Can Piano Lessons Stifle Creativity?

Wendy Stevens has developed an incredible site called ComposeCreate.com. I have been inspired by so many of her posts and I know you may be too. As you can imagine, I was truly honored when she asked me to contribute a post to her website. Both Wendy and I have similar views about the craft of teaching piano.

Below is a link to how we have designed incentives for our students to "live beyond the printed page" and reasons for a plan called "Fall Lesson Book Bash."

Here's an excerpt of the blog.

Children’s creativity is stifled so much as a result of our obsession of business in life and the last thing I want is for piano lessons to stifle their creativity as well. There is no better or easier place to be creative than in the arts!

Several times this summer, I’ve heard pedagogues mention that it has only been in the last 100-150 years that we’ve prided ourselves in just playing what’s written rather than improvising as we go. This is rather sad to me, and I want to get back to the idea of students “making music” instead of always re-performing what’s been written by someone else.

Read more about how to design creativity into every piano lesson by clicking here.