Practicing keeps our skills sharp. I need to be able to demonstrate well for my students.
Practicing enables us to continue learning. This helps me remain understanding and sympathetic to student problems. It is a chance to try my own teaching procedures and concepts to see if they work. I take note of the point when I bog down and try to assess if it is the same place where my students bog down. I try to evaluate what will solve the problem and try it out in my own practice. I am also reminded of the real work that goes into the mastery of a piece and the ensuing personnel growth gained through such work.
Practicing helps us prepare for performance. This ties in nicely with setting goals for motivating practice efficiency. I agree with Emanuel Ax when he said, "I'm basically a lazy person. On the other hand I scare easily when a concert is coming up, so I force myself to work."
Practicing reminds us that we love playing. I'm afraid this is one reason we all loose sight of. If we didn't love to play at least at one time, we would not be piano teachers. We did not choose this profession because we are mercenary. Playing and performing is such a complex art to master that we can and all have been bogged down by the technique building, analysis, and drill necessary to accomplish the original goal. Too often the means becomes the end and it is very empty and unfulfilling. We must all take time periodically to step back and put things in perspective so we never lose that love.
Practicing makes us better role models. Actions speak louder than words. Don't be so concerned that your students do not do what you say. Be more concerned that THEY DO WHAT YOU DO!!! Let them "catch you practicing", let them know that you struggle when you practice, and that you still practice as an adult. This is not like soccer and football - something you do in your student years and then put away. You may be the only adult musician role model some students have. Be a good one. I tell my students that I only practice on the days I intend to eat and that is what I would like them to strive for (If they don't plan to eat today, they are excused from practice).
Practicing allows for continued personal growth and development. Practicing and performing are a step toward self integration. In my own playing, my practice sessions are influenced by life' s experiences. The opposite is also true: after a successful session at the piano, I carry a sense of well being for the rest of the day. I am a better spouse, parent, neighbor, and teacher. In his book, With Your Own Two Hands, Seymour Bernstein reasons that through the organized and consistent process of practicing, it ought to be possible to harmonize everything you think, feel, and do. The more fully one develops his talent, the greater one's powers are in other aspects of life. So the real purpose in practice is to unite ourselves with our special gifts in such a way that one adds strength to the other - SELF INTEGRATION. Robert Weirich further supports this argument in one of his Clavier columns. He wrote that performing is a synthesis - it is work, and the study of performing is the growing awareness of the self and its abilities. The study of music helps anyone to know himself and he will do whatever in his life better because of that study. What we really teach is a way of life, a pursuit of life in which all facets of our being - sensitivity, physical, and spiritual are put to use.
Teaching responsibilities require our time and energy. We spend a great deal of time selecting music, filling out audition applications, keeping our books, planning courses of instruction for each student, judging, etc. You need to become as concerned about your progress as you are about your students'. Your excitement will be contagious and you will begin to look forward to teaching and practicing.
Family responsibilities can rob us of practice time. Those of us who teach and take care of families have many opportunities to excuse ourselves for a day, a week, even a month of practice. I have often asked myself who will know if I don't practice today? I know, and in the final analysis that is what is really important. You have to answer to yourself.
Practicing can be lonely. This is a problem some pianists of all ages have trouble with. I view practice time as an opportunity to spend time with the great masters. All of my life I have been fortunate enough to live with lots of people, so I welcome the seclusion practice provides.
There are no performances scheduled to prepare for so why should i practice? Working for a particular event can boost interest and you will probably accomplish more in less time. You will be more likely to use a free hour practicing instead of reading a novel or watching television. (Remember what Emanuel Ax said?) Once we leave the conservatory we no longer have a teacher pushing us to schedule a recital in the convenient recital hall. Don't sit at home and wait for your phone to ring. Actively seek engagements.
Injuries can prevent us from practicing. Sometimes these can be worked around but that can be a whole article on its own. I am happy to discuss my own rehabilitation from tendonitis with any of you.
We can set goals, both long and short term. My personality needs to have long and short term goals or I accomplish virtually nothing. If you set a goal of playing a 15 minute program for your students and parents in 3 months, you will be more productive during practice time and less likely to skip the session. You'll have to choose repertoire and perfect it. You would be wise to set up deadlines for memory, learning notes, etc. It will force you to get organized.
Keeping a practice log can be helpful. Some people do very well with a practice journal or log for long and short term goals. In his book, The Inner Game of Music, Barry Green outlines the format he has used with his students. They accomplished more during the year with the journal than without. My husband uses a practice chart that addresses short term goals for him very clearly. He uses it to keep track of how much he practices clarinet, works on composition, as well as how much he runs. He has a reasonable number of hours scheduled weekly for each category. When he misses his weekly goal he carries over a 1/2 hour penalty for that category to the next week. When he makes all of his goals, he rewards himself in some small way such as an ice cream. He has carefully tried to keep his goals reasonable so he is not set up for failure and is forgiving during the weeks that his job takes up more than its share of his time. He has found this to be a very useful tool in monitoring his time and it has kept him motivated. You can include any kind of activity - dieting, practicing, exercising, chores, time with kids, writing, etc.
I divide solo and chamber music practice and keep track of my weekly swimming and walking goals. The carrot (reward) and stick (penalty from previous week) are helpful incentives. Carol Mont Parker published an interesting journal a few years ago, Anatomy of a New York Debut. She mentions that some musicians find it helpful to keep a blank notebook within reach of where they practice so they can jot down non-musical things that occur to them while practicing. That way the practicer knows she will not forget it later and it won't nag her while she is trying to practice. (e.g., "I need to reschedule a student's lesson.")
