By Cherith Alexander
QUESTION: How can I prepare a student for the Jean McCulloch Memorial Junior Piano Competition?
As teachers, we continually seek two key elements for our dedicated students: meaningful motivation and valuable performance opportunities. The Jean McCulloch Memorial Junior Piano Competition presents an excellent avenue to achieve both objectives.
There are many aspects of this event I admire, one of which is that students who participate perform a complete program that potentially highlights their work from an entire year of study. The timing of the competition at the end of May is a wonderful capstone to the traditional teaching year and/or a chance to have a practice performance in preparation for an upcoming June exam. The fact that the competition location moves throughout the province is appreciated, particularly by those of us who do not live in a major center. Also, the written adjudications often provide helpful encouragement and feedback.
All of us recognize the value in studying music from a variety of styles and this competition not only allows but insists on the performers presenting a diverse program. It is important to familiarize yourself with the requirements for the competition early in the teaching year to help choose appropriate repertoire. For example, it is great to see that a Canadian selection is required at all levels. Also, for Level 7/8 the Classical requirement is for a sonata/sonatina movement specifically. The detailed requirements can be found at: https://srmta.com/info/mcculloch/#regulations.
When choosing repertoire for the competition, consider not only the style but also the character and tempo of the music. For example, the student’s program ideally should include both energetic and introspective music showcasing a variety of technical challenges. Then care should be taken in choosing the order of the performance. Consider beginning with the strongest, most assured piece to give a confident first impression. Similarly, many students love to end with their favourite piece so there is a sense of comfort and poise to conclude. Involving the student in the creation of the program is also a valuable learning opportunity and may involve some “trial and error” before making a final decision.
One pedagogical element to explore in preparation for the performance is the stylistic variation between the repertoire selections. In other words, even at the elementary level it is important to convey the distinctions between Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern playing. This is even more evident when a student plays a complete program in succession, providing a wonderful opportunity to build musical understanding across the eras. One tip is to choose a stylistic word or two to focus on for each specific selection (for example: Baroque – “rhythmic momentum”, Classical – “elegance”, Romantic – “singing melody”, Modern – “dramatic contrasts”).
As the performance draws near, encourage your students to have “practice performances” for family and friends as well as in a recital or group class setting. This will prepare them for the anxiety of the moment and the challenge of performing under pressure. Another benefit is to ascertain how much time to allow between pieces, not only to remain within the regulations, but also to allow for a change of mood and to mentally prepare for the next selection. Performing a set of repertoire feels quite different than a single piece and requires extra preparation.
Some may have reservations about the competitive nature of this event, but in the same way we send our students to provincial competition without necessarily expecting them to “win”, there is intrinsic value in this formational opportunity as well. It is a chance to celebrate the joy of making music with other young pianists from across Saskatchewan. Also, due to the graded nature of the classes, there is often a variety of age levels represented, but students will not feel “out of place” as all are performing repertoire of similar difficulty. My hope is that many students leave the event feeling inspired by new friendships formed and motivated to continue their musical journey,
Some teachers may feel that this competition is somehow daunting, but if you are already preparing your students for exams and music festivals this performing opportunity is simply another event to add to your regular teaching calendar. Consider offering your students this opportunity to perform, learn and to connect with other young pianists as they continue their musical journey.
