The five things I wish every one-day workshop student knew
Leading a class at Pinewoods Early Music Week
2020 seems to be my year for one-day workshops. I always give a few, but in 2020 I am slated to give a somewhat shocking 10. (Please come join me in Lakeland, FL; Atlanta, GA; Palm Beach, FL; St. Louis, MO; Manhattan, KS; Boston, MA; Quincy, IL; Buffalo, NY; Nashville, TN, and Philadelphia, PA! I will probably still be standing at the end!)
I enjoy one-day workshops. They’re an interesting middle ground between a chapter meeting and a full-on weeklong recorder extravaganza. You don’t usually get the breadth and depth a weeklong workshop offers, but you do get the chance to devote yourself wholly to playing and learning for one full day. And there is usually free coffee!
With the number of workshops I’m doing this year, I’ve been thinking a lot about what would help a student get the most out of a one-day experience. So here are the five things I wish I could make sure every student knew before signing up:
1) We’re here to help!
Your clinician is not here to judge you, your playing, or your chapter’s playing. We’re here because we love helping people make music in community, and we want to grow your skills and deepen your enjoyment. We genuinely love what we do, and we’re excited to introduce you to some of the music we love!
2) You’ll feel overwhelmed- or underwhelmed. Or both.
Of the one day workshops at which I’ve taught, the majority feature only one clinician. This means that players of many differening levels are together in one big group. It is therefore impossible for your clinician to select music at the perfect level for all members of the group (though we do have some tricks up our sleeves to help balance levels). Some of the music will be too hard for some of you. Concentrate on doing the best you can do in the moment, and remember that every person is at a different place on his or her musical journey, and that is 100% OK! Conversely, some of the music may feel too easy for some of you. Spoiler alert: No music is ever too easy for anyone. There is always something you can learn while playing. If a piece feels too easy, give yourself an extra assignment, like mentally tracking the alto part, or concentrating on producing your most beautiful sound.
3) Try a little technique
As a clinician, I always try to work a little bit of technique into my one day workshops, either formally or informally. And I highly recommend that students be on the alert for these technical nuggets. You can always play through music on your own, but technical expertise is part of what you pay a professional for.
4) Go in with a goal.
When I recommend a one-day workshop to one of my private students, I will often either give them, or ask them to develop, a goal. This could be as simple as playing the last note of every piece, or trying out tenor on one piece. Talk to someone from another chapter (one day workshops often draw regionally) or sit next to someone you’ve never played beside before. Your goals are only limited by your imagination! But you’ll get more out of a workshop if you go in with one.
5) You’ll get tired
Most one-day workshops feature at least four 1.25 hour playing sessions, with maybe some technique mixed in. That is a lot more playing than most people do on most days, so by the end of the day, it is more than likely that you’ll be both physically and mentally tired. Hopefully in a good way! But prepare for the fatigue, and cut yourself some slack as the day wears on. By 4:00 PM, you likely won’t be as fresh or as sharp as you were at 9:00 AM, and that’s OK. Making sure you have plenty of water (or, ahem, free coffee) to drink can help, as can reminding yourself to play in a relaxed way. And don’t be afraid to take breaks when you need them: Your clinician understands, and will not be offended.
Happy workshopping, and I’ll hope to see you on the road!