2020 was a very trying year for music schools. With in-person teaching out of the question, teachers were forced to think outside the box to keep a connection with the students. Many initiatives have allowed for teaching methods that open up new perspectives in teacher-student relationships.

Mimicking and reproducing gestures were essential components when learning an instrument. With online teaching through Skype, Zoom or WhatsApp, it is very difficult for the teacher to rely on this fundamental aid. Instead, the teacher has to communicate orally how the students must play, and has to encourage them to symbolize their game and put it into words. This approach is very fruitful for the students, as this enables them to understand their instrumental game and to link theory and practice.

In the end, distance education helps the students become more autonomous, because they have to really build and understand their instrumental game. When the teacher asks the students to send a video of the musical piece they are working on, they will seek to improve it. They look at and hear themselves play, which often leads to surprises for them, and will then try to correct the mistakes they would not have heard without watching the video. Ultimately, they will seek to beautify the piece they are working on.

Sending videos and teaching remotely also serves as a pretext for a cultural exchange between the students and the teacher. Social distancing globalizes and strengthens teacher-students relationships. Obviously, teachers and students will be happy to meet again in person, as no technology nor pedagogy can replace real-life musical interactions!