“For every one person who ends up loving music after being coerced to learn an instrument in childhood, there are countless thousands for whom playing an instrument is ruined, for whom playing music will forever be associated in their minds with all that pain and anguish, countless thousands whose ability to play music has been handicapped by such coercion, not helped.”
– Sarah Fitz-Claridge
From the archives: Posted on 1st March, 1994
“I agree now, but I never would have agreed as a child. From the time I was 4-12 years old, my older brother and I ‘had’ to take accordion lessons…. All I can remember is the tears shed into those bellows during practice session after practice session. It was pure agony being made to practice and perform duets for the relatives and neighbours.
These days I regularly thank my parents for making me learn to play a musical instrument. …Our love of music has rubbed off on our children.”
You are one of the lucky ones. For every one like you, who ends up loving music, there are countless thousands for whom playing an instrument is ruined, for whom playing music will forever be associated in their minds with all that pain and anguish, countless thousands whose ability to play music has been handicapped by such coercion, not helped.
See also:
- When toddlers get upset
- What does education taking children seriously look like?
- If criticism is valuable why not be more critical?
Sarah Fitz-Claridge, 1994, ‘Coercing children to play an instrument’, https://takingchildrenseriously.com/coercing-children-to-play-an-instrument/