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 Elton Joel RW2   2'25
With apologies to them both. A rock piano solo without lyrics.

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Recording (mp3, 1.9MB)

 Elegy RW2   2'25
Many, many parts to weave and balance - needs ensemble skills, even though it's for solo piano.

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Recording (mp3, 1.6MB)

 Grumpy Trolls RW2   2'25
A contest piece with bite. Storms and stamps all over the piano before the jump-up-and-bow finish.

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Recording (mp3, 1.2MB)

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 Snowflakes RW2   2'25
A delicate picture piece - how many shades of quiet can you play?

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Recording (mp3, 0.9MB)

 MicroWaltz RW2   2'25
Less than a minute long. For early intermediate students.

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Recording (mp3, 0.8MB)

 Processional RW2   2'25
A concert opener that quickly breaks out of its initial stately reserve.

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Recording (mp3, 2.6MB)

Deadwood Students                 back to magazine homepage

by Philip Johnston

Introduction | Groundhog Day Students | "Whatever Students" | Phantom Students Bookless Wonders | The Bulldozer Chatterbox | Mannequins | The non-practicer
The Arguer | Painful Parents |"Can't do" students | Checking the final score

Type 4: Bookless Wonders

It's really not all that hard, we tell our students. When you have a music lesson, you'll need your books. No, not last year's books. Or your sister's books. Your books, the right books, the ones you practice with, the ones we use every lesson...or at least we would if you'd bring them once in a while...

I'm actually a little more forgiving with students who are genuinely scatterheaded and forget other things in their lives too. But what's so irritating about students who constantly get this wrong is that most of them wouldn't dream of turning up to cricket practice without their bat. Or a rock concert without their tickets. So they can get things right if they think it's important enough...the sinking feeling I get lies partly with missing resources that I need, but mostly with having been presented with tangible evidence of the esteem in which they hold music lessons.

Is the lesson possible when they don't bring what's needed? Absolutely. It's just that I'm going to have to work three times as hard as I might have otherwise. Don't expect me to be excited about the possibility of more of the same next lesson.

 

DEADWOOD TALLY: Could your student be described as a Bookless Wonder?

A) Constantly. I'm wondering if they even know where their books are (10 points)
B) Every semester I can expect this a few times (6 points)
C) It's an occasional issue (2 points)
D) They almost never get this wrong (0 points)