talent_can_be_taught

Five Ways to Prepare for an RCM Exam More Quickly and Easily

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 22:29:10 GMT

After pointing out in two previous blogs that becoming musically talented takes time and persistence to make sure that no steps in the process are skipped, it may seem to be a contradiction to suggest that that there are quick ways to prepare for an RCM exam. However, I do know that everyone wants to succeed quickly, and so, here are a few strategies that that lead to a faster than average speed of learning.

At Talent Canada Music Academy, we offer a very special Express learning option which has been designed for

mature, highly motivated and committed students who have specific goals for achievement that they wish to

accomplish in a very short period of time ranging anywhere from two months to two years. It is entirely possible

for a beginner to develop highly competent performance skills and receive advanced RCM accreditation during this very short time span. This option, of course, while an exciting fast-track to success is not in any way a short-cut.

The accelerated development of skills is accomplished by increasing the amount and intensity of weekly learning.

Seven Ways to Improve Success on RCM Exams

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 22:20:32 GMT

In my previous blog, I mentioned that in 2007, the Royal Conservatory of Music made eight excellent suggestions to help students improve their achievements on RCM exams. And, I went on to point out a single factor that may have led to these eight common deficiencies as noted by RCM examiners. Here, now, is my own personal list of seven ways that Talent Canada Music Academy seeks to improve our students’ overall success.

Student success in becoming talented is a process of a number of inter-related steps. There are no short-cuts, however, at Talent Canada Music Academy, we actually provide some exciting fast-tracks for those who are interested in committing to a strategy to advance more quickly.New paragraph

How to Get High Marks on RCM Exams

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 22:04:40 GMT

In 2007, the Royal Conservatory of Music published a blog detailing eight ways to get higher marks on their practical exams.

These suggestions were excellent, although they were mostly focused on obvious, but commonly

neglected preparation strategies. It certainly goes without saying, for example, that a failure to focus on critical exam requirements will result in forfeiting marks. And it’s also true that students often knowingly forfeit marks by failure to learn selections by memory, or by selectively neglecting attention to certain exam requirements such as technical or ear tests most often due to self-imposed time restraints.

However, there is one additional very important factor that may be at the heart of some of the challenges that

students face when performing for an exam. And that is the tendency of parents, students, and sometimes even teachers to put the proverbial cart before the horse, which always creates dysfunction.

By that, I mean that if the primary focus for lessons is first on skill development, rather than exam preparation, and not the other way around, highly successful achievement on exams is a natural outcome. The metaphorical cream always rises to the top, and the cream in this case is always the product of thorough time spent in preparation of all exam details, together with the benefits associated with receiving frequent, intense, and consistent expert professional training.

And so it is that the most common enemy of great success on RCM exams, is an ill-advised haste to get to a higher grade level in the shortest possible amount of time, with the smallest possible amount of money spent on lessons with an expert teacher. Going into an exam with the mindset that you know that you are so well-prepared that even on your worst day you are going to achieve outstanding results is an exhilarating feeling that is without equal. Whereas, students who are hastily or less than fully-prepared tend to go into the exam with considerable anxiety and doubt. And, these mental and emotional liabilities further undermine their already mediocre skills. As auto-

maker Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you believe you can or believe you can’t, you’re right! Success,

therefore, necessarily begins with the right mindset

The outstanding success of Talent Canada Music Academy students on their RCM practical exams comes in large part from the knowledge that they have been prepared to achieve greatness. As a result, they almost always do.

Now the Crop Circles are Marching

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 23:00:02 GMT

You’ve probably heard of crop circles before. Well, the latest ones actually march.

No kidding. A story coming from northern China near Mongolia is about one (ONLY ONE) of thirteen

pens of sheep on a farm that mysteriously began marching in a counter-clockwise circle on November 4,

2022. Sometimes one or two stand still in the middle of the circle and watch the others go around them.

Other sheep from the other 12 pens sometimes stand and watch from around the outside. Nobody seems to

know why this is happening. They’ve ruled out a disease that has been known in rare circumstances to

cause that behaviour. And on those rare occasions it’s never lasted more than a couple of days before.

But there are still so many questions. What is causing it? Is there a significance to having 13 pens on the

farm? What was different about the other 12 pens of sheep? Is there a supernatural symbolism involved?

Obviously, there are a number of talking points, as well as fodder for comedians here as well. Or even

metaphoric applications about human behaviour given the tendency of sheep to follow the herd and the

tendency of people to follow leaders blindly (or perhaps just believe their lies) – see references to Bible

verses about sheep, such as Isaiah 53, verse 6 (“All we like sheep have gone astray”). When the Israelites

marched around Jericho several thousand years ago, the walls came down and they took the city. Do the

sheep have something like that in mind for the Communist Party of China?

