Teaching and Learning in Covid times

Monthly Cocktail Parties Online

Since May in the Unmani Music studio, we have begun online parties. For me as a teacher the experience has been deeply satisfying.

The core of the Simply Music program is having music for life (maximizing the likelihood to be exact). So having social musical fun together for me is a powerful tool towards this end. There are some hurdles to overcome sometimes.

For example, adults whether they come to me as ‘prior learners’ or not, are typically very, very unsure about playing publicly. I have seen the terror in their eyes! So in ‘normal’ times we have piano gatherings for my ‘live’ students and for the online music students agreement is sought to play sometimes for family, birthdays, grandma..whatever. And I proceed very gently. This week on Friday I have a party and first timers are NOT expected to play. They just come along to pick up the ‘free and fearless’ vibe.

So along came Covid in early 2020 and 100 per cent of the studio changed to online and students have more at home time, less holidays and out and about time.

A Cocktail Party Idea

So I began these Cocktail Parties. Friday night (normal beer o’clock wind down time in the old times) It was ‘Bring your drink and nibbles of course. One hour only so people can have dinner etc. as the evenings close in in the Aussie winter’.

To my amazement, with minimal reminders, students are regularly rocking up with their fun outfits and silly hats. They are taking more performing risks than with ‘live’ performances, sharing their piano learning journeys together, laughing and joking. Last session we had a Stairway to Heaven improvisation idea shared by Natalie from Melbourne. They are still raving about that improv. idea in classes. Some of these are Simply Music piano students who are interstate and were strangers to one another, but somehow through the magic of our common ‘vibe’ are making warm connections through the screen.

As I said, amazing.

One reason may be that they are in their own space and comfortable.

Whatever it is, it’s very satisfying for a teacher whose core value is to maximize the likelihood the student has music for life.