How to Help Young Students Play Musically: A Teaching Story

In the world of cello playing, one plus one does not equal two…….

Are We Missing the Music in Our Teaching?
Day in and day out, it’s easy to get caught up in making sure our students play the “correct notes.” We chase accuracy, clean intonation, and well-shaped phrases—but in the process, we sometimes overlook a deeper opportunity: helping students connect their right hand technique to their feelings and individual voice.

What if instead of asking, “Were the notes right?” we asked, “What were you trying to say with your sound?”
By tuning into how the bow communicates emotion—its weight, speed, and placement—we unlock a more personal kind of music-making. One where students don’t just play correctly, but express themselves with confidence and intention.

It’s in those small shifts that our teaching becomes not just about precision, but about connection. And that’s where the real music lives.

Here’s a moment I had with my 9-year-old student that sparked a deeper conversation about musicality.

We started the lesson with a warm-up. I suggested he play something simple, and he chose the C major scale. He played diligently, hitting all the right notes as expected. After he finished, I asked, “What were you trying to warm up with?”

His immediate response was, “C scale, C major scale.”

I replied, “Yes, it’s a solid C major scale. But specifically, what were you trying to focus on during the warm-up?”

He thought for a moment and said, “Playing the right notes.”

His answer surprised me. He had been playing the three-octave C major scale for over a year, and accuracy was no longer a challenge. I expected him to have a different—perhaps more nuanced—focus.

So, I reframed the question. “Okay, but what were you thinking about as you played it?”

Again, he answered, “Making sure the notes are correct.”

This gave me an opening to explore the purpose of warming up and the potential for playing musically.

I asked, “That’s a good start. Let’s go back one step—why do we warm up with scales?”

He replied, “So we can play our songs better.”

I continued, “In what way will playing a C major scale help you play other songs better if your focus is just on playing the right notes?”

He looked puzzled. I smiled to reassure him and said, “I’m not quizzing or criticizing you. You played the C scale very in tune and smoothly—just like last week. In fact, it sounded exactly like the way you played it last week. I’m just curious: how will that help you improve your songs if your focus is always the same?”

He seemed unsure where I was going with this, so I added, “Have you ever thought about playing it a little differently each time? For example, did the C major scale you just played sound happy or sad? Or, if that C scale were a person or an animal, how would it move? Where might it be going—galloping to a candy store? Maybe running to your favorite playground?”

That simple question began to open a door for him to think about music differently. By asking him to consider the character of the scale, I hoped to show that even a basic warm-up can carry emotional depth and variety.

He looked puzzled, clearly unsure how to respond. In that moment, it hit me—he genuinely believed scales were only about hitting the right notes. That was his entire focus.

Then my teacher brain kicked in. We’d recently been working on exploring the neck positions, and I had encouraged him to discover his own fingering for the fourth octave of the C major scale. Naturally, his attention had been drawn to the left hand—navigating notes and positions. Now that he was enjoying the discovery of the left hand, it was time to shift our focus to the right.

So we imagined together: how might this fourth octave of the C major scale sound if it were galloping toward the playground near his house? And just like that, the scale took on a new meaning for him—a spark of imagination, and a doorway to endless possibilities.

And really, what could be more joyful than helping a student—and their parent—discover a fresh, playful approach to practicing what’s often seen as a boring old C scale? How fun it is to turn something routine into a small moment of creativity and delight.

Takeaways for Teachers

• Guide Students Beyond the Notes
  Encourage students to think about what they’re expressing—even in simple exercises like scales. Remind them there’s no single “right” way to sound musical, and that you’re here to explore different possibilities together.
  

• Reframe Questions with Compassion
  If a student seems unsure or stuck, gently reword your question. Let them know it’s okay not to have the “perfect” answer right away—you're not testing them, you're curious alongside them.
  

• Encourage Variety with Reassurance
  Invite students to experiment: try a different dynamic, character, or tempo in a familiar piece. Remind them that exploration is part of learning, and mistakes are stepping stones—not setbacks.
  

• Make It Relatable
  Help students understand how technical work connects to real musical expression. For instance, show how a major scale can feel like a sunrise, a celebration, or a quiet morning walk—depending on how it’s played.
  

• Create a Safe Space for Expression
  Always affirm your students’ efforts. When they know they’re safe to try, to imagine, and to be a little silly or unsure, they’ll open up musically. That’s when true growth happens.
  

  By helping students think musically during even the most basic exercises, we nurture a lifelong habit of playing with intention, emotion, and creativity. Music becomes more than just correct notes—it becomes a personal voice they’re proud to share.