Speech Events: Encouragements

Music lessons have always been solely about music; playing the piano, learning while having fun. After last Friday's class though, I tried perceiving them as speech events, and some interesting recollections came to mind.

I've had piano lessons with many teachers. Some interesting encounters were with teachers from Europe, America, Singapore and China. Every teacher has tried to encourage me at one point or another, but all with different methods.

The European teacher I studied with was extravagant with praises. "Phrasing is beautiful", "ahh emotion is simply perfect", "it's amazing that you did all the by yourself", "bravissimo, really bravissimo" are some of the more vivid lines I remember him using. It felt good to be praised, for I must admit I felt special. But doubt nagged at me more than anything else. I used to think: I can't be that good... he's just being nice.

The American teacher I studied under was extremely direct and honest. He used to say things like, "Yeah you made a mistake there but who cares? The rest was absolutely kickass!" There was always something good to say for every bad point mentioned. I never felt like he was exxaggerating the truth. I didn't feel as special as in the above situation, but at least I wasn't left in doubt.

The Singaporean teacher was quite critical and seldom praised me. "Good, but not quite there yet... this part could be better, and that part could be better..." The word 'good' did not really mean good, it was more like an offhand remark that had to be said to lessen the negative impact of the following 'not quite there yet'. I used to feel quite frustrated because I was always 'never there'. Yet I suspect the teacher intended to spur me on by holding back praises.

The teacher from China not only criticised. She used to compare me to others, for example, "someone else is practicing 12 hours a day, if you practiced as hard you could be as good or even better because you are no less talented." Though I was not made to feel any lesser, I again felt that I was 'not there yet'. This time, however, there was an added component of competition to motivate me.

I do not mean to diminish any of the above teachers with these flashbacks. I learnt a great deal from each. Yet, the differences between the encouragements I've received from these various teachers are very apparent. Furthermore, I have colleagues in school who have had similiar experiences; Asian teachers tend to be much more critical and unforgiving about mistakes than their Western counterparts. Could it have to do with their cultural identities? Or would that simply be a groundless generalization?