Apparently, this living woolly merry-go-round started with only one or two sheep going in a circle when a lot of others began to join in behind them. Hmm..that sounds familiar.

Come to think of it, that’s been going on with music lessons for decades now. Somebody decided, at least

the better part of a century ago, that a half-hour private music lesson once a week was a smart idea, and

everyone has been doing it ever since. It never seems to matter that 99% of all beginners who do this end

up quitting lessons in frustration within 3 years of starting and soon forget just about everything they ever learned.

That’s why Talent Canada Music Academy decided to change the system….to make student education the

priority rather than the business model.

That’s why we decided to guarantee student success while so many others say that to be successful depends

on how hard you work or how much aptitude you already have before you start taking lessons.

And that’s why, according to the Royal Conservatory of Music, Talent Canada Music Academy students

are Top Achievers in Canada.

And now, with everyone struggling to recover from the lockdowns and survive difficult economic realities,

that’s why, at Talent Canada, we have decided to make music training more accessible than ever for more

people by lowering fees to as low as $5 per half-hour. And we will guarantee your success or you’ll get

FREE lessons!

That’s right! $5. Success Guaranteed. Or you get FREE lessons. Well, as a matter of fact, sooner or later

all of our students get FREE lessons anyway. That’s not a mis-print. So, don’t be left out. Contact us at

Talent Canada Music Academy for more information.

Email us today at TalentCanBeTaught@gmail.com

A Tale of Two Systems

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 00:26:04 GMT

The first teacher didn’t follow a curriculum. Pages were skipped in books, books were skipped within curriculum levels, and entire levels of study were skipped altogether. Beginners would instead prepare for an exam, so the main focus would be learning the minimum required three pieces and a study.

Students would do well enough on the exam that the teacher would suspend lessons for the summer, skip Level 2, and then begin preparing students for a Level 3 exam. Once again, with nearly a year to prepare, most would do fairly well.

But at the next level, much more independent practice would be needed without the reading or ear training skills that there had been no time to develop. And so, with these challenges most students began to hate the process of trying to play the same few pieces every day all year. Wouldn’t we all? That’s why over 99% of all beginners quit within three years, even if they do manage to pass the exams. And within a few months of quitting, most no longer remember how to play anything they ever learned.

The second teacher, however, followed the Talent CAN Be Taught system that actually guarantees student success. Using an outstanding curriculum, this teacher ensured the development of critical skills that would serve students for a lifetime. Nothing was skipped; no pages, no books, and no levels. And, no exams were taken the first year, either.

"Using an outstanding curriculum, this teacher ensured the development of critical skills that would serve students for a lifetime. "

And so, in the second year, now extremely confident with their rapidly developing music skills, these students took exams for the first four Conservatory levels, beginning with Preparatory A and B before tackling Levels 1 and 2. In the third year they continued to do two or three more RCM levels, not only catching up to the first teacher’s students, but completing Level 4 or 5 without a huge struggle or time commitment, and learning to play many more selections every month that they didn’t actually forget a few months later.

Excited and inspired, they continued lessons and experienced the joy of progressing to advanced levels. They earned high school credits, and performed in local festivals, recitals, and concerts. Several even won gold medals from the Royal Conservatory of Music for receiving some of the highest marks in the province. As our elite achievers they also became eligible for our teacher apprentice program that was created especially for highly successful graduates of the TCBT system.

So now, more than ever before, having music talent is a choice! For more info or to begin your own quest to develop music skills, go to TalentCanBeTaught.com

The Folly of Conventional Wisdom

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 03:56:26 GMT

Music contains competing opposites that often seem to be counter-intuitive or even oxymoronic.

For example, it’s more important to get rhythm correct because it creates a better overall performance even with wrong notes than performing correct notes with rhythm errors.

Working backwards from the end creates more confidence when learning a new selection rather than always starting from the beginning.

Practicing slowly is actually the fastest way to learn, which is why I often remind students to remember that it was the tortoise that won that famous race.

"Practicing slowly is actually the fastest way to learn"

Reviewing continually saves time in the long run because it improves the critical reading skills that accelerate the speed of learning.

Never skipping levels actually leads to achieving higher level certificates sooner, because it eliminates the learning gaps that slow progress.

The bottom line is that proven successful systems invariably lead to success, while the conventional wisdom of the masses does not.

The Two Societies of the Matrix

Sun, 29 Nov 2020 19:34:18 GMT

"...intelligence or IQ actually increases with music training, and the rewards can be as much as a 20% increase in academic achievement."

