CORE VALUES - Self-Mastery
I wanted to thread this year’s blog with our Core Values and reveal what they each mean to me. Ultimately, our Core Values are what keep us in business and set us apart from every other music studio. When developing our Core Values, I wanted to make sure people know we focus on both the product AND the people. We don’t just teach music lessons so people can learn how to play or sing. While that is a worthy goal in and of itself, it lacks a fundamental element of artistry: humanity. I know plenty of people who play excellently, who can pick up almost any piece of music and play it without mistake. I don’t know very many people who can immediately play that piece with an element of humanity and heartfelt empathy. Art is meant to provoke emotion in us, but how can it do so without the artist's humanity showing through? So while we have goals for the music, we also have goals for the musician.
Our second Core Value is Self-Mastery. Notice it’s not the mastery of music, performance, or even theory. It’s self-mastery because we understand that music, like all art, requires something from the artist. Self-mastery requires that the artist be aware of the push and pull of boredom, the waning and waxing of willpower, and even the highs and lows of personal energy. Students should understand that they are in total control of how they show up. Having low energy doesn’t mean they slough off in lessons, but it may mean that they ask for something they can see more progress in during that lesson as opposed to the grueling piece they may have been practicing for weeks. These students understand that low willpower doesn’t mean that they don’t practice at all, but that 5 minutes is better than nothing. Often, these students will find that they started and planned to play for 5 minutes, and then 30 minutes later they’ve actually done their entire practice routine.
Self-mastery moves beyond music. It requires that a student take inventory of where they are and how much they can offer. It requires that the student take responsibility for their own journey. Teaching this skill in lessons translates into other portions of their lives. Students start to take responsibility for their homework, chores, extracurricular activities, and much more. They start to display leadership, not only for themselves, but for others as well.