Based on the experiences garnered from the first phase of the project, a further two projects were conducted. One involved Student 2 learning the cor anglais solo from Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major, due to be performed in concert with a soloist and orchestra.

The cor anglais is the main doubling instrument for oboe players, and this particular solo section poses numerous challenges. It contains long phrases requiring great stamina, and it is very delicate in terms of intonation. It is also easy to get confused about the rhythms while practising it, since the solo piano provides accompaniment in 6/8 while the cor anglais melody is in 3/4. How should the student plan her practice prior to the concert one month later? The teacher and student collaborated on creating a plan without spelling it out in the form of a preparation chart. The student said she “popped in and checked with my teacher that I was on schedule”. The teacher says he closely followed up on the student’s progress.

The student felt the planning worked “really well”, and she wants to do the same “on similar projects”. She is referring in particular to learning new repertoire. She did not take notes (on what she was working on and thoughts on further progress) over the course of this process, because the learning took place during a “very intensive period with lots of practice” where she “kept it in all my head and didn’t feel the need to write things down”. The student says she has “always been good at planning, stopping when I should, or making that final push”. She usually keeps a log where she writes down the objective of the practice session, what she has accomplished, and “things I must be aware of, such as concentration”.

The teacher points out that “in this process we gained useful experience of planning individual practice and using practice aids such as a metronome, tuner, literature and recordings”.