Category: Charlotte Piano Students

Practice Pays

Posted on by Heather Brunner

In October, Brunner Studios ran a practice contest.  Students with perfect practice would get a gift bag.  As it turns out I had 2 students with all gold practice star for the month and 5 that tied for a 3rd place prize.  Since I only had 3 gift bags, I added up the total minutes of the students that were tied for 3rd place and awarded the gift bag to the student who had the most minutes. 

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In addition to Frank here, there was a ghost and a pumpkin.  The gift bags included pencils, note pads, stickers, notebooks and Halloween socks. 

Congrats students on the consistent practice!

The Gift of Music

Posted on by Heather Brunner

This fall and winter Brunner Studios will be offering gift certificates for piano, voice and oboe lessons.  The gift of music is a wonderful holiday gift for the aspiring musician of any age.  Availability for new and existing students.

Gift certificates will be available in monthly increments and must be presented at the first lesson. 

Contact Brunner Studios for more information and to purchase certificates for the holiday season. 

BOO to You

Posted on by Heather Brunner

Between the Gershwin and Schubert things have been hopping around here.  This week Max, my mom’s dog is visiting.  So I’ll just pop in for a minute. 

 

This is the last full week of October.  In the studio this month we have been having a practice contest.  I made up some goodie bags that look like this:

 

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Well, the other 2 are a ghost and a pumpkin.  So the 3 students with the best practice records for the month of October will receive a prize.  Currently 2 students have perfect practice with 4 students tied for 3rd place based on the sticker chart.  If there is a tie on the chart, I will add of the actual minutes the students practiced so that the prize is fairly rewarded. 

Why Christmas Is Later This Year

Posted on by Heather Brunner

Well, that probably got your attention.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Christmas is still on December 25.  However, there is good news as well.  This year Brunner Studios will not be having the traditional December recital.  This means we don’t have to start practicing Christmas music in September and October.  Should I back this plan up and explain a little?

The past few years the winter recitals have taken place in December.  That means that high school students were starting Christmas arrangements in September and October.  Why so early?  No one wants to play music significantly easier than their standard repertoire at a big recital.  Also, you have to account for fall break, Columbus Day, Halloween,  Thanksgiving and any other number of random breaks and holidays that the school system might decide to throw your way. 

Then after all that hard work,  you start getting the emails and phone calls.  You know the ones I’m talking about.  Susie won’t be able to play at the recital.  That day is Great-Aunt Gertrude’s annual cookie swap.  Now, no offense to anyone’s Great-Aunt Gertrude, but these students work hard and I hate to have them miss a big recital. 

So to save myself a spike in blood pressure, and the kids a lot of what they will see as wasted effort, we are having the recital on Nov. 12.  Standard piano repertoire with a few fall pieces and *poof* one fall recital. 

The students will get their Christmas books at their next lesson and begin playing season appropriate music.  We might try to go and play at a local nursing home or arrange for a carol sing at a church, but those are come and go events. 

So see Christmas is arriving later this year.  Well, the music is anyway.

Saxophone Quartet

Posted on by Heather Brunner

So on vacation, I ran across a type of group that I had never thought of before.  A saxophone quartet.  The group was serenading the park visitors outside of Snow White Scary Adventures.  This ride might have a different name but has terrified me since I was 5.  I’ll stick with the original name. 

 

Of course they were playing Disney tunes.  My personal favorite was Be Prepared from The Lion King. 

 

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NCMTA Piano Repertoire Workshop 2011

Posted on by Heather Brunner

Tomorrow, Ruggero Piano Store in Raleigh will be hosting the 2011 NCMTA Piano Repertoire Workshop.  The schedule for the day looks like this:

 

Workshop schedule:
8:30     Registration
9:00     Junior A repertoire
10:20   BREAK (time approximate)
10:30   Junior B repertoire (presentation of Junior B music might begin earlier, allowing a longer lunch break)
12:00   LUNCH
1:00     Senior A repertoire
2:50     BREAK (time approximate)
3:00     Senior B repertoire
5:00     End of workshop

 

The cost is $30 for teachers and $5 for students.  Please either bring a lunch or visit a local dining establishment. 

 

The same workshop will be presented in Charlotte, NC on Sept. 17 at Queens University in the E. H. Little Fine Arts Center. 

 

This is an excellent opportunity to familiarize yourself with the repertoire for the NCMTA Festival in the spring of 2012. 

Pre or Post Thanksgiving Recital Date?

Posted on by Heather Brunner

First, I would like to thank Lib Hughston for recommending Piedmont Music Center for a possible recital location. 

 

As I was scouting location for a winter recital location, I had to decide what was the best time for the event.  Do I go pre-Thanksgiving or post-Thanksgiving?  Almost everyone has winter/Christmas recitals.  Usually these recitals are jammed into the first or second weekend of December.  Now let’s hear the collective groan from the parents.  Another event in December?  Can we cry now?  So rather an causing collective hyperventilation, I decided to go with an early November date. 

 

I’ll admit that I will miss the Christmas carols at the recital.  What I won’t miss are the half a dozen students who can’t attend because of other events.  Teachers, I encourage you to schedule those big annual recitals at non-traditional times.  Your students will thank you.  2 months is plenty of time for even beginners to learn a piece for a recital.  New student participation is important.  Older students can either present a new piece or pull one out of the rotation of performance ready pieces in their repertoire list. 

 

Good luck to everyone with the recital preparation!

Should Teachers Use Books Assigned By Other Teachers?

Posted on by Heather Brunner

It’s the time of year where students are transferring between teachers or resuming lessons after moving.  Students usually bring half finished books with them.  What’s a teacher to do?

 

One of the things that I pride myself on is that I work with the best method for the individual student.  There is no one size fits all method books series.  Many of my students use the Alfred Premier series.  Others use the Faber older beginner books.  Occasionally, I’ll go old school and pull out the trusty Bastien books.  So as long as the student is successful in their current series, I see no need for parents to go spend money on new books because I might prefer another series.  If the student is not successful in their current books, then I might loan a few books to the student to find out what a better fit might be.  The only series that I won’t use is the Suzuki series.  It isn’t a curriculum problem but more of a methodology issue. 

 

Parents, if you are talking to a potential teacher, be sure to ask what the teacher’s policy is about books.  It can tell you a good bit about what kind of teacher they are.  Be open to suggestions from the teacher but also be willing to say what works for you child. 

Counting Quarter Notes

Posted on by Heather Brunner

Today as I was looking through yet another piano method book, I came across a new way to count 4 quarter notes.  Use the word- ELEVATOR. 

 

                                                       EL             E              VA           TOR

I wish someone had taught me these tricks before I got to college.