On Saturday Jacqueline and I held our bi-yearly student concert. These concerts are quite successful!
At
their core, student concerts are like progress cards, displaying the
advances made through diligent practice. But there are lots of
side-benefits too.
Firstly, both students and teachers
put in extra effort in order to show their very best of what they have
been working on over the last weeks or months. Students put in the extra
practising time as to master even the hardest passages, and teachers
ensure all aspects of a 'perfect performance' have been fully addressed
during lessons.
Concerts also have the effect of making lessons more
exciting and relevant, and parents have a real appreciation for seeing
their son or daughter perform in concert, finally seeing and hearing the
results of lessons and practising.
An added benefit for
our combined piano and saxophone studios is the opportunity for all
students and parents to get to mingle with one another, creating a sense
of a larger musical community.
And how do we ALL
benefit? We are reminded how wonderful music making really is. Music has
the ability to bring together people from all ages, abilities, and
walks of life, enjoying musical moments of presenting, sharing,
listening and appreciating the talents of our peers, sons and daughters,
grandsons and granddaughters; a new generation in the making.
At
their core, student concerts are like progress cards, displaying the
advances made through diligent practice. But there are lots of
side-benefits too.
Concerts also have the effect of making lessons more
exciting and relevant, and parents have a real appreciation for seeing
their son or daughter perform in concert, finally seeing and hearing the
results of lessons and practising. 
