Welcome to Music Teachers Insightful Practices (MTIPS) Newsletter!
Written and Published by Nicholas Ambrosino
www.musicsimplymusic.com
director@musicsimplymusic.com

August 5, 2004

Table of Contents:

1. MTIPS Theme
2. Welcome Notes
3. MTIPS Development
4. Notable Quotables

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1. MTIPS Theme

Teaching our students to put off the pay off for just a bit is a lesson that will serve them beyond their musical studies. 
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2. Welcome Notes

Welcome to Music Teachers Insightful Practices (MTIPS) Newsletter!

A warm welcome to all MTIPS subscribers and a special first time welcome to the 37 new subscribers that have joined us for this issue!

Wow! It’s hard to believe that the summer is almost over! My daughters are already looking at new book bags and school utensils. I am already setting up my fall schedule for my private students! Time flies when you are having fun! 

I encourage you to set up your fall teaching schedules so that there is also time for you in it. Many of us put ourselves last on the list of priorities as we try to accommodate all of the special scheduling requests of our students. Yet, we must come first. Before you can serve others, you must serve yourself. So make sure you have some time in your schedule to do whatever fills your heart with joy. Exercise, long strolling walks, piano playing, whatever! Just make sure you put it as a scheduled event for yourself.


My goal for MTIPS is to provide you with practical tips and insights that will make your career or education in music, more fulfilling, rewarding and enjoyable. Please feel free to contact me if you would like to see a certain topic covered in an upcoming issue of MTIPS. My email address is editor@musicsimplymusic.com


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3. MTIPS Development

Recently, Lance Armstrong won his sixth consecutive victory in the Tour de France. While the victory itself was legendary, to me, it was what occurred before the victory that was of greater prominence. 

Many people today have become accustomed to getting things quickly. The idea of prolonging gratification is one that has become a bit obsolete in today’s social environment. Yet, that is one of the many disciplines that it took for Lance to win his sixth victory. 

Sure, a disciplined training schedule was paramount to his success, but on a very deeper level it was his belief that he could accomplish this feat that continued to motivate him through the tough spots. Many young music students see the tough spots of their education as moments to quit and some even have parents who support this ineffective learning pattern! Some parents will tell their children that if they are not having fun they should stop. 

Do you think Lance had fun climbing hills for 8 hours a day? How about golfing great Tiger Woods, as he putts his thousandth put of the day? How about Horowitz as he practiced a 4 measure passage for the fortieth hour?! No, many times the dues to be paid demand that immediate gratification is postponed. 

I recall a story about a concert pianist who was approached by a fan after one of his concerts. The fan exclaimed, “I would give anything to be able to play like you!” To which the performer calmly replied, “Yes, except 8 hours of practice a day for 17 years.” 

Prolonging gratification is not an easy lesson to learn, but one that is a necessity if we are to live a life of achievement paired with contentment. Teaching our students to put off the pay off, for just a bit, is a lesson that will serve them beyond their musical studies. And it is something we have to teach them. 

First, encourage and comfort them past the obstacles. Let them proceed on borrowed confidence from you. Then begin to teach them to comfort and encourage themselves. Teach them how to believe that they are smart enough to conquer any challenge and then provide them with the tools to do so. You will be providing them with a gift much greater than the gift of music. You will be providing them with the gifts of confidence and commitment, through which any mountain can be scaled. 

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4. Notable Quotable

A wise man makes more opportunities than he finds.

Francis Bacon

Copyright © 2004 Nicholas Ambrosino. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute MTIPS so long as this copyright notice and full contact information about the author is attached. The author of this issue is Nicholas Ambrosino and he may be contacted at director@musicsimplymusic.com or reached by telephone at 631-863-2069

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