August 2024 - The Importance of Music Reading

Think back to the times in your life when you have been asked to read aloud. Whether that was in front of a class, a meeting, a play rehearsal or public speaking event - it’s likely that you can imagine your mouth opening to form vowels, projecting your voice to the furthest corners of the room, perhaps a little self-conscious as you quickly scan the text ahead for any unfamiliar words.  With more practice and experience, reading out loud becomes second nature. Even if you read only to yourself, chances are good that you aren’t stopping on every word, pondering its individual meaning, but rather grasping the overall concept of each collected sentence.

The same is true for music reading fluency. Like the English language, music follows predictable patterns and rules that become easier to follow with lots of practice. Infants and toddlers are introduced to the letters of the alphabet first, then sight words. Caregivers read aloud to them and fill their ears with the sounds of spoken language. As they grow older, they are taught to create the written components of language. In regards to music, fundamental note identification, rhythms, and staff elements form the basic foundation.

When reflecting upon how we immerse children in our spoken language, we realize that the same can be done for music. Encourage kids to memorize musical basics like note names, and their music journey will be so much more satisfactory! Once the rudiments are mastered, we can continue on with patterns that are easily recognizable, forming the foundation of fluent music reading.

Playing, listening, writing, and reading - all four facets are vital if we want our students to enjoy piano study.