Letting go

There is nothing more difficult for a teacher than to see a student struggling over a piece just before an exam. When you have gone through it with them in so much detail, and they have made every effort to take on what you have said and to practice really hard and yet still they can't quite achieve what is expected. It's at this time when you as a teacher have to let go. You have to know that you have done your best, and so has your student. And you both have to trust that they will do the best that they can, because they really deserve to do well. It's also when you have to realise that making music is not about perfection, it's about expression, and when your student has discovered music in their late 50's, it goes without saying that this student has found a new way to express themselves. That in itself is beautiful and inspiring. It reminds me that that is why I teach. To assist other people to be able to express themselves through music. This is what makes it worthwhile.