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.
Category: Just For Fun
Posts under this category are just for fun
Thrift Store Finds
In a desperate bid to escape the heat this past weekend, I headed for Hendersonville, NC. It was futile, but not a wasted trip. In downtown Hendersonville, there is a charity store that has a nice selection of records. For approximately 50 cents each, I can find records of great pianists playing the classics. This weekend’s haul included:
Vladimir Horowitz: Homage to Liszt
Toscanini: Schubert Symphony No. 5 & 8
Toscanini: Mendelssohn and Weber
Van Cliburn: Chopin
Van Cliburn: Tchaikovsky
Van Cliburn: Conducts Interlochen Youth Orchestra
Sviatoslav Richter: Beethoven & Schumann
Artur Rubinstein: Beethoven
Artur Rubinstein: Chopin Op. 21 & 22
Heifetz and Kapell: Brahms Piano and Violin Sonata in D minor
Baekkelund: Grieg
In the non-classical realm:
Boston Pops: Christmas Party
Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
I will upload these records to my ipod and be able to share them with my students.
It’s Amazing
I apologize for the lack of blog posts. I’ve been busy preparing for Artistry Camp and for next year’s repertoire lists for students. This year, the National Achievement Program/the Royal Conservatory Examinations is my guide post for music history. While trying answer all of the questions and come up with an over view of each era, I’ve discovered that I’ve forgotten more about music history than I currently remember. So the reviews and research is hopefully going to pay off. The amount of information that is simply not used in regular piano, voice and oboe lessons is staggering and kind of a shame. If more was incorporated would our students have a better understanding of their pieces?
It’s back to work for now. Hopefully, I’ll have a better post later this week.
MTNA Music Achievement Award Program
Brunner Studios will be participating in the NMTA Music Achievement Award Program for the 2011-2012 music year.
The follows goals can be selected to be set by the students for the year. Select all or a few for a customized achievement program. This is a great opportunity for those students who do not wish to participate in the traditional festival circuit in the spring.
1. Set a required practice amount per day/days per week and follow. (Time to be
approved by the teacher.)
2. Complete one lesson/methods book or comparable segment of vocal literature.
3. Complete one theory or ear training book.
4. Complete one technical exercise book (or specific assignment as set by the teacher).
5. Complete a scale or vocalise assignment as outlined by the teacher.
6. Complete a sight-reading assignment as outlined by the teacher.
7. Memorize one to four pieces (or more)—to be determined by the teacher.
8. Learn one piece from several different style periods or learn several contrasting style
pieces.
9. Learn a complete sonatina/sonata (or suite or set of songs, and so forth).
10. Learn a duet with another student (or teacher). Or play/sing a piece with an ensemble.
11. If keyboard, accompany a voice/instrumental student on one piece. If voice/instrumental,
sing/play a piece with a student accompanist.
12. Perform as a soloist on a recital.
13. Perform for a religious event, nursing home, senior citizen center or civic event.
14. Participate in an event sponsored by MTNA on the local, state or national level.
15. Participate in school choir/band/orchestra or church choir/orchestra for one school term.
16. Write a report on a composer. (Composer to be approved in advance by the teacher.)
17. Read a book on some aspect of music. (Book to be approved in advance by the
teacher.)
18. Compose a piece.
19. Learn to play/sing a pop, blues, jazz, etc. piece of the student’s choice.
20. Purchase a CD, approved by teacher, and listen to it at least once a week for _______
weeks.
24. Arrange a piece to include other instruments with piano.
25. Attend a concert/recital/musical.
26. Watch a musical concert on public television.
27. Watch a video about a musical or composer.
For more information contact Brunner Studios in Charlotte, NC.
Planning the Academic Year for Piano
Here in the south the school supply lists are already putting in an appearance. Last week I was at a Target store here in Charlotte, NC and they were already putting out school supplies. (On a side note, I did purchase some new markers and folders.) This is the time of year that students feel like they get to start over with their goals and you might get an influx of new and transfer students. Many of these students will want to participate in festivals and competitions during the coming academic year. How do you make sure they are prepared and stay on schedule?
If I am getting to see my students during the summer, then I take part of a summer lesson and we evaluate our goals. If the student is not taking summer lessons then I try to use the second lesson back to evaluate the situation. What are we evaluating? I give the student their options for festival and competitions and we talk about how much music they would need to learn and what could overlap for these events. For example, if a student wants to participate in NFMC and NCMTA the choice piece for the NFMC festival could be drawn from the NCMTA list. This bring the required pieces down from 5 to 4. All 4 pieces could be used for Guild Auditions.
