Happy New Year and happy 2023!

I wonder if most of us have made and written down our New Year’s resolutions already. Looking over those I have made in the past, I come to realise that while I start the year with good intentions, not every goal is met. Supposing that the reason for this is due to a lacking of ‘motivation’, this blog (and the next) is going to be themed on how to stay motivated in music practices. The first will be devoted to practice on an instrument; the second, music research.

Motivation is ‘to seek out novelty and challenges, to extend and exercise one’s capacity, to explore, and to learn’.[i] Motivation can come both extrinsically and intrinsically. Extrinsic is being inspired passively; when social or environment conditions pushes us to do what we need to do. Intrinsic is being to yield within oneself a natural desire or inclination to do something. According to researchers, there are three major aspects of motivation: activation, persistence, and intensity.[ii] Activation is the deliberate choice in starting something, a goal. Persistence is continuing the efforts towards completing that goal despite of challenges. Intensity is the amount of concentration and vigour one allocates into pursuing the goal. I’d like to propose here a fourth aspect, expectation: the time needed to complete the goal and the extent of satisfaction upon completion.  

Reflecting on the four aspects of motivation in regards to my attitude towards making resolutions in the past years; yes, goals were set, but little planning was conducted on persistence and intensity, and zilch on expectations. What did we really want or mean when we write down in our resolution list ‘learn an instrument’, ‘improve my piano playing skills’, ‘more time on music practice’? Part of the reason for losing motivation is not knowing the answer to why we want to achieve this goal; the other prevailing reason is the expectation we have for that goal in relation to other priorities we have in life.[iii] In other words, we need to be a bit specific about the goals, realistic about how long we will take in reaching that goal, and enthusiastic about the ending results.

Obviously everyone is at different musical abilities and levels and has different learning methods. I am here proposing 2 plans for tackling resolution in piano practices, and constructed plans-of-action for each of four aspects. Perhaps you can adopt this model for the stage you are currently at.

Ultimate ambition: Improve piano playing skills in year 2023

1_ Improve technically

Activation: learn 6 new Chopin Etudes Op. 25

Persistence: practice one etude on the piano for 20 minutes a day, 6 days a week.

Intensity: Each day, aim to learn at least 4 new bars and no more than 8 new bars. Practice hands separately for at least 10 times, and hands together for at least 10 times.

Expectation: Finish learning an etude in 1 month, being able to play the entire piece at least at regular pace at mm = 90 (andante, walking speed), paying attention to expression details and finger techniques.

Suggestions of etudes for other stages of development that my piano pupils have played (ABRSM/Trinity grade equivalents)

Pre-grade 1 – grade 1: A dozen a day series by Edna Mae Burnam

Grade 2 to 4: Burgmüller 25 easy studies Op. 100; Stephen Heller 30 Etudes Progressive Op. 46

Grade 1 to 5: Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist, Book 1

Grade 6+: Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist, Book 2; Beringer technical etudes

Grade 5 to 6: Czerny Op. 599

Grade 7 to 8: Debussy etudes; Czerny Op. 299

Besides Chopin etudes, composers such as Debussy, Liszt, Rachmaninov, and Scriabin have also written some wonderful etudes (also in dozens) which could be effective as a project to do.

2_ Grow knowledge on unfamiliar compositions

Activation: 6 new composers (10-15 minutes in length of one or more of their compositions)

Persistence: Practice a new piece for 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Spend another 30 minutes a day recapping over learnt pieces.

Intensity: Each day, aim to learn the music on the piano at least one section (this can either be sectioned off in phrase, stanza, or pages). Read an article about the composer each week.

Expectation: Perform to somebody or record pieces by a composer every 2 months.

In this next blog we’ll examine practically through music research cases how we can be encouraged to stay motivated as we work through the action plans.

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[i] Richard M. Ryan and Edward L. Deci (2000) ‘Self-Determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development’, American Pyschologist, https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-motivation-2795378.

[ii] Kendra Cherry, ‘What Is Motivation? The Driving Force Behind Human Actions’ (Updated on November 07, 2022) https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-motivation-2795378.

[iii] For a further interesting read about lacking in motivation: Jessica Koehler (2019) ‘The Motivation Paradox, How to encourage passion and joy in your children’, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-school-walls/201909/the-motivation-paradox