The blue pill and the red pill as popularized in the movie “The Matrix” are symbols of two divergent societal opinions. Some would characterize the two societies as advocates either of mainstream thinking versus conspiracy theory, while others might see it as education versus ignorance.

It has been said that “where ignorance is bliss, ‘tis folly to be wise”. But while some may be willing to sacrifice knowing the truth to the extent that they would prefer the blue pill, for the red pill crowd, ignorance can never be “bliss”, nor wisdom ever “folly”, no matter how unsettling the truth may be. I count myself among this latter group.

Restricting freedom has always been a tool for power and control. Today, restricted access to the truth is being imposed by social media giants in Silicon Valley because it doesn’t support their political narrative. Likewise, founders of the communist revolution recognized that to gain power they must control “the priests and the teachers”; the respected leaders who were themselves educated and whose entire lifelong mission and vocation was to teach others what they had learned. Not surprisingly, today, many schools remain shutdown and our churches have been labeled an “non-essential service”.

Still, many who envision a better future are advocating for school choice for all communities as a means to lift a new generation of young people out of a systemic cultural misery. That, certainly, would seem to be a positive vision.

Educators have at times said “if you think education is expensive, try ignorance”. English author Charles Dickens himself lamented this when he published “A Christmas Carol”. In it he famously portrayed two symbolic representations of poverty and ignorance with the words “This girl is want, and this boy is ignorance; beware them both, but most of all beware this boy”. And so a lack of education, perhaps as much even as the love of money, is also at the root of all evil.

The silver lining for everyone is that recent studies by neuroscientists have shown that intelligence or IQ actually increases with music training, and the rewards can be as much as a 20% increase in academic achievement. The Talent Can Be Taught system is leading the way by advocating for a skills-oriented, performance-based approach, rather than making certificates the goal, which has long been a dysfunctional model that sets the proverbial cart before the horse.

All children deserve every opportunity for success and a promising future. And, the really good news is that successful music training can now even be guaranteed with the unique Talent Can Be Taught system. In addition, it is also more readily available online than ever before. For more information, go to TalentCanBeTaught.com

The Ten Factor

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 23:32:27 GMT

"...one of the key factors that leads to success in everything is momentum."

In a recent blog I referred to a “Ten Factor Formula” for music training. I mentioned that with the Talent Can Be Taught system, a beginner could become as competent as most teachers within five years, and an outstanding professional performer within ten years by starting lessons with the formula of a 10-minute daily lesson and 10 minutes of daily independent practice at the start. This success does not depend on pre-existing music aptitude or extraordinarily hard work, but rather a consistent and disciplined process of developing critical skills. The key factors are frequency and consistency.

Unfortunately, the conventional approach to private music training has never worked for the vast majority of all students, as evidenced by the more than 99% of beginners who give up in frustration within three years of starting, and soon forget how to play all or most of what they ever learned. At the heart of the reason that they quit is that they are missing the magic of synergy in their learning experience.

For example, one of the key factors that leads to success in everything is momentum. Everyone knows the power of momentum in sports and most of you have probably witnessed a memorable example of what happens when one team has the momentum and the other doesn’t. The experience is either exhilarating or devastating, depending on which team you are on or supporting.

In fact, momentum is important for success in most aspects of life. And it’s especially important with music. Momentum is built by developing solid music skills that motivate the student to continue working to improve. Recognizing their growing skills, they feel a sense of excitement that becomes more and more powerful and creates an internal drive fueling them to an ever-higher standard of excellence. But without this feeling, the exact opposite occurs, as students begin to lose interest and motivation.

The unique system that I developed and which I write about in, “Talent CAN Be Taught: The Book on Creating Music Ability” allows all students who follow the steps to acquire music talent both quickly and easily. And, momentum is a key factor in this experience. Momentum is actually created when the right steps in the process are combined. These steps are like the effect of combining nitro and glycerine. Separately, nothing much happens. But in combination, the result is “dynamic”!

So, if you’d like to learn more, or get started on your own personal journey to acquiring music talent, you can be enjoying the results sooner than you ever imagined. Go online to connect with us at TalentCanBeTaught.com

Building Music Talent

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 18:47:58 GMT

“Today I can afford to do the things that most people cannot do, because yesterday I was willing to do the things that most people would not do”

Hello. I’m Stephen Riches. Shortly after graduating from High School, I was taught by someone older and wiser that if I put away a dollar every day and invested it at an average of 10% annual interest, by the time I reached retirement age I’d be a multi-millionaire.

