Most people know that I have taught at a large music store in Lansing for over 30 years. Fewer know that I also teach at a smaller store fifty miles north of there. I only have a few students but it's close to home so I don't mind.
The teaching studio is quite small so we only do one recital per year. It includes all of the students from all of the teachers. Yesterday was our annual "Spring Recital" and it included 21 students representing 4 teachers. Besides guitar, there were violin, 'cello, and piano students. The students are all being classically trained.
Many in attendance were a bit confused about the inclusion of the guitar in this performance. In their minds the acoustic guitar is what you learn on, then you "graduate" to the electric guitar. One student's grandfather reminded him "Don't forget your pick". The student quietly replied, "I don't use a pick." Grandpa looked a bit confused.
As luck would have it, this student was third on the program right after a piano and then violin student. He played a lovely 19th century waltz and he knocked it out of the park. His hard work had paid off. Grandpa was stunned. Pleased, proud, and stunned. He had never heard anyone play in this style before. He didn't know it was possible. And it had certainly never occurred to him that his own grandson would play like this. He was, as I said, pleased, proud, and stunned. I know all this because he told me several times during the social hour.
I was pleased and proud of all of my students yesterday, but not stunned. I taught them. I know what they can do. What does stun me is that this is what they want to do. I don't have to talk them into it. I will occasionally suggest a finger style arrangement of a pop song and they enjoy it, but then they're anxious to get back to the classical repertoire.
Music does not have the same importance or significance in their lives as it did in mine at that age. We had no social media and they're drowning in it. Music is important but on a different level. The rock guitarists that my generation revered are just "old-time" musicians to them. (Ouch! It hurt to write that.) With finger style or classical guitar they don't need expensive guitars, amps, and effects pedals to make music. Just a simple acoustic guitar and the willingness to learn to play it properly will yield some great music.
And great music is what we heard yesterday. From that waltz, to an anonymous Aria, to a Bach Minuet. Their friends and family were pleased and proud and some were even stunned. Have I mentioned lately that I love my job?