1) A student's piano journey is a quest to obtain the lifelong skill of piano mastery through practice, lessons, and recitals. 2) Recitals are temporary goals along the journey and celebrate recent accomplishments, while the ultimate goal is a lifetime of piano skill and enjoyment. 3) Teachers can help students succeed in recitals by setting initially difficult but achievable goals, expecting and learning from failures, demonstrating success through their own playing, and regularly celebrating all successes, large and small, throughout the process.

2. Quest:
A search or pursuit
made in order to find or
obtain something.

3. Have you ever been to a piano recital?
Some students are brilliant, some are diffi-
cult to listen to; but at the end of every song,
the parents applaud wildly as if they have
just heard the world’s greatest pianist.
Why?
Because they are there, not to be engaged
by the music, but to support and celebrate
the hard work of their children.

4. Months of practice and lessons have led the
family to the recital. Yet, the recital is only a
celebration of the student’s most recent
accomplishments and a demonstration of
the student’s newly acquired skills.
The recital is not the goal. The goal of the
practice and lessons is a lifetime skill
allowing for the on-going enjoyment of
music. The recital is just a temporary target
along the journey toward accomplishing this
goal.

5. How does a teacher
prepare for a recital?

6. 1)Set unrealistic goals.
2)Expect failure
3)Model success
4)Celebrate progress

7. Setting
Unrealistic
Goals

8. A good teacher will choose recital songs
which initially seem impossible. After hours
of frustration, figuring out new combinations
of notes and sometimes awkward timing,
slowly the piece begins to sound like music.
Eventually, practice becomes about finger
muscle memory as the piece has been mas-
tered and is now being memorized. Finally,
at the recital, all are made aware that the
student has mastered a higher level of piano
artistry, one that several months ago
seemed out of reach.

9. Expecting
Failure

10. Perfection doesn’t happen immediately.
Every student will fail repeatedly before they
succeed. Every good teacher understands
this. Reminding students that failure is part
of the process minimizes frustration and
seizes opportunities for growth. Students
who are willing to see their shortcomings
can fix them, and in the end eliminate them.

11. Modeling
Success

12. Often students cannot properly understand
or play a piece until they’ve heard someone
else play it. By playing a song herself, a
teacher can demonstrate success to the
student. Having heard and seen the proper
performance, the student can now evaluate
himself against the proper outcome.
Sometimes, a teacher may have to play the
song several times until the student reaches
a point where they have become “like the
teacher”.

13. Celebrating
Success

14. Ultimately, success is a lifetime of piano
mastery. The short-term measurement of
success is a well-played recital piece. But
even before the recital, students achieve
many small successes. The first time a
piece is completed without stopping and the
first time a piece is completed without
mistake are successes. When the student
practices the prescribed number of times,
she is successful. Good teachers find every
opportunity to celebrate their student’s
success.

15. first practice
From the
Until the final recital
A student’s “piano-journey” is a type of
Quest.
A search or pursuit made in order to find or obtain something.
It is a pursuit made in order
to obtain a life-long skill.

16. Using the same principles as a piano recital, you can participate in a
Quest with your LIFEGroup
This fall.
Beginning in September:
You can set goals together
Throughout the Fall:
You can model success for each other
And Encourage each other after missteps
Finally in December:
You can celebrate successes together

17. Join
The Quest
With your LIFEGroup

18. Set individual and group goals for
spiritual growth.
Regularly Check-up on each another’s
progress.
Encourage and assist each other toward
the accomplishment of the goals.
Celebrate each other’s successes.

19. Set individual and group
goals for spiritual growth.
Use your first group meeting of the fall to
discuss what each person might like to see
accomplished in their life over the next few
months. Have each group member identify
areas in their life that need work and then
set a tentative goal. Encourage each group
member to spend time in prayer regarding
their goal. At your next meeting, take time
to confirm each person’s goal and covenant
with one another to consistently pray for
each person’s success.

20. Regularly check up on each other’s
progress.
Use time each week to allow group members
to give progress reports. Remember, some
failures are to be expected. Encourage group
members to be honest sharing their short-
comings so that they can be encouraged and
prayed for. Remind group members to also
check up on one another during the week.
Sharing life together requires more time than
just a weekly meeting!

21. Encourage and assist each other
toward the accomplishment of the goals.
The beauty of a group is that a multitude of
perspectives and gifts provides an ideal
environment for spiritual growth. As group
members work toward their goals, they may
need encouragement or advice. Your group
is the perfect place for that to happen.
Remind your group members that they will all
be more successful if they all agree to build
into one another’s lives. Take time regularly
for encouraging and advising.

22. Regularly check up on each other’s
progress.
As group members reach their goals, or perhaps
take significant steps toward them, celebrate.
Celebration might mean you congratulate them,
give them a gift, or bring a snack to your meeting.
When the quest is complete, set aside a time for a
“giant celebration”. Celebrate each group
members accomplishments. (if some don’t reach
their goal, celebrate their progress) Nothing will
motivate people toward continued success more
than the knowledge that many people are deeply
invested in their success. Celebrations confirm
this investment.

23. For more information about Quests or LIFEGroups at
Calvary, contact Pastor David Rudd.
231.865.1259
david.rudd@calvarymuskegon.com