So not only have I been incredibly slack with blogs posts recently, this is also the last one for the year. Boo! Hiss! I hear you say but in my defence the last two months have been crazy busy with an influx of new students and inquiries - so really it's all their fault, not to mention it's about time I had a small holiday!
In other news, it's JKM's birthday! Though the website has only been running since July, JKM's very first lesson was on the 15th of December 2014. This year has been pretty amazing, I met so many new and wonderful students and held my very own spring concert in which my junior students outdid themselves. It's been a fabulous musical journey and I'm so very excited to continue in the New Year.
Which brings me to Christmas, the most wonderful and dangerous time of the year. Ok, that might be a little melodramatic but for students everywhere the holidays are generally a time of fun, relaxation and...no practice. 'But Julia!' you cry. 'We've worked so hard all year!' and that you have my friends but if you are aiming to be consistently good at music, you must practice consistently. Which isn't to say you shouldn't allow yourself a break. A week or two off can do wonders for your musicality, and you may even find yourself itching to begin again. At Christmas I relax a little and stretch my recommended break time to four weeks but beyond that you're moving into the danger zone. *insert Archer reference here*
Some students are perfectly happy to practice weekly without a teacher, and even if it's only for 10 minutes at a time they're stretching their musical muscles and keeping their minds and fingers in shape. If, however, you are the kind of student who finds they need more than a little motivation when it comes to practice, I highly recommend keeping your break time on the shorter side.
This all of course depends on why you play music. If it's simply a fun hobby you're pursuing then by all means approach practice in an equally relaxed manner. If it's something you're more serious about, then your practice should reflect that. Essentially it all comes down to fun. Practice may not be considered fun, but being good at piano is. The less you practice, the harder it becomes, the less fun you have. The more you practice, the easier it gets, the more fun you have. Simple!
On that note, I am incredibly proud of all my students who have continuously exceeded my expectations throughout the year. Enjoy your break, relax, and don't neglect your pianos! I have to admit, after what has possibly been my busiest year ever I am looking forward to taking some time off and brushing up my non-existent French (j'aime manger des tomates) so until 2016 I wish you all the merriest of Christmases and a wonderful New Year!
-J