Andy Hodson is a piano teacher from Chicago, Illinois. He has been loving music and learning to play piano for longer than he can remember and he hopes to never stop learning.
Highlights from this week’s podcast:
Andy’s family tells him that when he was a toddler, he would hear jingles and tunes from television and be able to play them on his grandparent’s piano by ear. His grandparents encouraged his mother to enroll him in piano lessons. His mother was leary to enroll him in lessons because of his young age but she located a teacher who came highly recommended. One of the teachers saw the potential in Andy and agreed to work with him. Mrs. Mary Ellen Bartlett was instrumental in not only Andy’s learning to play piano from that point until college but also in his learning to become a teacher.
Though he was a good student, Andy struggled with lessons because he wanted to move very quickly. He would understand a concept and be eager to move on but his teacher insisted that he slow down and learn the “why” and take his time building his piano skills. Mrs. Bartlett helped Andy build a strong foundation. Piano parents need to understand that there is so much students are learning in their piano lessons. Concepts that may not be evident when they’re practicing their recital piece.
Student reminder:
“Practice makes proficient, not perfect.” Every time you play, you’re going to make a mistake somewhere…and that’s fine. That’s the human element; it’s what makes making music so exciting.
For adult students, Andy reminds them that learning to play piano takes a lifetime.
“Ancora Imparo – Yet, I am learning.” commonly attributed to Michelango at the age of 87.
“What did you learn today?” ~ Andy’s mom
Parent reminder:
Piano parents need to know that the process of learning to play the piano is unique to any other type of learning their child does. Often parents don’t understand why teachers have students involved in piano events or parents want to push their child into activities that won’t benefit them like they would hope. One parent in Andy’s studio was confused when her daughter didn’t want to participate in piano competitions. She asked, “Why are you taking piano lessons if you’re not going to do anything with it?” Andy asked this mother, “Does your daughter love to play the piano? Why can’t that be enough?” This communication helped the mother gain a new perspective on the value of her daughter’s piano lessons.
Teacher motivation:
Andy is most motivated when a student suddenly understands something he’s been trying to explain for several lessons. That moment when you can see their eyes change and you know they get it. Once they get it, they just soar!
Favorite Piece to Teach Students:
“I love to teach pieces I’ve performed. Currently, I have a student preparing for college and working on the Gershwin Preludes.”
For the most part, Andy simply enjoys teaching his students music that they love. To see them excited makes him excited to teach the piece.
Apps and Technology:
Andy admits that he is very old school when it comes to technology. He jokes that the most technological he gets is the metronome app on his cellphone. His conservatory training was very traditional and he enjoys passing that style along to his students.
That being said, he is interested in the Player App that is available for students who study the Piano Adventures Method Books.
“Music and piano are so subjective. It’s art. You get to interpret how you want to….unless you’re playing Mozart; then you have to do exactly what’s on the page.”
Andy’s Composer Pick:
Orchestral Composer – Gustav Mahler.
Composer for piano – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Parting Wisdom for New Piano Parents:
Ask questions.
Don’t be afraid to ask, “Why?” There is no question too big or too small. Asking questions is encouraging to a teacher because it shows you are interested as well.
Andy can be reached through his Facebook page or through Performing Arts Limited in Rogers Park in Chicago.
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Loved the interview. Andy had so many good things to say, but the comment about having to do exactly what Mozart said really bothers me. Without taking anything away from Mozart (I think he’s one of the greatest composers), there is very little evidence that we should do exactly what Mozart wrote down.
I’ve outline my case here (https://www.kevin-ngo.com/single-post/2018/03/21/Playing-Exactly-the-Notes-on-the-Page—One-of-the-Biggest-Fallacies-of-Classical-Music)
Kevin, thank you for listening to the podcast and for taking the time to leave a comment. I read your article and am thrilled that this episode sparked your desire to write from a contrasting point of view. I also noticed from your website that you’ve done extensive research into the music of the 18th century and Mozart’s music in particular. What a delight!
I agree that Andy had so many good things to say in his interview and I imagine he would agree with the argument you are making. I think his comment about Mozart was off the cuff and intended to be funny but he would agree that Mozart was a master at improvisation and that Mozart would encourage today’s pianists to do the same.
Too many musicians, myself included, feel bound to the notated score. We need to continue to be encouraged to explore music beyond the page.
Therefore, I am formally inviting you to visit with me for an upcoming podcast episode to share your expertise on this topic.