Thoughts of Chairman Owen

A little red book of sayings... Introduction When I first started teaching, longer ago than I care to remember, when Chairman Mao was still around, I wrote a one line piece of advice in a pupil's notebook. I called it, and later examples, "The Thoughts of Chairman Owen". I explained to this now long forgotten pupil that Mao got the idea from me. The "T.O.C.O." have remained a joke that I share with my pupils. Alas, I am now the only one who understands it, as none of my pupils have ever heard of Mao! When I tell them who he was, they politely smile to keep me happy in my old age. These one-liners are all very useful and and to the point. Any pupil who follows them conscientiously will feel the benefit! I still use them all the time.  TOCO     * Practise is the art of intelligent repetition.     * A good player never does what he/she does not intend doing.     * Never assume anything is correct.     * Mistakes don't always sound wrong, but in time always sound right.     * Speed is not a virtue, accuracy is.     * When doing technical exercises, play as fast as you can, not as fast as you can't.     * Slow practise is thinking time not action time.     * No one ever became a fast runner by walking everywhere.     * There is a speed at which anybody can play anything correctly.     * A good player never does what he or she does not intend doing.     * All mistakes are caused.     * If you don't make mistakes you can't fail.     * What you do not notice you cannot practise.     * Every note must be consciously articulated.     * Play the piano, don't press it.     * Good practise stops a ten hour problem from becoming an eleven hour problem.     * The nature of a pupil's work dictates the kind of lesson the pupil will have.     * Keep things simple : play what is on the page and what is implied by what is on the page.     * The more you look, the more you see.     * When your mouth is open, your ears are closed. HAPPY PRACTISING!

 

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