I’m a happy camper today. Yesterday, one of my students had a marvelous breakthrough. He’s been taking lessons for about a year and he has advanced so quickly through the levels. I sometimes almost think he’s advanced a little too quickly, if that’s possible. Up until yesterday, he has always played everything exactly as it’s written. When it says Forte, he suddenly plays Forte. When it says ritardando, he suddenly slows down. This is all well and good, but the music has never been IN him, if you know what I mean.

Yesterday, however, he played a piece with his own interpretation. Some places were marked Forte, but he played them piano instead. He slowed down in places where a ritardando was not indicated. And it was BEAUTIFUL! After he played it, he told me he that he had thought about the markings that were indicated in the music, and felt that they just weren’t right for the piece. And you know what? He was so right. His interpretation was 1,000 times better!

I was so happy to witness this transformation in him, and can’t wait to see what comes! Have you had any breakthrough lately with your students?