I didn’t heed the advice. It seemed unrealistic at the time, mostly because I lacked the discipline and commitment to make it happen. Retirement age seemed so far off. Which is to say, I lacked the vision and desire or dream to achieve that goal.

So now that I’ve reached that age, I’m reminded of the words of another very wealthy mentor who liked to say “Today I can afford to do the things that most people cannot do, because yesterday I was willing to do the things that most people would not do”

As a student, I had developed music talent and I decided to make a career as a musician. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that the process of developing music talent also is not rocket science. In recent years I’ve developed a system, that, if followed, will allow a 6-year old student to become more talented than the average teacher by age 10 and even become a renowned performer on the international stage by the age of 16, (not to mention independently wealthy).

Like wealth-building, it involves a regular commitment. For example, building music talent could be accomplished with a daily lesson for 10 minutes, plus 10 minutes of daily independent review, increased by 10 minutes of daily independent review each year, for a total of 10 years. You might say that this is a “Ten Factor Formula” for music training.

The keys to developing music talent are the very same principles as for building wealth, which are discipline, commitment, and most importantly, a proven successful system.

My unique system for music training is what I write about in Talent CAN Be Taught: The Book on Creating Music Ability. And it is what I am implementing with my own students.

But while this “Ten Factor” formula may not be too realistic for most people, my TCBT system is a very realistic and highly achievable model that is built on the same principles. It lays out a proven successful strategy that enables all students who have a desire for music talent to have the opportunity to accomplish just that regardless of the age that they are when they begin their journey.

And anyone can do it. Even you. For more information, or to get started, go to TalentCanBeTaught.com.

Why Is Music Important?

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 22:03:17 GMT

There are, perhaps, few more profound questions that can be asked. It’s right up there with “What is the meaning of life”? Or “What is Truth”? It might seem to be obvious, yet at the same time it’s complex and intriguing.

Music is a very powerful force in our lives. We all sense that instinctively. But I suggest that there are three ways, in particular, that music is at the very core of our human experience.

Music is important, first of all, because it has the capacity to communicate more deeply than words which makes it a universal language. Its significance can be understood across all cultures and in spite of other barriers such as language. It has the potential to make us feel frightened, or exhilarated. It can make us laugh or cry. It can cause us to dance or close our eyes in meditation. In short, we feel and understand music deeply in our sub-conscious.

Music also has the capacity to connect us to times, places, people, and events in our lives. And those connections, in turn, can affect us emotionally. This is why music can be such a powerful tool for connecting with elderly people who may be suffering from cognitive or memory loss.

Finally, music has the capacity to be as unique or singular in creation as a fingerprint or DNA. Two or three consecutive notes played on a melodic instrument could often be identical in many different songs. But, magically, when various elements of music are used in combination, the result can be like a key or a signature allowing access and enabling us to identify the selection instantaneously, sometimes even from the first and slightest momentary sound.

So music is ultimately a creative expression and extension of everything we are.

Bad, Good, Better, and Best News!

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 22:00:54 GMT

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. As of the end of March, according to available stats, about 1 out of every 10,000 people on the planet has been diagnosed with Covid-19.

Good News. The majority have already recovered or are now recovering from the virus.

Better News. As the period of Social Distancing continues in our efforts to conquer this disease, it’s good to remember that there are three wonderful benefits to our health related to listening to music:

1 it can reduce stress and anxiety

2 it can increase the body’s immune system

3 it can help lift people out of depression

Best News – You may know the story of the Shepherd boy, David. reducing King Saul’s agitation by playing a harp for him. Or, perhaps you’ve heard the saying that “music soothes the savage beast”

My personal top 10 list tends to change from day to day. But, I’m going to give you three of my many favourite listening suggestions in varying styles that I think will lift your spirits, bring a smile to your face, and in at least one case, even get your toes tapping. So here they are – you can look them up on YouTube.

1 Ray Charles – The Mess Around – a slightly naughty song blessed with an infectious (but healthy) motion from beginning to end that is guaranteed to energize you and make you smile!

2 Twila Paris – How Beautiful – a wonderfully luxurious inspirational song for reflection that will raise your spirits in all circumstances!

3 Beethoven – Romance #2 in F for Violin and Orchestra – this is the composer at his angelic best; rising above the personal trials with which he was grappling in his own life back in the year 1803!

Happy Listening!

Music Actually Can Make Us Happy

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 21:57:01 GMT

Classical Music

Song sung blue, everybody knows one Song sung blue, every garden grows one

Me and you are subject to the blues now and then

But when you take the blues and make a song

You sing them out again

Song sung blue – weeping like a willow

Song sung blue – sleeping on my pillow

Funny thing, but you can sing it with a cry in your voice

And before you know, you get to feeling good

You simply got no choice.

