August 17

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How to Give a Compliment

Compare these two compliments a performer receives after a piano recital. Great job! versus... The colors in your Rachmaninoff were beautiful. And the drama and storytelling of your Chopin ballade were breathtaking. You nailed the coda, too! Which compliment will mean more to the performer? If you want to give a memorable compliment to anyone, it takes one simple thing. Specificity. Being specific shows people you were paying attention. And paying attention means a lot to people. Anyone can say "great job." But it takes specificity to show someone you really care.
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For parents, students, and anyone else who believes that music can and should be a meaningful part of everyone's life.

About Jonathan Roberts

I am the founder and director of the South Shore Piano School, and I have been teaching the piano for nearly 20 years. My work centers around bringing music to the lives of kids, parents, and adults in an enriching, meaningful way. At the South Shore Piano School, my incredible colleagues and I accomplish this through skill-based teaching, community, and an innovative, people-first business model. You can read more about me here.

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