I believe that music is the best gift that you can ever give to your children. Music not only brings you a lifetime of joy and fulfilment, but also inspires and moves people around you. It is indeed very rare to find another activity that could achieve the same outcome.
However, learning music is a very long journey. There are many factors along the way that could possibly affect the effectiveness of piano lessons. At the end of the day, those who keep music for life can only be driven by intrinsic values. It requires a considerable amount of efforts, resources and time before music can truly flourish.
Because of this, it is very important for students to have a solid foundation at early stages of their music study. Students should be able to think critically from different points of view. This foundation must be constantly connected to intrinsic values for it to be sustainable in the long run. In other words, the best approach is to learn music holistically.
Therefore, my teaching philosophy is to build a holistic foundation for my students. This foundation will later on allow them to explore the world of music independently. I encourage parents to be visionary and not be tempted by immediate but short-lived results.
While music exams have become a tradition of piano lessons, I insist that students should only sit for music exams when they truly have the ability to do so. Being able to pass an exam does not necessarily guarantee that their musical skills are properly developed. I will consider music exams as a natural step along the way of their musical journey rather than as a goal of learning music. In this way, a student's musicality will not be restricted.
In summary, I believe we should take as much time as possible to let students learn and experience music from different angles at early stages of music study. By choosing the right balance of intrinsic values and taking this step correctly, students will be rewarded tremendously in the future. Music exams are optional but not the primary goal of my lessons.