Scheduling Piano Practice: the WHY and HOW

So many parents of my students through the years will say things to me like, “I really just want Johnny to love piano so much that he practices on his own without me having to remind him.”

If your Johnny does this, that is awesome.

And also…rare. Continue reading “Scheduling Piano Practice: the WHY and HOW”

Adding Review to Piano Practice

My daughter’s FAVORITE time in piano practice is what we call “Review Time”. We save this for the end, and it’s always a fun activity that feels like a reward for her. She actually even thinks about it ahead of time, planning which pieces she is going to play for “Review Time.”

In this livecast, I talk about why reviewing familiar music and technique is an important piece of piano practice. I also created a fun printable game that you can download to help get your wheels spinning! Continue reading “Adding Review to Piano Practice”

Teaching Piano to Young Children

I LOVE teaching piano to young children. Experiencing the excitement of learning a musical instrument through their eyes, their enthusiasm for practicing, their sense of adventure for trying new things — it’s incredibly rewarding.

BUT…it can also be challenging. Young students can become easily distracted, might have limited focus and may get frustrated quickly. Continue reading “Teaching Piano to Young Children”

Adding Games to Your Musical Learning

A few months ago I surveyed students in my online programs to ask what topic they wanted me to discuss on my Facebook Live broadcasts. I was expecting it to be something about practicing strategies, but overwhelmingly, they chose the topic of “Adding Games to Musical Learning.”

THIS is my specialty! I love making piano lessons and practicing fun, interactive and playful.

Watch the video below for some ideas to add practicing and theory games to your piano routine. Continue reading “Adding Games to Your Musical Learning”

Getting Back In The Groove

During August and September when my students return to piano lessons, frustration and disappointment abound!

Perhaps you’re a musician yourself or the parent of a musician and are witnessing this own struggle in your household. You had the best of intentions — you were going to have a schedule that included piano practice, you were going to keep structure and routine going, but alas….summer happens.

That’s okay! You’re normal. And you’re not alone. Continue reading “Getting Back In The Groove”