In any other years, if you had told me all the music teachers around the world will soon be teaching online, I would have laughed as a good April Fools joke.
No longer.
It was only a month ago we were talking about Musicathon this and Federated auditions that, along with a number of concerts and performances.
Given the gravity of current circumstances, the MMAMTA executive members have voted to
postpone the Scholarship Auditions
, and a make up date will be discussed at the Spring Luncheon Meeting on May 28. (If Stay-at-Home Order is still in place, I hope to hold this semi-annual meeting remotely.)
While there are no public events or performances to announce, I did want to share with you my recent online teaching experience. Like so many teachers, this week has been my first time teaching online. So far it has been okay, though not always great. Live lessons can never be replaced, but there are other things I found I can work with my students, especially now that they are learning some new pieces.
I would like to recommend two materials that helped me overcome online teaching anxiety. One is an article by Diane Hidy, posted on her web site, whose perspective shares our grief in transitioning to online lessons. It made me realize I was not alone in dealing with this immense emotional and mental stress.
https://www.dianehidy.com/post/i-burst-into-tears
The other is more practical. Steinway & Sons has been offering webinars, and after attending one, I was encouraged, even excited by the possibilities presented by the four panelists. You can see this session on
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkYkTAB_9hI&feature=youtu.be
, but if you are interested in attending the next one, it is taking place tomorrow (Thursday), April 2 at 1pm CST. You will be asked to register; scroll down for details.
Lastly, this is a very confusing time for everyone - but especially for our students. We as teachers have an opportunity to show them why music matters especially in a time of global crisis. Remember the good old times we used to be a student and looked up to our teachers for guidance?
Now, it is our turn.
Please stay well,
Ayako
Ayako Tsuruta
President, MMAMTA
