Confidence is one of the most important things to develop to be successful in life. Without it everything is exponentially more difficult, because not only do you have to battle the challenges of whatever it is you are attempting, you also have to battle yourself.
While the creation of confidence can be a more involved issue for some, a great way to begin to build it up, especially when it comes to children is with music lessons.
How Can Music Lessons Build Confidence?
Music is a performative and collaborative art. It requires all the discipline and teamwork of sports, yet sheds the notion that one has to be better than anyone else; instead, one just has to be better than they were themselves yesterday. Art focuses on developing and celebrating everyone’s unique characteristics.
This, along with the inherent personal expression of playing music allows for an inner growth that comes from the reflection tied into practice and performance.
What About Being Born With Talent?
The notion of talent and natural ability differs with who you ask, but the tangible proof of persistence and work ethic cannot be refuted. If someone decides they want to learn an instrument, and they practice and take classes consistently, they will improve. With this comes the feeling of personal accomplishment that luck or fate did not provide; the musician knows that their skill is due solely to their own hard work.
As with any intricate subject, there will be moments of frustration and disappointment, from not being able to play a piece fast enough, to having a big performance go awry. This tests the students perseverance and emotional flexibility. All of us who have done this long enough have been there at some point, and it takes a hefty amount of emotional courage and tenacity to get back up and continue forward.
With this being said, the feeling of success when a concert goes great, or the gratification that comes with finally finishing a difficult song is an experience like no other. It is something you did, and you can now show and offer the world.
How Do We Promote Confidence At Our Schools?
At Toronto Art’s Academy we provide our students with the opportunity to pass a test every three months using our trophy and wristband rewards system, and with the chance to show their friends and family what they have been working on with performances every six months. In this way each student can mark their progress and gain confidence knowing that they are continually improving and creating a permanent skill set for themselves with each class.
Music truly is a gym for the brain and heart!