From Memorization to Mastery: Rethinking How We Approach Learning

Antonella DiGiulio, Ph.D.

Published Sep 23, 2024

I recently attended a concert—a piano recital, to be precise. My primary aim wasn't really to listen to the pianist, if I'm honest. I had strategically planned to attend that event for networking opportunities with people I wanted to meet, and the concert was secondary. However, what struck me during the performance was not the connections I intended to make but the overwhelming sense of worry emanating from the stage.

The pianist seemed overly anxious. The pieces were not properly memorized, page turns weren’t organized to allow the music to flow seamlessly, and the trembling hands gave away more concern for accuracy than for artistic expression. As a listener and as a music professional, I found myself analyzing the situation, thinking about what I would have wished to experience to fully enjoying the music.

It made me reflect on how this pianist’s experience might be rooted in an educational approach that emphasizes memorization over true mastery. The pressure to deliver a flawless performance often leads musicians, students, and even professionals to rely on rote memorization rather than deep engagement with the material.

The Pitfalls of Memorization

In both music and academics, there’s a strong focus on memorization, which often becomes the default path to success. We memorize facts, formulas, and even entire pieces of music for exams or performances, believing that reproducing them flawlessly is the ultimate goal.

Memorization without understanding leads to fragile performances.

The moment something goes wrong—whether it’s a skipped page or a mental block—the entire structure can crumble, as there’s no deep foundation to fall back on.

Mastery Through Understanding

True mastery comes from deep understanding.

In my experience as both a learner and an educator, I’ve seen firsthand how curiosity and passion drive mastery far more effectively than mere repetition. When we seek to truly understand a subject or a piece of music, we go beyond surface-level memorization. We engage with the material, ask questions, make connections, and explore its nuances.

In music, this means:

Not just learning the notes
But understanding the structure, phrasing, and messages behind the composition.

In academics, this means:

Not just studying to pass an exam
But fully experiencing the subject to appreciate its relevance and connections to the broader world.

From Studying Hard to Learning Well

Many of us have been conditioned to believe that studying hard—spending long hours memorizing content—is the key to success. But studying hard without understanding leads to short-term gains at best.

Information memorized for exams is often quickly forgotten, while subjects learned through curiosity and engagement stay with us for life.

I’ve had students who excelled because they studied not for the sake of grades but for the joy of learning. One student, for example, was fascinated by the underlying structure of music theory. She didn’t just practice scales because I assigned them; she wanted to understand why they worked. That sense of curiosity led to true mastery, which stayed with her long after the lessons ended.