Seek and you Shall Find

You will find only what you bring in.” - Yoda

After discussing my philosophy as a teacher in the first post of the year, I would like to turn my attention to the second partner in the musical team: the student. Having been there myself, I realize how easy it is for students to forget the critical importance of their active participation in the process. Not only in violin playing, but in all other subjects, students often approach lessons/classes in a passive state, showing up ready to take in what is to be offered but without having done thorough preparatory work. While possessing an open and inquisitive mind is a crucial part of the learning experience, it is equally important for the student to come in a studio/classroom already possessing a good sense of what he/she is there to learn. In Gravity and Grace, Simone Weil writes: “Nothing can have a destination which is not its origin.” In order to get the most out of their lessons, students need to develop a strong vision of their destination.

How fast one progresses is directly proportional to how much care is brought in preparing for the lesson. Every. Single. Week. Students provide their teachers with the raw material with which teachers will do their magic. The better the material, the better the results. A teacher can offer only as much as the student is capable to receive, and the work done between lessons will determine how much a student can absorb and how fast the progress will be.