I am fortunate in that my apartment is within walking distance of the RNCM. On my travels to and from the College every day, I have had several interesting encounters. Two of the main university campuses are located in close proximity to each other along Oxford Road and at night, students flock to bars and clubs and the city is transformed into a party venue.
Last Monday I had my first practical pedagogy class with Helen Krizos and covered several interesting areas that piano teachers do not normally focus on in Hong Kong – singing rhythmic chants and children’s songs combined with body movements. At first I was not entirely comfortable, but this is one of the most important aspects of my study here – doing things I haven’t done before and bringing back new ideas to Hong Kong. As instrumental teachers, we don’t often appreciate the values of musical games and are tempted to teach the formal techniques as soon as possible to make the most out of each lesson – but by doing so, how much do we deprive beginners of the sheer fun of making music? Introductory lessons here focus on actively engaging the students and incorporate a lot of improvisation. I think Chinese beginners could benefit from some of these techniques being incorporated into their lessons.
Lesson observation at the Junior RNCM was an equally rewarding experience. With the help of David Jones, Deputy Head of RNCM, I was able to watch Sally Ann MacLeod and John Gough's piano lessons with young pianists of a similar level to my own students. No two teachers teach the same piece in exactly the same way, but it is always fascinating to see the way other teachers help maximise the talent of their students.
CTG Blog
South African teachers Ilke Lea Alexander, Justin Sasman and Hayley White are undertaking three months of study at the Royal Northern College of Music and will be using this blog to share their experiences with others.
Their placements are financed by ABRSM's Centenary Travel Grant fund, which covers the cost of flights, accommodation and tuition. With a focus on jazz, Ilke, Hayley and Justin will be developing their skills as musicians and teachers through a mix of one-to-one coaching, lectures, workshops and lesson observations.
Posts from students who enjoyed previous placements through ABRSM can also be found below.
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Chun-pong
