Modern Culture and the Unrealistic Musical Expectations it fosters

I've become troubled in the last few years about pop culture displayed by TV programs like, "American Idol" and movies like Disney's "Lemonade Mouth".

These programs drive me crazy as a music teacher because it gives kids and also the parents the idea that anyone can just play and sing at a high level without practice. In reality, top American Idol contestants are usually already professionals and have been studying their art intensely since they were knee high. Movie plots have been based on this fantasy since Judy Garland and Micky Rooney made several movies with similar plots: two kids up and deciding to put on a musical show out of the clear blue sky and somehow performing at a professional level! A reality check: it's a made up movie script. Judy Garland was performing and singing professionally at age 5. She was already a seasoned veteran when she became a Hollywood star at age 14.

These totally unrealistic expectations make the child feel like a loser if they can't immediately learn to play music without any practice. They think they don't have talent. No, it's not a lack of talent, rather unrealistic, make believe expectations artificially created by the media. These programs do not show the behind the scenes, hours and years of hard work and training it takes. Somehow it's easier to understand the rigors of an athlete. One can see muscles getting big with intense training and no muscle gain with no training. Yet, musical training is no different in the respect that effort and practice is necessary to perform at a high level even if the student is gifted with natural talent.

The fantasy is that anyone can just do it by natural talent. Every real life musician knows that first comes discipline, hard work and sacrifice and then comes freedom as is the case with any worthwhile endeavor.

So if you want musical "muscles", you must work out and practice on a regular basis.

Modern Culture and the Unrealistic Musical Expectations it fosters

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