Your resource for all things piano.
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”
As I write this, the holidays are quickly approaching. For many, this means time off of school, traveling to see family, or even hosting friends and family from out-of-town. This disruption to your typical routine might also mean piano practicing goes by the wayside.
Whether it’s holiday plans, an opportunity to travel for an extended period of time, or a temporary busy “season” where your child is in a school play or taking the bus all over for sporting events, there are times when our piano practice routine is thrown out of whack. Continue reading “Piano Practice Tips for Traveling”
Meet the Hibbard family from Little Rock, Arkansas. Doug and Ann have three wonderful children 16 year old Olivia, 14 year old Angela, and 11 year old Steven. It was their oldest Olivia who discovered Busy Moms and now three children participate in the Busy Kids program.
Q: What’s your musical background?
My husband and I both played in band throughout high school, and I also sang in choirs as the opportunity was available while Doug enjoyed working on the tech side of things. Although neither of us play piano well, we are very familiar with music theory and can pick out basic melodies. Continue reading “December Member of the Month”
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”
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”
As I sit down to write this post, the leaves are turning and the air is colder. Fall is here!
With so many upcoming seasons and holidays, I love to incorporate fun activities into my home studio and my own children’s musical learning. A few years ago, two of my 3rd grade students played a duet of “In the Hall of the Mountain King” by Grieg and dressed as witches. I’ve never seen them so excited to play for a recital! Students also love the chance to learn holiday music that is familiar to them, and there’s so many opportunities to attend musical performances with your little one. Continue reading “Holiday-Themed Musical Activities”
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”
I often read articles about the science of learning and research on the brain. One of my children has developmental differences, and so I am always seeking “out of the box” ways to help his brain connect the dots. As a piano teacher, I always want to be able to support my students with their practicing and learning. I want to help my students become musicians who are confident in their abilities and who progress and feel successful as they move through their studies. Continue reading “Six Scientific Practicing Strategies”
Sometimes a piano parent will surprise me by sharing a really negative experience or association with piano lessons.
“My teacher used to yell at me all the time if I didn’t get something right.”
“My teacher insisted on hour long lessons when I was 5-years-old and it was so difficult for me to sit still I would end up in tears.”
“Piano lessons were just so serious.”
There are many students who thrive with intensive study under strict, no nonsense teachers. Continue reading “Piano Lessons CAN Be Fun.”
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”
