Abstract
This article examines the scientific and pedagogical foundations for developing the independence of a pianist within the system of professional music education. The study focuses on the transition from the traditional “lesson-reception” model, in which the student mainly receives and reproduces the teacher’s instructions, to the “practice laboratory” model, where the learner becomes an active subject of artistic, technical, and reflective work. The article analyzes the educational value of goal setting, planning individual practice, keeping a performance diary, using audio and video self-monitoring, studying the musical text analytically, working with mistakes, applying reflective analysis, and testing results in concert performance. It is emphasized that the pianist’s independence cannot be reduced only to technical proficiency or the amount of daily practice. It also includes artistic thinking, auditory control, interpretative initiative, responsibility for performance decisions, psychological stability, and the ability to design a personal trajectory of professional growth. The proposed “practice laboratory” model combines the traditions of the piano school with contemporary strategies of self-regulated, research-oriented, and practice-based learning.