March Adult Studio Class: Asking the REAL Questions, Building Community

Here at Borderland Music Studio, incorporated into students’ private piano lessons are monthly studio classes.

In these classes, students enrolled in our private piano lessons get to gather together, play their pieces for each other, and bask in the opportunity to build community together.

We’ll also discuss moments in music history, or bridge music to the visual arts or literature - sometimes even food! (Because who doesn’t love a symphony of a good recipe?) 

These studio classes are grouped into the Elementary and Adult sessions. My goal is to ultimately have three: Elementary, Teen, and Adult. Enrollment is a slow and steady process, friends!

At March’s Adult Studio Class, I jumpstarted the hour by calling on Miguel to open the floor for us before we dove into our discussion on Chavela Vargas. What surprised me was how Miguel chose to get things started: he asked all of us what new music we’d been listening to that week. 

It may seem like a simple question, right? Naturally, musicians getting together to talk about music would want to know what everyone else’s ear-worms have been lately. But, as his piano teacher, hearing Miguel’s question went way beyond a surface level inquisition. 

It was a question that had depth. That had purpose.

Miguel was asking for a glimpse into each of our musical worlds. Not just to listen to the recommendations we shared, but to take each one as an intentional meditation, as little lessons in and of themselves, as broadening his musical horizons. And, in turn, by each of us sharing songs together, we’d all get the opportunity to learn a little bit more.

It was a question that opened the door for connection, and that’s how we build a solid community of pianists.

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If you’re looking for private piano lessons that give you the experience of building meaningful connections with other pianists, fill out our inquiry form HERE. We’ll reach out to kickstart your piano learning journey and book a FREE 30-minute Discovery Call!