When classical musicians perform, there is a set of expectations. Expectations that evolved over hundreds of years.
The performer will bow before and after the performance.
There will be complete silence during the entire performance.
No one leaves or enters during a performance.
The performance stops for nothing.
Collectively, this is called "performance practice."
But even though performance practice gives us a set of expectations...do 6-year-old students care? And should we care for students that young?
Performance practice fails when the unexpected occurs.
When a student starts a piece with the left hand three steps too low. Or when a young student has blanked and has no idea where to start...and the teacher won't step in to help because it's just not what you do. Not proper performance practice.
Here are two scenarios.
A student accidentally plays Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in the key of D dorian (playing the entire thing one step too high). Awkwardness abounds.
Or.
A student begins to play Twinkle in D dorian. The teacher stops her two bars in, rushes to the stage, helps the child readjust, and then departs with a light chuckle from the audience. Crisis averted. And it was cute, endearing, and entertaining, too.
Which one would you pick?