"To play a wrong note is insignificant.  To play without passion is inexcusable."  Beethoven

 

 

This quote sums up my view about music.  Strive for perfection, yes, but know that musicality, or passion, is what makes truly great music.  My main goal for any student is to have them be passionate and enjoy what they are playing, no matter the difficulty of the piece!

 

Two more quotes I hold dear to my heart:

 

 

"Practice does not make perfect.  Perfect practice makes perfect."

Anon

 

 

The take-away point?  Don't practice aimlessly!  If you have no goal in mind when you are practicing, then you aren't really practicing, you are merely playing. 

 

 

"Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist."

Pablo Picasso

 

 

My interpretation for music is two-fold: 

Structurally: you need to know about the style of a piece, so you can understand where the music is going.

Technically: only when you have a firm grasp of fingerings or phrasing are you able to come up wth technical solutions in your own music. 

 

Rules are important, teachers don't just make them up for kicks!