Today, I Confess: I don't let students choose their repertoire.
At least, not very often...
This feels like a necessary "confession" because I very much believe in The Power of Student Choice.
If we want students who are invested in their study, and who consider "musician" to be a core part of their identity, the research is clear: Giving them choice is important.
This is not a new revelation. Piano teachers have known it for a long time. That's why so many of us bend over backwards to cater to student requests. Take a look in any online teacher group and you're going to find request after request for level-appropriate arrangements of pop tunes and classics alike.
...but there are many more ways to incorporate autonomy in lessons than repertoire choices.
QUICK DISCLAIMER: I am never going to be the teacher claiming to know THE ONE WAY to do something. There are very few absolutes in our work. Allowing students to choose their repertoire is absolutely fine. My hope - as always - is to share my experience and give you something to think about today. 🤍
Think about it this way: If you ask a child what they want to eat, they will often default to what they know (chicken nuggets, mac+cheese, all the usual suspects...)
...there's nothing wrong with eating those things, but it's also important for children to be introduced to new flavors and textures, right?
Sure - there are exceptions - but most children are not going to request salmon until someone offers it to them first and "sells them" on taking a bite.
Once the child tries the salmon, regardless of whether or not they love it, they'll have a new understanding of that food choice.
One of the biggest soapboxes I will ever jump on is this: if WE are not introducing our students to a variety of music, who do we expect to do it?
If Johnny's lessons are focused on music and styles he already knows, we're missing a real opportunity.
Besides: Constantly chasing the next piece your student says they want to play is like running a treadmill that is set a few paces too fast.
(If that sounds familiar, it's because I first said that line in this summer's first installment of What Should I Teach Next? Get your FREE preview of that series by clicking here)
I have *so* much more to say on this topic... but because I'm not trying to write a life-defining manifesto here, I'll leave you with this:
There are many other ways to incorporate CHOICE in a lesson outside of repertoire selections.
- Choosing what level of "polish" to put on a piece: Once my pedagogical goal of a piece is met, I often ask students, "Do you want to take this piece to the next level, or move on to something else?"
- Choosing which piece (or skill) to begin with in the lesson: Not every lesson needs to begin with scales! Try asking students, "What feels good to begin with today? Would you like to sightread something new, or show me something you practiced?"
- Choosing which key to try next: My students do A LOT of transposing. Rather than selecting keys myself, I try to let THEM choose their key and/or Major vs. Minor.
- Choosing Practice Assignments: I always ask students if the workload I'm assigning for the week feels reasonable. I'll ask, "Do you see anything on your practice list that feels like too much?" or "Would you like me to add something else?"
Remember: I can always pull the "teacher card" if they request something I'm not willing to flex on. I'm still the leader of this operation. 😉
Again, there's SO MUCH MORE to be said on these matters...
In fact, writing this Confession has inspired a whole new episode for the podcast... so stay tuned in the weeks to come! 🎙️
Let it be known: There are two reasons I can effectively make these repertoire choices.
(1) I know the repertoire
In addition to traditional piano literature, I stay up to date on contemporary pedagogical literature. I know where to look when I need rhythmically-interesting pieces, gushy lyricism, heavily-patterned works, and more.
I hear it from teachers ALL THE TIME: they just don't know what's out there.
We talk a lot about repertoire in the Patreon Community, and I'm going all-in on Repertoire Collections there in 2025. Our monthly Teachers Teaching Teachers sessions are going to shift from focusing on one piece per month to focusing on one collection (maybe more🙃) each month.
If you are serious about wanting to know what's out there, check out the "Learning Together" tier of the Beyond Measure Community
(2) I know my students.
I know whose impression of a piece is made or broken by the title (or the cover art), and I know who can look past those elements.
I know what makes each student feel panicky.
I know what lights them up.
I know what they need.
Please understand: It took me a long time (and a lot of thought) to get here.
If you feel less-confident in your knowledge of the repertoire - or your students - I've got your back, friend!
The reason I spend so many hours creating content for you each week is to help with these very things.
I've spoken my peace, and now it's YOUR TURN: Do you let students choose their own repertoire? Hit REPLY and tell me why that works (or, maybe, why it DOESN'T?) for you!
🥂 May we stay focused on what REALLY matters in our work: the people, the music, and the growth we experience together. 🥂