Original Methodology

Children of different abilities, skills, opportunities, temperament and intellect attend the school. Most of them have a single wish - to satisfy their love and even passion for music, playing musical instruments. Instead of encouraging and cherishing the potential of an amateur, an unprofessional, all - without any exception - children are given indigestible training which is acceptible for a virtuoso. This teaching method is well known - it is coaching.

Music shouldn't be taught under pressure!

Great exceptions only prove the rule.

Wishing to change and improve the style and the results of their work the school teachers have read much specialized literature, and they have found answers for all their questions in the works of prominent Russian and foreign musicians, methodologists, scientists. They have come to a conclusion that education must be on-going and involves a pupil in the process of playing musical instruments. A pupil must become an equal individual involved in the educative process.

A pupil is not a vessel which is to be filled, a pupil is a torch which should be lit!

The original author's teaching methodology was worked out on a scientific basis, after a well known scheme: THEORY - EXPERIMENT - RESULTS - PRACTICE.

The experiment was started at the 1st grade, later - as the school pupils were getting older and acquiring all necessary experience - it was finished successfully.

As a result - children became interested in studying! Revealing different sides of their abilities resulted in creating an artistic atmosphere in a junior collective and considerable progress in their studies.

The school teachers enjoyed this work as well. They had the opportunity to improve their qualifications while in a classroom, together with their pupils. The essence of these methods is as follows. There are two ways of developing a pupil in our school.

The first one - reproductive, which means - as always - studying pieces of classical music, etudes, scales. The second one - creative, i. e. creative activities of a pupil.

The first way is well known, except that includes a less restricted attitude for the repertoire and solo performance and various types of an ensemble performance. For the second way of teaching different types of improvisational performance have been worked out, concise methodical instructions and essays have been written, annual and test-examinational requirements for all musical instruments have been compiled thoroughly, the mark criterion have been clarified, performance in studies have been checked in every grade and the entire study process have been put in order. Everything required for developing the talents of all - without any exception - children had been laid out.

The summary of the entire methodology is given in the brochure "Author's school. Collection of articles on organizing study process in a modern music school". Practically all of the school teachers participated in working out the methodology - hence the name of the brochure.

A positive review of the "Author's school" was made by the dean of the folk instruments faculty of the St. Petersburg Conservatoire, professor, Honored Artist of Tatarstan - A. V. Tikhonov.

Our school has a rich theoretical and practical experience of teaching on the program of improvisational performance. Those who wish to try and - maybe - adopt it, to enjoy the creative activities of the School pupils, are welcome! Over 300 teachers of various music schools of Russia have acquired the "Author's school" and a supplement "How to teach music to children; the statements of famous musicians on the problems of elementary musical education". Applications for the brochure and the supplement still come in regularly.

Original Methodology by Yuri Likhachov. Sheet music for accordion
Яндекс.Метрика