Moving Into Music … Goal Setting for 2021 via Concerts, Exams and Practice Regimes:

Goal Setting for 2021 … via Concerts, Exams and Practice Regimes:

Concerts:

At Moving Into Music we offer concerts at the mid-year and end-of-year to give students the opportunities to prepare for and perform before both small and large audiences.

In 2020 these concerts were all Online – Zoom affairs … but in 2021 we hope that we’ll be able to return to live performances in the auditoriums of MLC, Kew.

These concerts showcase our students … at all levels: beginners to advanced … as well as our talented teaching staff who usually/regularly perform in Melbourne’s vibrant live-music scene. Concerts are a great way for students to set goals, set-up practise regimes and deal with the challenges of performance-anxiety. The skills developed are skills for life.

Exams:

At Moving Into Music we can prepare students for examinations across all levels, all instruments … both Practical and Theory.

Exams can be for those seeking accreditation across Grade Levels (Preparatory – Grades 1 – 8 and beyond).

Exams in Leisure Series with Rock and Pop syllabus are also available.

We offer preparation for exams through:

Australian Music Examinations Board – AMEB

Trinity College of London – Trinity

Associated Board Royal School of Music (UK) – ABRSM

Please speak to your teacher to discuss course requirements, application processes and examination dates for 2021.

Practice Regimes:

How much should we practise? & What should we practise?

Your teacher will guide you with this but here’s a challenge: Check the balance of leisure time on digital devices to music practice time.

Ask yourself “Can a reduction on devices be channelled into using that time to practice?”

A wise teacher once said: ”Tonight go home and make up a big list of all the things you are good at. Then make a list of all things you are bad at. Throw out the first list, the second list is your practice list.”

The weaker points in each task should be prioritized so that we focus our efforts in these areas, especially; early in our practice routines, whilst our concentration is better.

Why should we practise?

‘Music creates a smarter brain’. Studies in the benefits of music for cognitive development have ruled neural research in past decades. Researchers have been working to understand why music learning seems to be so effective. The answer lies in its ability to develop many functional skills such as inhibitory control, attention, focus and planning.

Anyone who has attempted to learn a musical instrument knows how much discipline goes into that learning. You have to get it wrong again and again before you get it right.

This is practice. The practice is infuriating but, as it turns out, it is wonderfully instructive for our brains. Strong inhibitory control can stop us from giving up on the note or the run of notes we are trying to put together. Call it persistence, call it sticking at it, call it practise! The small doses of frustration and stress music students face through practice help them over the years to recognise, manage and conquer future frustration. It is like exposure therapy for frustration – and herein lies it’s value!

“It has been proposed that inhibitory control is the mechanism that transfers the experience of music learning and performing to academic achievement. The ability of a child to stick at that tricky maths question for just a bit longer until he sees the solution, the ability to keep writing that sentence when there is a word he can’t spell, and the ability to not run out of the classroom when it is his turn to present a speech are all examples of inhibitory control in action. There is a strong focus on resilience in both schools and professional life, and inhibitory control is a foundation skill in that process.” Dr Anita Collins: The Music Advantage, 2020 (Allen & Unwin)

Time for Planning and Setting Your Goals:

As we set forth into Term 1 it’s time for planning and setting your goals.

Make some resolutions to perform in the MIM concerts.

Discuss with your teacher the options of exams as a way of setting and achieving your goals.

Set up fresh practice regimes – be realistic but remember to challenge yourself to bigger and better things.

Hard work delivers – we all know this – we just need to commit to the work!

... but perhaps an easier more realistic take on this is … consistent work delivers – we just need to commit consistently to the work! It’s time to commit!!

Message to all students:

Play On, Make a Leap Forward, Make 2021 your year to shine!

Piano|Keyboard|Theory|Vocals