I consider all these subjects as building blocks for the whole music educational process. The students get to learn some secrets of performance and theoretical knowledge at each lesson. The theory is taught in a way that is easy to understand and remember. The students are encouraged to use the theoretical knowledge right away for analysis of the music pieces that they play or for composing their own music. I teach improvising, which is not covered by the RCM curriculum. Improvising plays an extremely important role in understanding how music works, because it joins together theory and actual performance. Moreover, improvising boosts a student’s imagination and creativity. It gives freedom in using musical instruments. It’s just way more fun!
