Importance of Technique

Pupils can start at any age and enjoy music making with others in school, in youth orchestras or in amateur orchestras. Learning an instrument should be an enjoyable experience and a pupil can develop at a fast pace if willing to practice between lessons.

After teaching for many years and having studied with the best teachers from the Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music I have developed a very strong opinion as to what the best teaching approach is. I believe that at all levels pupils should be taught a good technique as a fundamental basis to be able to achieve what they want musically and emotionally from the instrument. The pupil then also enjoys their music making more as they can control their instrument more effectively, creating a better sound and being able to characterise and shape the music more.

Some teachers would disagree and say that especially at beginner level a pupil should not need to worry about gaining technical ability, but this leads to frustration with not being able to play in tune and not being able to create a good sound. It does not take much to teach a good basic technique and if a pupil is willing to practise they can pick up technique quickly and therefore can achieve more musically from the instrument in a short space of time.