Excerpts from emails Bonnie has received:
Bonnie, Congratulations on your students outstanding performances at the MTNA and also for their exceptional playing in the SYAMF! It was great to meet you and I look forward to seeing you in the future (NFA in Pittsburgh?).
Your book sounds like an excellent addition to our pedagogical repertoire. I'll be sure to get a copy when it's published.
All my best wishes for your continued success,
Still cannot get over all of your wonderful students. Loved working with Simon. He is so committed. As you know, I enjoyed Zoe (so bright!). Lauren and I really groomed the Hue and the Rodrigo. Good luck in Austin!I was so inspired by all of them.
Congratulations to you for your care and feeding (including the cookies) of these precious students!
My name is Melinda Bargreen, and I am the classical music critic for The Seattle Times. I have read Bonnie Blanchard's "Music for Life: The Teacher's Mentor" in its entirety, and it strikes me as an extremely valuable addition to music pedagogy literature. The book contains a wealth of practical advice, from practicing tips to dealing with difficult students (and their parents), yet the material is presented in a concise way that makes it easy to distill what you need from every chapter. At the same time, the writing is very personal and full of humorous anecdotes and asides that should ring true with any musician.
Equally useful are the inspiring stories and the philosophical comments that make it clear why music is so rewarding. Teachers who are toiling away with challenging students and uncertain finances will be reminded why they took the decision to teach in the first place, and why they should continue to become the best teachers they can be. (They'll also discover how to do just that.) It's a very uplifting book, beneath all those practical suggestions and pointers.
I cannot claim to have read every single book about teaching music, but I certainly have not run across any book that has this much useful information distilled into a single volume. I can't think of another book that this one repeats or duplicates.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can provide any further information. This book has my full recommendation.
Best wishes,
From Hal Ott, Professor of Flute Central Washington University:
I have had a chance to read chapters 3-7. Wow, you have really outdone yourself! I have no doubt that your books will some day be mandatory reading for every serious flutist and teacher.
Some overall comments:
Ch. 3: I really got emotional reading about instilling pride and respect. Some readers may think that some of your comments are overkill or prudish -- such as to never "dress inappropriately," but I love it and value that perspective.
Ch. 4: Solid advice. This chapter is really inspirational and motivational, and it forces us tolook at ourselves as teachers. Your case studies are captivating -- it is like a good novel because it is hard to put down. No dry, academic writing here -- lots of practical stuff!
Ch. 5: fostering independence and curiosity are the 2 most important skill that teachers can impart. Teaching the basics, teaching the "whole musician" -- that is what GREAT teachers do!
Ch. 6: great opening about the call from Mom. I often take it further and have "New Girl" call me herself (no matter how young) and personally request lessons. That way I can see if it is her idea or her Mom's. Sometimes parents are the ones that want it bad, and the kids could "give a rip;" those kids need to find another activity that "turns their cranks."
Ch. 7: Excellent suggestions -- gets to the nitty-gritty, psychological issue. The stories that you relate are worth their weight in gold, and what a wonderful retrospective of your teaching career -- both the ups and downs and all that you have learned from it.
I can't wait to see your book in print. I will certainly have all of my students taking my pedagogy class have this as their text book.
Merry Christmas!
Many hugs,
Dear Bonnie,
I am completely astonished! We must be some sort of clones, or dopplegangers, twins or sisters. Are you certain I didn't creep into your house at night and write that chapter you sent me when you were sleeping?
Of course, I loved it! I really hope you are going to publish this and the entire book. I've thought so often of writing this book. But now that you have done so, you've saved me TONS of work. Thank you!!!!!!! (I'll write the other one I'm thinking about.)
Have a wonderful day.