Piano Teachers I need your advice please - is it uncommon for

[saintpeta]

a 5 year old to play really well but refuse to sing/hum/clap what he can play ?

Why should he if he doesn't want to?

I've not really taught that age so can't say if it's common or not.

However to answer seekers question - because singing/humming/clapping what you're learning (especially in the early stages) is a useful tool for getting to grips with the rhythm of a piece of music, and how a piece of music should sound.

I know - but he's 5 - he's playing well, why rock the boat? Lots of time for other stuff!

it's not rocking the boat - the more he understands and gets to grips with in the early stages of learning the better he'll progress.

Obviously he shouldn't be forced - I think that goes without saying, but he should certainly be encouraged to do it.

If he wants to sit any grades on it he'll have to sing and clap.

What I meant about rocking the boat was that it's very easy to put them off things at this age - I would let him carry on playing and not get him to do anything he's not happy with at. He'll get there - it's just brilliant that he's playing well!

Do you mean on their own or along with the teacher? I have taught loads of 5 year olds and with one exception they will all sing along with me. Most will clap alone.

I largely get the ones who aren't really "getting it" to do lots of singing and clapping, if they are playing well I don't really bother - although I still sing along.

I suppose whether I would consider it unusual would depend on how the refusal was made.

Ds learns the cello and will only clap and sing after he has played it on the cello. He seemed surprised when it said in a book on sightreading that his teacher is reviewing (and lent him to get a perspective from the target audience) that it should be the other way around.

DD is now 8 but started learning her first instrument at 5. She too hates the hum/clap thing, although will sometimes count the rhythm whilst playing a particularly tricky bit. Her instrumental teachers don't seem remotely worried and she survived the aural test in the one exam she did (but has since refused to do any others).

There is a special section in the Q&A on the Associated Board exams website advising about children who refuse to sing or do the aural part of the exam, so I am guessing it is not that unusual?