We can adhere to a practice schedule. Your practice time should be sacred. Only cancel it for a reason you would cancel a student's lesson. Do not allow interruptions - phone calls, lunch engagements, shopping jaunts, etc. Do not allow family members to encroach on your time either. If you have a small child, try to give the child his "own piano time" first. During that time, you are not allowed to touch the piano. When it is your time, insist that the child is not allowed to touch the piano. This worked very well for me. Schedule your practice time when your family is less likely to need or want anything from you. You will have an easier time convincing them that you can not be interrupted.
We can choose repertoire we love. This always inspires me to work harder. When you choose repertoire, be sure that it is within your technical grasp. Do not set yourself up for failure.
We can develop a practice plan of attack. Become aware of what time of day your mind and body are at their freshest. Also determine what will require your most concentration and try to tackle that during your best period of concentration. I work best in the morning hours before I teach. I can give good lessons after practicing four hours but the opposite does not work for me. I know pianists who do their best work after 10:00 PM. It makes no difference - what does matter is that you become aware of how and when you work best and work with that, not against it. Keep in mind a couple brain facts: after repeating a passage 6 or 7 times the brain is tired. Move on to something else. It takes a minumum of 3 times for the muscles in your hand to remember something. Your best retention time is 45-90 minutes after the initial session so work something hard and try to come back to it an hour later instead of the next day. Try to use limited time efficiently. Large blocks of time may no longer be available. When I was a graduate student, I felt I had to have a three hour block in order to accomplish anything. Once I started teaching and had my daughter, if I had a three hour block I usually used it for sleeping. I learned very quickly to use short periods of time effectively. I try to keep a list of trouble spots that need extra work. Quite a bit can be accomplished in 10-15 minutes or less. You can repeat a trouble passage 3-6 times in a minute or so. You can test memory in a passage or short piece in a couple minutes so use the little bits of time you have.
We can go to live concerts, listen to recordings, and read related materials. You may not consider this part of your practice but it is. All of these sources give new ideas on technique, interpretation, and repertoire.
We can maintain good health. Performers and composers have been known to drive themselves to death or to failing health. It is easy to become obsessed with your work but you must get enough sleep and exercise, and maintain a good diet.
We can continue private study/organize a support group. Continuing private study has been a big help to me. Being one' s own teacher requires a tremendous amount of discipline. I need performing dates and periodic coaching to work up to par. Too many other things crowd into my life otherwise. Do not worry about your students discovering that you are studying with someone else. This will raise, not lower their esteem for you. They will learn that music study is a life-long pursuit and that there is always something else to be learned and mastered (Read Magister Ludi by Hermann Hesse). Between lessons I tape myself weekly and give myself a lesson on the tape. I have also found it helpful to meet informally with other pianists. We play for each other, discuss problems and successes, play two piano works together, and give each other support. It has made all of us more confident as we have the opportunity to give new works battle experience.
We can work for a better practice experience. Periodically change something in your studio: rearrange the furniture, move the piano to a different place. If you have a grand, play with the lid in different positions. Try to make your studio a room you enjoy being in. You will be more likely to stay in it and practice. You must always remember that you enjoy music. It is sometimes easy to lose sight of that. Try spending some time sight reading for fun or listening to favorite recordings if you feel yourself loosing your perspective. That helps me recapture the right perspective. Often practice can become dull and boring. When working on a big program for a long time it can become difficult to keep excitement and interest day in and out. It is possible to enjoy practice and still program the muscles. Our most effective learning occurs when we are having fun. In his book, Basic Principles in Pianoforte Playing, Joseph Lhevinne said that "when you practice in the right spirit, you don't know what it is to get tired". He went on to emphasize that variety in practice is very important. He urges the reader to use his brain and ingenuity to avoid boredom, especially in the practice of technique. In his book, The Visible and Invisible in Pianoforte Playing, Tobias Matthay urges us to always try to make music. Don't allow practicing to become a boring marathon. Try to find out everything musical about a passage.
We can try to conquer stage fright. This topic is in itself another article, but here are some weapons to use for the battle: Read The Inner Game of Music by Barry Greene to get a better understanding of what stage fright is and what some of the coping mechanisms are. Briefly, the inner game is successfully played when you stop criticizing yourself and just allow yourself to do the job. Self I is the part of you always chattering away and trying to be in control. It tells you things like your accent was too loud and you just slipped off the F#, idiot! Who can play with all that going on? Self 2 is the part of you that actually does the job. This can apply to many aspects of life, not just music performing. Once we can quiet Self 1, we find out Self 2 doesn't need approval or credit - it doesn't experience doubt or fear and doesn't need to feel in control. It only wants to enjoy the process and to be left alone. It is a matter of keeping the mind still and allowing ourselves to play unhindered. Read Stagefright by Robert Triplett. Try the series of exercises designed to slow down brain activity as well as his diet suggestions. He has biologically sound ideas on how to help you cope with your bodily responses to stagefright. I strongly suggest owning both of these as I find myself referring to them frequently.
I would like you to reflect on your most memorable musical accomplishments: senior recital, masters recital, graduation, landing your first job, the day your piano was delivered, etc. How much of your pride came from just the event that day, and how much came from everything done prior to that day to make it possible? Our most worthwhile accomplishments usually involve many hours, months, and years of dedicated work. There is usually a fair amount of stress and tension involved, but as in good music, the tensions finally resolve. It's not going to be fun and easy everyday, but periodically reassess the experience you are having. I find the preparation for a performance is where I grow the most. That is what makes me a better pianist. You will continue to grow as a person because of your life-long pursuit of music.