7 Reasons to Support Live Music as a Music Educator

I spend most of my week engaging with young musicians, developing musical skills and encouraging enjoyment of music. But this week, I have been lucky enough to focus on my own enjoyment as a listener and audience member.

First I enjoyed an amazing orchestra concert by the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, midweek I saw an awesome a capella choir performance by The Spizzwinks from Yale University and finally a brilliant, intimate chamber music evening given by Pro Musica.

As a music educator it is important to me to personally support and enjoy live music for these reasons:

1. It helps me remember what it’s like to be in the audience for both familiar and unfamiliar music. I expect youngsters to develop good listening skills and habits so I need to know what that feels like.

   

2. Conversely, it helps me remember what being a performer is all about too. It would be easy to be complacent and forget about actual performing, the nerves, the preparation, the buzz and the fun. But this is a good reminder of those skills and experiences.

   

3. Live music is so exciting – anything can happen. It’s all about the passion and being alive. Being close up to performing musicians fills me with excitement and engulfs me in their music. Although I love listening to my students’ performances and they fill me with pride, listening to adult musicians lends a perspective which is different.
4. I like to discuss with my students the concerts I attend. It role models the importance and lifelong pleasure that listening to music brings.
5. Music events are great social occasions providing the context for lots of interesting music chat. This social side of music carries into the classroom and community as I share experiences with parents and students alike.
6. Supporting local musicians can be a two-way experience. Recently, from our support of the Thailand Philharmonic and Mahidol University, came a collaborative project which saw musicians visit our school and many of our students visit the orchestra.

   

   

7. Most of all it’s fun and helps me to experience the breadth and depth of feeeling music creates. That’s not just good for me as a music teacher, it’s good for me as a human being.