Retention is a function of attention.
The lower the percentage of attention you give in rehearsal, the lower the percentage of progress you’ll retain in the next rehearsal. Even if you perform well tonight, more of that growth will be gone next week.
Yes, I want practice between rehearsals. But even more important, I want attention in rehearsals. Because that alone is the cause of so much stagnation from week to week.
Current students, trained by thousands of short-form, swipeable video content, need practice to develop their attention muscles. Removing distractions from their pockets is a great first step, but beyond that, we must find ways to practice attention. Without strong attention muscles, the most efficient rehearsal in the world will not stick. Nor will any lesson in any other class.
I happen to think that ensemble music making – with its positive peer pressure, collaborative work, and engaging subject material – is the perfect space to build this muscle.