Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-10-08
By HENRIETTA M. REEFS

disposition or temperament. He
looks through the musical pages OF
The Bee, especially when there is
some large musical issue, and finds
the advertisement of not only one
but several teachers in whatever par
tcular branch OF the art he may de-
sire, and they all read so well that
he is still undecided as to just which
is the one for him.
The next step is to go and see
them and to find out something OF
what they and their pupils can do.
1t is a good scheme to consult sew
eral teachers before making a choice,
and to investigate their qualifca-
tons carefully. Hear the work OF
some OF their best pupils and find
out how long they have studied with
their present teacher and how much
OF their work was done with other
y reachers. Hear what the pupils have
to say about the teachers work
Choose in the end one from among
them who appeals to you as thor
oughly prepared, who obtains salts
factory results, and who will be able
10 teach you personally the most.
There is great deal in the personality
OF both the teacher and the pupil.
Choose a personality that you find in
st'nctively attractive. one from whom
YOU could learn, for whom you
would not only prepare the desired
lesson, but whose sincere approval
you would be most anxious to win.
Above all choose one in whom you
have absolute confidence that he
knows whereof he speaks. Do not
let the size Of his fee interfere too
seriously with your judgment. 1t
costs money to study music, as we'll
as 1t does to do anything else. 1t
IS 10 your interest to make a good
investment, one which is capable of
bringing returns. Make your choice
of teacher wisel-' and then once it is
made give the teacher enough time
and fair chance to make good. But
at least try to choose wise teacher.
The wise teacher not only knows,
but is able to teach those essential
fundamentals of music which it is
necessary for every music student to
know. He is able to recognize and
develop the particular need of each
student, technically, men,
tally and emotionally. He will make
his lessons instructive and interest
ing from the very first. He will
take pains that the student under
stand and conquer every difficulty as
it is brought to light. He will tenn
per his musical studies to the ability
and conception Of the student. He
will be thorough, seeing that no part
OF the lesson is vague; firm, insisting
that the pupil do his share, and pa
tient, making haste slowly. He will
demand that the pupil not only I'M
derstands things. but does them. He
will insist that the pupil not only
does things, but understands them.
He will require that every musical
term in the lesson be looked up and /
remembered.
He will show the pupil how to prac-
tice inteiligently and develop good
habits of practice that will stay with
him in all future study.
He will be accurate as to tonality
himself and will demand the truth
OF pitch from each and every pupil.
He will not only be particular
about the musical facts, but the mu-
steal fancies as we'll. He will be a
stickler for detail.
He will choose only the most me-
lodious, well-written music. and will
draw attention to the fine points
in its construction. He will avoid the
hackneyed.
He will expect the pupil to under
stand the general scheme of con-
struction of each piece studied. He
'will lay as much stress, if not more
upon training the ear than the voice
or fingers, and more upon the mind
and soul. He will inspire and en-
courage his followers by showing
them the constantly multiplying beau-
ties which they meet and lead them
onward with his own sincere enthu-
siasm to an evergrowing apprecia-
ton.
All this, and more, is not too much
to expect from first class teacher,
Of which kind there arc several in
each branch of tie art i'll Omaha
and many pupi. has cause to look
with gratitude upon the work they
have done for them; No matter what
your object in studying music. the
best teachers are the cheapest ones
III the end. They are like the ex-
press trains which get you where
y on want to go with fewer stops and I
less inconvenience and loss CT time
tbtn any Other. If person only
aspires to ragtims, he wants at least
to do it right, to keep the time and
TO use the correct notes, and to give
the lifting swing to it that will make
people want to dance when they
hear it. All of this the ragtimers will {
he able to do much sooner if they
will take course of lessons from a
s.rst class teacher, studying the mu-
sic he gives them without murmur,
and following out his instructions to
the letter, rather than by going to
poorer one. For the got d teacher
VA not skip owe; mistakes without
pointing them out, will not leave
many ununderstood points in the les
son serenely out, and will not be care
less about rhythm or time, staying
on the key, or the manner of playing
or singing. For these are few Of
the things you are paying him ;
for. The music that the good
teacher picks out will probably be .
music which will teach the most
about music in the shortest amount
of time, and after attaining COM {
parative amount of proficiency I'm
der his careful eye, and good habits {
OF working, why ragtime will be !
easy. Not only that, but the rag I