Summer Review

One of the MOST IMPORTANT things to do over the summer is keep up with your review songs.  Why is review so important?

Success—Your student has worked very hard to build the memory, skills, and technique to successfully play each piece. Don’t waste all his/her efforts! Let your student have a secure time of success in teach practice and lesson by making sure there is time to play songs that are comfortable and familiar. Review helps remind your student and yourself of the things that are going well and the progress that has been made.

Skills—There is much more involved in playing the piano than just pushing the right key at the right time. Correct notes are only the beginning! Review is the part of practice that develops posture, muscle memory, agility, speed, accuracy, dynamics, expression, and many other skills. When the notes become familiar, other techniques can be developed and polished.
Performance—Keeping songs polished through review practice means your student always has something to play for others. When grandma comes to visit and says “How are piano lessons going?” he can show her! When a friend says “Wow, you have a piano. Can you play it?” she can confidently do so! Review songs are ready to go, providing a positive way for your student to share his/her developing talent with others.

Foundation—Each song in the Suzuki repertoire builds on concepts learned in previous songs. Students earn the right to learn new music by demonstrating a solid understanding of the old music. Success in harder songs is based on the secure foundation of skills acquired in easier songs.

Freedom—Review songs provide the perfect time for your student to explore. Encourage him/her to experiment with different tempos, dynamics, moods, positions on the keyboard—get creative! A secure foundation is the jumping off point for originality, expression, and developing an individual style of interpretation. Lightly Row today becomes a Beethoven sonata tomorrow, and review fosters the growth of the musicality needed for more mature pieces.

Get some ideas for fun ways to review by reading the rest of my Review article.