New musicians struggle with technique

Jason Lipeles Assistant Life Editor

When Joe Davis ’09 feels bored or anxious, he goes down to the Lathrop parlor and wails on the piano. He plays freely and naturally, without sheet music or a recurring melody. His improvisational style comes from years of practice.

At the age of seven, Davis was given a Fisher Price keyboard for Christmas and, shortly thereafter, he was enrolled in group piano lessons. Because he started young, the simple concepts of music are not a problem for him. “As a kid, you just learn the technique,” said Davis. “As you get older, music just means more to you.”

But students newer to playing music often view practice as a source of frustration rather than an outlet for it. Talia Kostick ’08, who signed up for cello lessons for the first time last year, said learning the fundamentals has at times made her think about quitting.

“I play songs like ‘Twinkle, Twinkle’ and ‘Old McDonald,’ but I want to be able to play Bach,” she said.

Kostick added that sometimes she has been self-conscious about her beginning skills when she plays her instrument around advanced cello players. “[I’m embarrassed] that [advanced players] will hear me and say, ‘Who is this fool and what is she doing?’”

Many Vassar musicians began their music training as youngsters and have already forged deep and lasting bonds with their instruments. But beginning musicians are still figuring out musical notation and how their big hunks of wood, metal, and string work. And taking a break from lessons always seems to be on their minds.

“Music is one of those things that having childhood experiences have a tremendous advantage,” said Professor Brian Mann, who teaches classes in music theory and music history.

Many of Mann’s courses mix majors and non-majors, so he must explain concepts in different ways to cater to musicians of all levels. Although Mann acknowledges that it is more difficult for students to pick up an instrument in college, he greatly encourages beginners to follow their desire to play. “An inability to play an instrument or sing is not at all an indication or proof of someone’s musical instincts or lack thereof,” Mann said, adding that one girl who had no musical training before coming to Vassar ended up majoring in music.

Kate Linhardt’s parents enrolled her in piano classes when she was seven-years old. “When I was little, I would hide under the piano bench and throw tantrums,” said Linhardt ’08. Nevertheless, she has continuted lessons through college.
She said that her current piano teacher is different from her previous ones because he encourages her to play pieces expressively. “We talk a lot about the feeling behind a piece…We are studying them in a lot more comprehensive way than I am used to,” Linhardt said.

Dana McCurdy, a lecturer in electronic music at Vassar, said that only one-quarter to one-third of the students in his classes have substantial music training.

McCurdy added that anyone with a drive to create or play music, should pick up some music software, and follow their desires. “It’s never too late…I have students in the New York metropolitan area who are in their 40s and 50s and just getting into this stuff,” he said.