Whether you've been taking viola or violin lessons for a long time or you're just beginning, starting a new piece can be both exciting and daunting. Here are some tips for enjoying the process!
• Before you dive in, keep in mind that the amount of time you have to learn a piece, and where you’ll be performing it, will affect how you work on it.
• Your enthusiasm can make it tempting to rush through the piece up to speed, but your nervous system can only absorb so much! Start your new piece by observing the smallest details, and build it up step by step. It may take awhile before you are able to play the most challenging passages at the tempo you’d like, but you will learn more, enjoy the process more, and perform the piece better having given yourself the time to learn it properly.
• If you feel totally overwhelmed, think back to your previous piece and how comfortable it seems now compared to when you first started learning it. Remember, the learning process isn’t linear. Some days you may learn a lot, and other days it may seem like you haven’t made any progress. But consistent, observant practice is the fastest and most reliable route to success!