The above song by Neil Diamond reflects what anecdotal reports have long suggested; namely that listening to and singing music actually affects us physically by increasing our “heart and breathing rate”. Some people even mention having “chills and shivers”.

One study concluded that classical music was particularly powerful. The Samuel Barber Adagio for Strings was singled out as being especially impactful. If you’re not familiar with that selection by name, it was used in the soundtrack for the movie “Platoon”.

I’ve had these experiences, myself. I recall hearing pieces of music that were more alarming than watching a horror movie. Likewise, I can recall moments of great exhilaration from listening to a magnificent or inspiring music selection.

Well, now there is scientific information supporting this phenomenon. It turns out that during a listening experience, blood flows to an area of the brain that causes dopamine to be released. It’s a chemical that causes feelings of pleasure.

For centuries in many cultures, music and dancing has been used in celebrations of many various types. So, at this time of “Social Distancing”, it makes sense to listen to our favourite music. To paraphrase Maria in the Sound of Music we can use it to “simply remember our favourite things, and then we won’t feel so bad”.

How Does Music Affect the Brain

Mon, 13 Apr 2020 21:51:30 GMT

Academic Benefits

Recent studies by neuroscientists have revealed some very interesting information about the connection between the development of music skills and overall brain development.

In particular, as young people develop music skills there is a change in brain structure and function. Specifically, what happens is that new brain cells are created which increases overall IQ. But it does far more than simply increase intelligence. It even improves the actual functioning of the brain.

For example, when students develop music skills, there is a greater connectivity between different areas of the brain. The more analytical left side connects better with the creative right side resulting in improved problem-solving skills. This, of course, is a great asset for everyday life.

The many academic benefits for young people include:

1 improved arithmetic skills

2 greater reading comprehension skills

3 up to 20% higher scores on standardized tests

4 better working memory

In a 2018 publication, Canadian Neuroscientist Dr. Sean Hutchins also concluded that “Adult musicians tend to outperform adult non-musicians in measurements of cognitive abilities. Neurological measurements, such as MRI [magnetic resonance imaging] or EEG [electroencephalography], confirm these findings.”

Nearly a century ago, Albert Einstein admitted that his discovery of the Theory of Relativity came to him by intuition and that musical perception was the driving force behind it. He credited the violin lessons that his parents required him to take from the age of six for his discovery. So this knowledge isn’t entirely new.

There are many studies connecting music skills to better life skills. So, with government cuts to education and the resulting cutbacks to music education by boards of education, parents must take responsibility for decisions regarding private, extra-curricular music education as it is far too important to be left up to the students themselves.

New Year at Talent CAN Be Taught

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 13:12:01 GMT

Welcome to a new year at Talent CAN Be Taught. Would you like some help preparing for your RCM exam at Alexander's Music Studios? One of our newest programs is an RCM Pre-Exam Orientation Program for students preparing for the Winter exams coming up during this month of January. Here are some details:

NEW - RCM Theory Rudiments, History, or Harmony Classes

This program of six two-hour classes is intented for students who have completed both the Faber and Vandendool Theory Classes. These classes are intended to prepare students for upcoming RCM Theory Examinations. Students will be grouped according to level and each should complete and be prepared for the appropriate theory examination. Students should be in Grade 4 RCM and up.

Registration Fee - $275.00

NEW - Faber Piano Adventures Theory Classes

This program is an extension of the Faber Piano Adventures Curriculum. This program of eight one-hour classes is especially intended for beginning level students in Primer, Level 1, Level 2A, and Level 2B of the Faber Curriculum. The program closely follows the first four theory books in the series by Nancy and Randall Faber. Students will be grouped according to level as much as possible. This course will be available at selected times during each term.

Minimum enrolment - 3 students

Registration Fee - $150.00

NEW - Vandendool Preparatory Theory Rudiments

This program of eight one-hour classes provides a gradual introduction to music theory that will greatly assist learning in developing students in the Primary and Junior levels, especially for piano students in Grades 1-4 RCM. The curriculum follows the Grace Vandendool Preparatory Theory Rudiments series of five books (A to E). Students will be grouped according to level as much as possible. It is expected that students will complete one book or level per 8-hour session. This course will also be available during March break, as well as on a 1-week, 2-week, or 4-week plan by special request at other times whenever this is possible.

Minimum enrolment – 3 students

Registration Fee - $150.00

RCM Exam Schedule - TBA

RCM Exam sign-up must be approved by Stephen Riches - Principal/Owner

Fall Term at Talent CAN Be Taught Studios