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”
Meet our September Member of the Month Mary Socall. She and her husband Dave are from Westchester, Il. Their son Brian has two sons Ellis who is 4-years-old and Lewis who is 2-years-old. Mary is currently enrolled in Busy Moms and is working with Ellis who is enrolled in Busy Kids. They are a Busy family! Continue reading “September Member of the Month”
When a student is working on a piece of music that is getting a bit sloppy – perhaps the tempo is uneven, the touch isn’t articulated or the notes aren’t clear – I often task him with SLOW PRACTICE. (Meaning that I am asking him to practice the piece veeerrry slowly.)
The student usually groans.
(Often times when the student returns to me the following week, I can tell that he didn’t actually practice the music slowly.)
But if the student DOES spend a week practicing the piece slowly then ohmygoodness, what a difference it makes. He returns to his lesson, plays the piece again at regular tempo, and we marvel at how much more polished, clear and beautiful the music sounds. He often observes how much easier it is to play and how he feels less frustrated! Continue reading “Slow Practice: Why It’s Important”
Let me share two different scenarios with you….
Student A practices the piano daily for 30 minutes. Her mom sets a timer. She plays through the materials her teachers assigned, but spends most of her time on the things she likes or is already good at in order to pass the time until the timer goes off. Continue reading “How to Practice the Piano (Four Proven Strategies)”
When parents are thinking about getting a child started with piano lessons, they often approach me and ask, “What kind of piano should I buy?”
Buying a piano is KIND OF A BIG DEAL.
It’s not like buying, say, a harmonica. A piano purchase is an investment and it takes up a lot of room. It’s the kind of thing where you’ll rearrange furniture to accommodate it. Continue reading “What Kind of Piano Should I Buy?”
It’s probably not news to you that music is really good for your child. It enhances all forms of learning, and it seems as though there’s always a new study being released on how it makes kids smarter, benefits brain development, etc. So what are some ways that we as parents can give our children access to all these benefits and raise a musical child?
Here are a few ideas from this piano teacher and mom. Continue reading “Raise A Musical Child.”
There are lots of reasons for you to enroll in adult piano lessons.
It’s something that will build you own confidence and lead to great fulfillment. It may be something you’ve always wanted to do and can “cross off” your bucket list. Plus, it stimulates your brain – which can help with Alzheimer’s prevention.
But sometimes it can be really difficult as a mom to take on a commitment for yourself. Maybe you feel selfish signing up for adult piano lessons, taking away time from your day that could be used to clean your house, get dinner ready or help kids with their homework. Continue reading “Adult Piano Lessons: How They Benefit Your Child”