Guild Auditions and the National Achievement Program both have technical requirements. I use my checklist and have every student go through all of the technical exercises that they should have learned up to this point. One sheet that I use is found on the Resources page. This lets me know what we need to review and when compared to the festival levels what we need to accomplish in a set time frame.
I try to give a theory evaluation if there is time. Otherwise we do this in the next few weeks. If a student is participating in the National Achievement Program I use a practice test to see how prepared they are for this level of examination. These exams are quite difficult and it seems that half the battle is reading and following the instructions.
With all of this information, we can plan when to choose the literature and what schedule we need to keep to be prepared with the technical skills. Students sometime practice a little aimlessly when there isn’t a clear deadline. This can give them a mini-deadline for every week. For those high school students who are so busy, it is pretty easy to divide their pieces into sections and set a measures goal for each week. For example, we need to learn and memorize 10 measures of the Prokofiev this week and 5 measures of the Bach. It’s amazing how well they will practice when not overwhelmed.
Composers Who Wanted to Be Independent
Beethoven
Liszt
Stravinsky
Schoenberg
Meet Schubert the Studio Mascot
Schubert would like to say hello to everyone. Schubert is Brunner Studios mascot. He loves to play the piano and has his own concert bench. This fall Schubert will be starting his own newsletter for the studio. So be on the look out for our first edition.
*Mama made me go to the groomer’s. Don’t I look cute?
Supplies for Piano Lessons
What supplies does a student need to help make taking piano lessons easier and to make practice at home run more smoothly?
1. Assignment Book- Every teacher has their own method of tracking assignments. Some teachers write the date on the page, other use a pre-printed book that goes with a method book series, a spiral notebook is always effective, or a 3 ring binder. I have my students use a 3 ring-binder. Every week I print out assignment sheets that are customized to the lesson with the listening and music history assignment printed in.
2. Music Bag- Most kids have a clumsy streak and go through phases of forgetfulness. A music bag is a quick way to keep track of everything. Pack it up the night before a lesson so that the student doesn’t forget any books.
3. Pencils- keep a few sharpened pencils with good erasers at the piano for use during practice. I like to have my students make notes of any questions they have during the week. Also, theory should always be done in pencil. Would you do your math homework in pen?
4. Metronome- Counting is essential to playing music correctly. A metronome can aid in this process. My students usually begin learning to use one quite early on in the process. The sooner they have the hang of using the metronome the better.
5. Timer- Kids are forever asking if they have practiced long enough. Forestall this questions by equipping them with a timer that is easy to set.
These are just a few things that help students succeed in piano lessons. A prepared student makes for a happy piano teacher.
Does Your Piano Teacher Vacation?
Since summer is here. Let’s talk about the subject of vacations. As a piano teacher, my schedule has some flexibility.
My husband and I like to travel in the fall when it is cooler and crowds are lower. Also, from about mid-January to the beginning of May, most of my weekends are filled with piano related activities that relate to my students. Did I mention that all of those weekends are unpaid? Yes, that’s right folk. Your piano teacher has to volunteer time so that your student can participate in festivals. Now most of the piano teachers don’t mind working those weekends. If you add in additional weekends for recitals and then for studio class, that is a lot of time outside of lessons that your teacher is dedicating to their students.
So if you teacher lets you know well in advance and offers ample make up lessons or payment options for time that they will be away, please try to be understanding. Most families are very understanding about vacation time away from the studio. If your teacher has excessive absences on short notice, then that is a bird of a different feather.
Oh yeah, did I mention that Walt Disney World is offering free dining again in September?
Educational Expectations for Summer Piano Lessons
Today my students will begin having their last lessons before the summer session starts. Many of them will be taking summer lessons but not on a regular schedule. What should parents and teachers expect from students who take lessons during the summer?
If a student is taking infrequent piano lessons in the summer, then my goal is retention of knowledge. Just like with academics, if you don’t use it, you will loose it. All that hard work we put into theory and technique will quietly drift away. As a teacher who as high standards week after week for the literature that the students are learning, I find that summer is a great time to play ‘fun’ music. Now, I find classical music to be fun but my students don’t always agree. So we will be pulling out the pop and show tunes. Recognizable pieces that students enjoy playing so much. The technical skills are the same and we might learn some new interesting rhythms.
I try not to stress out about the lack of practice in the summer. Kids go to camps and travel with their families. When they are home, I encourage them to try to maintain a normal practice schedule. Even if the amount of time is less, I don’t want them to lose the habit of practicing. Parents can help by reminding the students to practice when they are able.
Summer is a nice time for teachers and students to relax and regroup. Review those skills and make sure everything is in order for when piano/music lessons start back in the fall. Festival season will be here before we know it. So help maintain those skills be practicing for you summer lessons when the chance arises.