I posted this at TH but wanted to hear from the TMasters....
My niece and I take lessons once a week, I am a comeback player and she is 11 and just started around July of 2004. I bought her a Olds Ambassador because I felt she had potential when after she watched me play the c scale she copied me note for note with never even playing anything before. I got us signed up for lessons and the instructor was very impressed with what she knew on her first day. She told him I taught her everything she knows which I thought was sweet. Here is were I need some advise from others that have dealt with this. She never practices, but when lesson time rolls around she plays the asignment like she has been playing it all her life. When I sit outside the practice room and her and the instructor are playing a study together she is right there with him. I was practicing out of my Rubank Advanced method Vol.1 (pg.50 #15) and she told me all trumpet players know how to play that and I told her well show me then. The timing was not right but the notes were there even the g above staff. I was really surprised and happy!!! Yesterday we had lessons but she did not want to go.(Homework,being hungry, and XBOX) I went and was able to talk to our instructor about her practice habits and how she can pick up the horn and still sound great at her level( I keep telling her if you practiced 1/2 hour a day how much faster you would improve.) He agreed with me and says she has alot of potential. Kids at that age have other things they would rather be doing especially girls, but need to have some consistancy with there practice. He told me he has 7th and 8th grade students that cant play what she plays or have as nice a tone. He told me if she seems to be going thru a slump play some Trumpet Cd's and that will motivate her, only thing is she already does that Chet, Arturo,Wynton are her favorite. She will listen to these before she even thinks of listening to Britney or Snoop Dogg. I dont want to force her to practice and "scare" her away from trumpet. She is just a kid and has other interests but I dont want her to give up. Is it best just to leave it alone and when lesson time rolls around if she wants to go then fine. I guess at her age let her go at her pace or should I be somewhat strict and persistant in a good way. Thanks for "listening" and for the advice.
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