"I can only play the song the piano teacher taught"...

I always feel bad to hear that from a music student. Usually, you can hear this from a student who rushed through the RCM programme and never took the time to understand the concepts. Most of the time, a piano teacher's hands were tied, since a parent insisted on finishing RCM by a certain number of years and with only 30 minutes in a lesson, the teacher will have to spoon fed the child in order to finish the task at hand.

But the sad truth behind spoon feeding the student is that they never learn to feed themselves. So after they grow up, without the teacher by their side, they can't enjoy music on their own and many quit as a result...

After teaching the Music for Young Children programme, I truly believe that it is so important to take the time to lay down the foundation. So that if the child is interested, they can learn songs on their own. In other words, be able to eat by themselves (play songs on their own) and be able to pick food that they like (play their favorite music genre) and love eating (love music).

But laying the foundation requires patience, it'll take more work and it'll be slower. As a mom, I can relate to that. Imagine me trying to teach my 3 years old to eat with chopsticks, she'll drop much food on the floor for me to clean up and she'll take forever to finish what is in front of her. It'll be easier for me just grab the bowl and feed her (and to finish the meal within 15 min). But if I feed her, she'll never learn to hold a spoon or the chopsticks. And I'll probably have to feed her until she is 10 years old.... :)

Don't rush your child and be patience with your child. It's important for a child to understand what they are playing instead of just playing a fancy song without knowing what she is playing. Music for Young Children incorporates important concept in every little songs. They are fun and easy to play; so that at the same time, the children won't notice that they are learning important concepts. Soon, they'll become a musician and turn into a butterfly right in front of your eyes.

Ms. Esther Ng