The Patience Of Job

I love teaching the flute almost as much as I love playing the flute. The time spent with students can be so inspiring and very rewarding. I find myself thinking about my students while I'm performing, part of my mind analyzing how I can better prepare them for performance challenges and pressures.

I am grateful that, for the most part, the students in my care come to lessons with open minds, willing to try new things, and with the willingness to keep on trying until they can execute a new technique correctly and consistently.

Very rarely, I am presented with a student like this:



There is nothing more frustrating and exhausting than trying to impart to a belligerent, defiant pupil that challenges every word out of your mouth. It is difficult to keep frustration in check while searching for a chink in the armor of defensiveness. Sometimes a long term breakthrough occurs. Sometimes it doesn't.

I admire dance professional Tony Dovolani for his grace under pressure. He has the patience of Job.

I want to be like Tony when I grow up.