Contrabass Conversations

268: Cornelia Watkins on private lesson teaching and Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance


Listen Later

I first learned about Cornelia (Corky) Watkins through my friend Jeremy Little.  Jeremy and I used to teach together in Illinois.  He is a proponent of a style of music teaching called Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP).

Teaching music through this model is interesting.  CMP teaches the complete musician.  The intent is to provide music students with deeper understanding and more meaningful experiences with the music they play.

I went to a workshop on CMP.  It was cool.  I learned a lot.  Here's a YouTube video with my friend Jeremy that gives a brief CMP overview.

But most of what we talked about revolved around teaching in a classroom.  Could this be applied to a private lesson setting?  How would that work?

That's when Jeremy told me to get in touch with Corky.

Corky is a pro at this.  She served as the national chairperson of American String Teacher Association’s Committee on Studio Instruction, and also served for six years as the Private Teacher Representative on the board of TexASTA.

So I emailed her.  We set up a time to talk.  I read her book Rosindust.  It was great!

Here's the thing that I was interested in...

Most of the young people that I teach don't want a career in music.  That's a good thing!  I want people to have amazing experiences with music while they're young and continue to have it be a meaningful part of their life when they're older.

The point isn't to create a bunch of performance majors.  The point is to bring the gift of music into these young people's lives.

Are we doing these young people a disservice by focusing only on technique and the music on the stand?  How do we teach beyond that without turning the private lesson into a music appreciation class?

That's what Corky and I dig into!

Learn more about my coverage of music teaching at contrabassconversations.com/teaching.

Links to check out:
  • Corky's Rice University page
  • Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (main page)
  • Rosindust: Teaching, Learning and Life from a Cellist's Perspective by Cornelia Watkins
  • From the Stage to the Studio: How Fine Musicians Become Great Teachers - co-authored by Cornelia
  • Shaping Sound Musicians by Patricia O’ Toole - the foundational resource for CMP

Be sure to subscribe to Contrabass Conversations to get these episodes delivered automatically to your mobile device!

Thanks to our sponsor!

This episode is brought to you by D’Addario Strings! Check out their Zyex strings, which are synthetic core strings that produce an extremely warm, rich sound. Get the sound and feel of gut strings with more evenness, projection and stability than real gut.

Enter the D’Addario strings giveaway for Contrabass Conversations listeners at contrabassconversations.com/strings!

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Contrabass ConversationsBy Jason Heath

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

106 ratings


More shows like Contrabass Conversations

View all
On the Media by WNYC Studios

On the Media

9,118 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,198 Listeners

WTF with Marc Maron Podcast by Marc Maron

WTF with Marc Maron Podcast

29,236 Listeners

The Fretboard Journal Guitar Podcast by The Fretboard Journal

The Fretboard Journal Guitar Podcast

347 Listeners

99% Invisible by Roman Mars

99% Invisible

26,143 Listeners

Michigan Insider by Michigan Insider | Cumulus Media Ann Arbor

Michigan Insider

842 Listeners

The SBL Podcast by Scott's Bass Lessons

The SBL Podcast

408 Listeners

Pivot by New York Magazine

Pivot

9,113 Listeners

The Tim Dillon Show by The Tim Dillon Show

The Tim Dillon Show

12,722 Listeners

Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond by Pushkin Industries

Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond

4,117 Listeners

You'll Hear It by Peter Martin & Adam Maness

You'll Hear It

446 Listeners

Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out by Mike Birbiglia

Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

4,501 Listeners

Upright Citizens by Reuben Rogers & Bob DeBoo

Upright Citizens

36 Listeners

Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade by Audacy

Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

12,678 Listeners

Club Random with Bill Maher by Bill Maher

Club Random with Bill Maher

4,094 Listeners