Category: ASTA String Teachers

7 Ways Duets Can Make Teaching (and Studying) Easier!

4/2/2022

-Myanna Harvey

My teacher and I never played duets in our lessons when I was growing up. We stuck to hard-core exercise and etude books like Sevcik and Schradieck, Wohlfahrt and Kreutzer, and all the other great books that have been helping people improve at the violin for a hundred years.

As a result, my technique was great, but I could never count at all. Well into high school, rhythm remained a tantalizing mystery reserved for wind players and those who were naturally blessed with having “good rhythm”. I learned all my repertoire rhythm by hearing it, including the ins and outs of orchestral music. Eventually a theory class forced me to actually learn how to make sense of what I saw on the page before I heard it, and the Great Mystery became just a math problem. Thank you Mr. Wilensky!

But when I started teaching, I needed a way to help my students count better that worked in the lessons. I started assigning duets in addition to technical studies, etudes, and solo repertoire and immediately saw my students improve!

Here are some of the benefits I’ve noticed from playing duets in the lessons with my own students over the years:

1. Duets improve rhythm!

Duets are often written in score form, which gives your students a chance to see how the parts fit together and what each note is “worth."
Duets let the teacher establish and insist on a tempo that the student learns to follow. Students can feel pulse and phrasing from the teacher.
Because duets don't work unless the student counts correctly, they can hear why they need to count.
Duets are usually the very first chamber music that students experience. Hearing another part at the same time that they are playing can be initially confusing but it is so important for students to get used to that!

2. Duets help sight-reading.

Sight-reading was another big mystery to me as a kid. Having students sight-read through duets that are a few levels below their current solo repertoire gives them hands-on guided experience in real-time playing. They get weekly chances (with just a little bit of "in-lesson pressure") to tackle the challenges in reading music and making sound from what they see on the page.

3. Duets help tone and overall sound.

When you play with your students, they subconsciously rise to the sound you are creating together. If you use vibrato, they’ll use more. If you are playing with a confident, beautiful tone, they’ll find themselves matching you. If you use longer bows, they will too. Hearing you play alongside them will have a greater effect on their playing than all the explaining, exhorting, and general nagging I usually resort to.

4. Duet-playing improves morale.

When I use duets that are shorter and easier than their concerto or sonata, it’s an easy win; my students can learn an assigned duet in a week or two and feel like they’re really succeeding at something. Solo repertoire takes longer to master and it can be discouraging to be in the middle of learning a long piece without shorter, less-intense music to bring some joy to the lessons.
When we play together, the students sound much better than they do alone; it’s a tangible difference that they and their parents can hear right away.

5. Duet-playing in recitals helps avoid stage fright.

Nervous performers (including some adult learners) can benefit immensely from performing with their teacher in a duet! Duet performances give the student a safety-net and the sense that they aren't alone up on stage!

6. Duets help build a strong student-teacher relationship.

Cassia and I both had awesome and awe-inspiring teachers. We never felt comfortable talking to them as if they were actual human beings. Because of this, I am convinced that lessons were more stressful than they needed to be. Duets help your students realize that it isn’t you against them; you’re in this together!

7. Duets are just plain fun!

Trading rhythms...
Taking turns on melody and harmony...
Feeding off each other’s energy...
Celebrating the social part of music...
Playing music that sounds good, no matter what the level!

I usually play duets with my students either at the end of the lesson, or after exercises and before solo rep, and it always works as a mood booster. When we can achieve joy in a lesson, as well as musical improvement, to me, that’s success!

-Myanna

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Adventures at the 2018 ASTA Conference

3/12/2018

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A storm was headed our way...

with a projected 6-12 inches of snow! We packed the rented Ford Expedition with books and displays (thanks to amazing glassmaker John Koutsouros!) and headed out early Wednesday morning. My mom (Judy Harvey) was going to fly but we knew the flights would be canceled so she came along for the ride.

The ride was rough for a few hours but around the time we hit Virginia, things started looking sunny.

We stopped for lunch/dinner at a delicious Mexican restaurant.

El Restaurante Ixtapa deserved every good Yelp review it got;
the fish tacos were to die for.

When we pulled into the Hyatt Regency Atlanta,

we were absolutely exhausted and ready to sleep. However, there were only two single beds for three people. The Hyatt Regency Atlanta said they couldn't bring in a cot because of the fire codes and suggested that one person sleep on the floor. (Bear in mind that none of this was told to us at booking.) You never know what you'll get when you travel!

Anyway, Myanna headed out the next day to get an air mattress. And an air pump. That didn't work because it needed a car cigarette lighter for power. Hmm.

Judy came to the rescue with an unorthodox solution!

Never would have thought of this but it actually worked!

Conference setup day!

It's a mammoth task to unload a "tank" full of book boxes and displays, drag it all up to an exhibit hall, and set it up. This year was better because we had a proper cart.

Glamorous booth set up...

Finally set up.

Almost ready to open.

Beautiful hotel elevator ride

photo by Judy Harvey

The conference was amazing!

We met many wonderful teachers and the booth was humming with activity. I loved the chance to interact with musicians from all over the country and talk string technique. From cello shifting to violin scales, we had fabulous conversations and (happily for our aching arms and backs) came home with empty book boxes.

If you are thinking of attending at ASTA conference, definitely try it out; there were so many great sessions and just the coolest people ever. Hope to see you next year in Albuquerque!

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7 Ways Duets Can Make Teaching (and Studying) Easier!

-Myanna Harvey

1. Duets improve rhythm!

2. Duets help sight-reading.

3. Duets help tone and overall sound.

4. Duet-playing improves morale.

5. Duet-playing in recitals helps avoid stage fright.

6. Duets help build a strong student-teacher relationship.

7. Duets are just plain fun!

Check out some of these duet books to
make your teaching easier!

Adventures at the 2018 ASTA Conference

A storm was headed our way...

We stopped for lunch/dinner at a delicious Mexican restaurant.

When we pulled into the Hyatt Regency Atlanta,

Conference setup day!

Glamorous booth set up...

Finally set up.

Almost ready to open.

Beautiful hotel elevator ride

The conference was amazing!

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Sign Up for our Teacher List!

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Categories

Cello Books
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Categories

Archives

7 Ways Duets Can Make Teaching (and Studying) Easier!

​-Myanna Harvey

1. Duets improve rhythm!

2. Duets help sight-reading.

3. Duets help tone and overall sound.

4. Duet-playing improves morale.

5. Duet-playing in recitals helps avoid stage fright.

6. Duets help build a strong student-teacher relationship.

7. Duets are just plain fun!

Check out some of these duet books to​make your teaching easier!

Adventures at the 2018 ASTA Conference

A storm was headed our way...

We stopped for lunch/dinner at a delicious Mexican restaurant.

When we pulled into the Hyatt Regency Atlanta,

Conference setup day!

Glamorous booth set up...

Finally set up.

Almost ready to open.

Beautiful hotel elevator ride

The conference was amazing!

Are You a String Teacher?​Sign Up for our Teacher List!

Authors

Archives

Categories

Cello BooksViolin BooksViola BooksBass Books

CONTACT

-Myanna Harvey

Check out some of these duet books to
make your teaching easier!

Are You a String Teacher?
Sign Up for our Teacher List!

Cello Books
Violin Books
Viola Books
Bass Books