What do snow removal and practicing have in common?

It is finally warming up here in the Piedmont area of North Carolina.

We had two winter storms on back to back weekends, bringing first 3" of sleet and then 11" of snow. After the first storm, we had a week of record cold temperatures, so the beautiful, fluffy, white snow fell on sleet that had hardened into ice. 

During this "snow time" when schools were remote and everyone was stuck at home, it was difficult to keep track of the days. Every morning after breakfast, I would layer up and go outside with my handy tools, and work to clear the parking spot and walkways for my piano students, so we could return to in person lessons. Sometimes my family members helped me, and sometimes I worked alone. 

As I worked, I was struck by the similarities between ice/snow removal and practicing. Here are my thoughts: 

1) Move in small steps.  When you are dealing with ice, you have to start cutting the edges first, and be patient. Sometimes only small pieces break away, and sometimes you hit the right spot and larger pieces break off. In practicing, sometimes it feels like the progress is so slow you are barely progressing. Then you come back to next day and suddenly make a leap forward. Identify a small thing you can do successfully, and start with that, then move on to the next thing. 

2) Patience is essential. Removing ice/snow and learning to play the piano can take a long time. If you get frustrated and give up, you will be left with a snowy, icy walkway and be unable to play the piano. 

3) Looking backward can help you move forward  When I am clearing ice, it was easy to become very focused on whatever is in front of my snow boots. If all you see is the landscape locked in snow and ice, it can be very discouraging. To encourage myself, I made it a point to look back over the trail I had cut, take pictures of my progress and text them to my family. 

Similarly, it can be hard to see your progress at learning the piano when you are always focused on the next task.  Recording videos during practice or during lessons is a great way to capture the progress of the moment, and celebrate small achievements. 

In my piano studio, we also celebrate progress through sharing music during group class. Over the course of weeks and months, students hear each other gain confidence and skill. 

One of the highlights of the "snow time" was a surprise recording I received from one of my adult students. I had recorded my part of a duet we were working on, and sent it to her so she could practice. I was completely surprised and overjoyed when she sent a recording back, and it was her playing along with my recording! 


In conclusion, whether you are a parent, a student, or a lover of classical music, remember these three things:

Move in small steps
Be patient 
Document and celebrate your progress

And if you live in NC, get outside and enjoy the warmer weather!