experimental' approach to learning piano, developed by a man named Guy Duckworth. It was much more fun, less confronting, and sounds like Payam's approach - feeling fingers on keys and muscle memory. But after a year or two I still couldn't read piano music, especially 'sight read' which was a requirement I had to demonstrate. I quit the Duckworth program and signed on with an independent teacher. He was nice, compassionate, I liked him but still struggled. So I never got a love of Piano. But I bought a keyboard wanting to teach myself and do what you do. I rarely touch it. Maybe it's time to simply sit at it and figure out what I can, as a start. Thank you!
Oh, please do, Tim. At least see what it feels like to sit at the keyboard and be playful. I basically pretend I know how to play. 🤣 That’s quite a journey you’ve been on, and I’ll be interested to hear about the next chapter! 💛Emma