How do you finish learning something?
How do you know if it's finished?
What does finished mean?

As I come to the end of the first month with the 40 piece challenge, these are some of the questions I have been considering. Personally, I am not very good at finishing pieces, I can always find things that need improving. However, it is worth remembering that perfection is not a good thing to aim for as it doesn't exist!

A better thing to aim for is excellence. 

Here are some questions to ask:

Does the music flow?
Is it confident?
Does it seem easy?
Can you play it from memory? (Not always necessary but still a good question)
Could you make a recording or play it in a concert?

My question of the week is:
What do you need to do to finish this phrase/line/section/piece?

I came across the following blog article before Christmas about the 40 piece challenge.  

https://elissamilne.wordpress.com/2015/02/04/where-did-the-40-piece-challenge-begin/

It got me thinking about the amount of repertoire that gets finished in a year. Of course there are other things that are happen in instrumental lessons other than learning pieces, but it's interesting for me to compare the amount of pieces I got through as a violin student compared to the piano. I always found sight reading much harder on the piano, as is fairly common. What would happen if the focus was on playing many more pieces but at an easier level? 

As I try to encourage students to take an non-exam route to learning, the 40 piece challenge appeals to me as a way to track and reward progress in a different kind of way which incorporates any style and level of music, without a deadline.

Things that can be included:

Pieces chosen by the students
Compositions by the students
Pieces taught by ear
Pieces that include improvisation
Different styles, classical, pop, jazz, folk etc. 
Exam pieces 
Concert pieces

With so many possibilities to choose from, there is room for everything!