It’s been a long two and half days so far here in Ottawa.  Here’s the main thing I have learned with Susan Kempter (who is just WONDERFUL and brilliant!).  Teach technique first–the songs are merely a means to an end.  We want to be able to teach the music, but without what she refers to as the “basic six,” the child is not going to be able to progress properly.

Basic six:

1. Feet

2. Trunk

3. Neck

4. Right Hand

5. Left Hand

6. Eyes

I would expand upon those more, but I’m exhausted after a 14 hour day!  I will try to do so later, but mainly that those aspects of the body must be in alignment and free of tension.

14 hour day you say?  Well, breakfast, 2 1/2 hours of teacher trainer class, followed by 1 hour observation, 1 hour lecture, lunch, 1 hour recital, 2 hours observation, 1 hour of an enrichment class about how to motivate various personality types (by Ruth Meints of Omaha, NE), dinner, evening concert…wow!  I also tried to get in a bit of a walk so the day wasn’t totally sedentary, though today I only managed 30 minutes.  I’ve got my alarm set for up so I can get that out of the way first tomorrow.

Three more long days to go.  Much more scribbling on note paper ahead of me.  Must sleep.