TTTV005: Balancing the Eye and the Ear – Bradley Sowash & Leila Viss on creativity at the keyboard

Summary: <br><br> <br> Creativity is something that is so easily forgotten in piano lessons. In the rush to get students ready for exams, competitions and performances, time spent being creative quickly becomes seen as a luxury that most teachers simply can’t afford.<br> Perhaps you’re already thinking:<br> How can I possibly fit another thing into my lessons? I don’t have time as it is! What’s the point anyway? Isn’t being creative just “mucking around”? I’m not paid to teach students how to muck around! I’ve got performances to prepare!<br> That’s why I was so excited to invite two pioneers of the current wave of creativity at the keys, Bradley Sowash and Leila Viss to speak with me about this important topic for all piano teachers.<br> <br><br> <br><br> <br> In this podcast, Leila and Bradley dispel many of the myths around creativity. They discuss what “creativity” actually means, how you can fit it into your lessons and what to do, step by step, to get started. They discuss why it’s so important and how creativity works in with all other aspects of piano pedagogy.<br> It’s all about balancing the eye and the ear. In today’s piano pedagogy, there is often an overarching focus on reading above most other things. But if we only teach reading, we’re missing out on much that is fundamental in music making.<br> Think about the famous composers whose music you teach your students… how did they write their music? Did they read music to create new music or did they explore, invent and improvise to create their masterpieces?<br> Of course the answer is obvious, but how many of you give your own students the skills they need to be able to explore and create at the keyboard?<br> [Note: You can also watch the video below]<br> In this episode, you’ll learn:<br> <br> <br> Why teaching creativity is important<br> Simple, straight forward ideas for teaching improvisation<br> How to embellish a melody<br> How to get started with these ideas in a manageable way<br> The best iPad apps for teaching creativity<br> <br> <br> Top 5 Creative Activities for Newbies​<br> Find out Bradley’s Top 5 creative ideas for new teachers. Note: These are going to sound a bit weird until you listen to the podcast!!<br> <br> <br> Embellish Melody – Repeated Notes, Fill the Gaps, Neighbour Notes<br> Melody Mix-up<br> “When in doubt, pent out!”<br> Remember SCAT: Specify, Compliment, Ask, Turn them Loose<br> Sandwich<br> <br> <br> Creativity can be many things from noodling around, jamming on a chord progression, to making soundtracks for pretend movies or responding to a mood, but we teach how to do it within the context of a tune – how to apply stock accompaniment styles to the tune, how to get under the hood of a tune to understand what chords and scales will enhance it, how to stretch a 30 second tune into a longer improvised arrangement, how to add intros and outros… basically all of the practical skills a pianist can use in real life playing situations.<br> Benefits of Creativity for Students<br> 1. Feel more engaged with learning music.<br> 2. “Own” their music because they are encouraged to personalise it.<br> 3. Appreciate playing music as a means for self-expression rather than only as a domain for “right or wrong” notes.<br> 4. Enjoy a wider variety of contemporary styles that appeal to their peer group.<br> 5. Perform with friends in non-traditional settings outside of the concert hall such as coffee houses, talent shows, church, or jazz groups.<br> 6. Maybe even pick their first paid gigs.<br> 7. Become better interpreters of written music. That’s because rather than merely reproducing the notes on the page, creative students can better understand how they came to be there in the first place.<br> 8.