Your resource for all things piano.
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”
If the idea of piano practice rewards causes you to cringe, let me tell you a story.
I once had a piano student who was incredibly bright and had so much potential as a pianist. When she first started lessons with me, she was excited about how easily things were coming to her and practiced ALL THE TIME. As a result, she progressed quickly and was confident in her abilities.
As she progressed, things became more challenging, and she grew frustrated. Rather than working through the frustrations between her lessons with me, she resisted practicing. After a few weeks of having what seemed like an identical piano lesson to the last as we worked through challenges in her music, I called her mom to ask how practicing was going at home. Continue reading “Piano Practice Rewards: Why and How to Do Them”
I live in a small, rural town at the time of this writing. We moved here from a suburb of Milwaukee, and I remember feeling apprehensive that I wouldn’t have access to as many musically enriching opportunities for my family upon our move.
But was I ever wrong! We have been in our little town for nearly 8 years and traveled to many other neighboring small towns across our state . I continue to marvel at all the community resources available to myself as a piano teacher, and to my children as music students and lovers-of-music. Continue reading “Finding Community Musical Resources.”
Since my kids were babies we’ve made a habit of attending outdoor concerts, classical music festivals and library “concerts on the lawn” during the warm summer months. As it finally starts to warm up in our area, my almost-5 year old asked, “Now that it’s summer, when can we go to a concert?” Continue reading “Summertime Music Opportunities”
I teach many siblings at my studio and in my online programs, and I love that so many families are making musical education a priority in their household. (Plus, a little sibling rivalry can be motivating, right?)
Having a sibling in piano can be a wonderful thing. You have a duet partner, someone to ask questions to if you’re struggling, or perhaps even someone who motivates you to practice! But, it can also be tricky. Continue reading “Sibling Rivalry At the Piano.”
I used to be the kind of organized person that purchased all my Christmas gifts by Halloween. That short-lived “Organized Mom” stint is no more, and now I’m grateful for the Amazon Prime Membership that allows me to order gifts as late as December 22nd and still have them arrive on time for Christmas.
As a piano teacher, it is probably no shock to you that I love to surround my kids with toys and space that encourage music making. Musical toys also boost cognitive skills, provide continuous learning opportunities and support gross and fine motor skills. Continue reading “Musical Gifts Ideas.”
Does practicing piano with your child ever feel like a slow and painful form of punishment?
Especially if you are a pianist yourself, it can be difficult to hear your child struggling through a piece without quickly “fixing” everything for her. It might also be tempting to stop every single time you hear a mistake. In a recent post, I detailed what, exactly, your role is in practicing alongside your child. It’s so important to understand how you can set up practice sessions successfully and how to structure that time together! Continue reading “4 Ways to Be A Positive Practice Partner.”
I am a piano teacher. I am here to tell you that piano lessons expensive. You might have even scoffed when you saw the words “affordable piano lessons” in the title of this post.
There are many reasons for this and I’m certainly not here to quibble with any of them. Piano teachers are highly skilled and trained. We offer a valuable service that involves much “behind-the-scenes” work outside of the weekly lesson. Choosing music, ordering books, attending workshops, invoicing, putting together recitals — all of these things take a great deal of time. Continue reading “Affordable Piano Lessons: How To Make It Happen”
So…your child has been in piano lessons for awhile, perhaps even years. You’ve invested thousands of dollars into lessons and music. Countless hours have been spent helping with practice and transporting him to and from piano lessons. Now he’s telling you he wants to quit piano lessons.
Say, what?! Continue reading “Your Child Wants To Quit Piano Lessons: Here’s Why (And What to Do About it!)”
I love how children’s books make subjects accessible for kids. often giving them a visual connection to what they are learning. As a piano teacher and lover of music, I want my own children to have a deep appreciation for music as well. I intentionally seek out children’s books about music. Connecting them with musicians and musical experiences in books about music makes music relevant to them. I love that they can see how playing music is a skill that they can contribute to our culture. Continue reading “7 Children’s Books About Music.”
