The spring recital is finally scheduled! It will be May 19 at 3:30. Miller Piano on Independence Blvd is the location.
More details to follow.
Category: Piano Practice
Insight into piano practice tips, tricks, and methods.
The Little Engine That Could
You know what is great? When you get a student who just works at a steady pace. The child isn’t doing anything spectacular or anything out of the ordinary, but is just doing the work. The next thing you know, the student has zipped through 3 levels of books in less than a year.
Keeping working!
A Funny Student Story
A few years ago, I had this cute little boy as a student. He was about 4 years old and totally not interested in playing the piano. Every week he would come into his lesson and sigh. Then he would look at me and say “I miss my Daddy.” Of course I would ask where his dad was and the little boy would say “Working.” So for months, I just assumed that the dad worked up town and that he and the little boy were just really close.
In the spring, the little boy bounced into the studio one day. “My daddy is coming home, My daddy is coming home.” A few weeks later he came back in to his lesson and said “My daddy had to go back to work.” I finally decided to ask where his dad worked. The student replied “Utah.” Really? OK that’s a little odd, but sure. I figured the kid was pulling my leg.
A few more weeks go by and the little boy comes to another lesson and says “My mommy and daddy are both in Utah. It’s important at work.” My curiosity got the better of me and I asked the student “Well, what does your daddy do for work?” His answer-
“My daddy plays basketball.”
Yep, the student’s dad played for the Utah Jazz. He was so excited when the season was over and his dad could bring him to lessons. He didn’t like piano any better, but it was just better all around because “My daddy’s bringing me to my lessons now. He doesn’t have to work until later.”
Letting a Student Go
Occasionally as a teacher you run into a situation where a student is just not working within the parameters of your studio. Whether it be a personality clash, lack or progress or tuition issues, sometimes things just don’t work out. How do you set up the release of student while still staying on good terms with the family?
If you and student just aren’t clicking then it is time to let them go. There are lots of teachers and there will be one that is the perfect fit for each student. Think about what issues are causing the clash and lay them out to the parent or student. Sometimes it could be that the student doesn’t click with the teacher’s methodology, or there is a fight for who is the boss of the lesson, or the teacher and student don’t communicate the same way. It is ok to let students go. It takes a brave and personally secure teacher to release a student in hopes of them finding a better fit for the student’s musical education.
Sometimes students just don’t make the progress you demand in your studio. Obviously, this isn’t about a bad week or even month, but a longer term issue. As a professional, the teacher must think about the product of their studio and the message it conveys to prospective students. A teacher can love a student dearly and enjoy their lesson time but still realize that the student isn’t the best fit for their studio. At the same time, if a student is consistently underprepared for lessons and is wasting their parents’ money and the teachers time, then spell out the reasons that you are letting the student go. Different studios have different expectations as to caliber of students and what standards need to be upheld.
I am a big proponent of giving students notice or putting them on probation. Sometimes all it it takes is the knowledge that they might have to leave a studio to create some introspection to turn an attitude around. Giving my students the benefit of the doubt to a certain point is always important to me. However, if things are still not working, then it is time to make a decision. If the student is just not a good fit, then help the student find a new teacher who might work better for them. Music teachers have lots of connections and know each others teaching styles.
Obviously, letting a student go is a big decision from a professional as well as financial standpoint. Don’t think that your teacher has understand this decision lightly. Sometimes a student and teacher just aren’t the best fit. Keep looking, you will find your perfect teacher or student.
NCMTA Festival Charlotte
Congrats to all the students who participated yesterday in the NCMTA Festival for the Charlotte area.
A big thank you to all the teachers who ‘volunteered’ and helped the day run smoothly. Is it really volunteering if participation is mandatory?
See everyone again next year.
NFMC Success
Congratulations to the Brunner Studios students who participated in the NFMC Festival at Queens University on February 25, 2012.
A special round of applause for the following students who received the highest ranking of Superior:
Savannah Horne
Abbey Koenig
Bradey Shirley
Rohan Muthukumar
Max Granger
Welcome to New Students
I just want to give a big welcome to all my new students. Brunner Studios is growing at a very steady pace. I am excited that we added piano and oboe students to the roster this week. Wednesday lesson times are now down to 1 available slot.
Keep up the good work parents and students. Don’t forget that you get a 10% referral discount for any new students that give your name.
And here is a funny picture. This is so true. Well, except for that time in college when I was so sleep deprived that I tried to play with my music upside down. It still looked like the top example in that case.
Piano Lessons In My Home
I’m a member of several different websites that advertise piano lessons. Parents can send in requests and the teachers can choose to respond to requests in their area that fit their professional goals. So many of the requests on these boards and inquires that I receive through my website are parents asking for lessons in their home.
I do not teach lessons anywhere other than my home studio. There are several reasons for this.
1. It costs me time and money. Lessons at Brunner Studios are $26.25 for a 30 minute lesson. If I have to drive to your house, teach a lesson, and drive home. That is costing a lesson time on either side of the scheduled lesson. Also, gas and wear and tear on my vehicle. Gas is approximately 3.50 a gallon right now. That can eat into my fees quickly.
2. There are great resources that I’ve spent time building at my studio. There are keyboards, computers, bookcases full of music that can be loaned, workbooks, reward charts. These are all things that can’t travel for a weekly lesson. If the student needs a new book or supplemental material, I am almost guaranteed to have it on my bookshelf. You won’t find it dragging around in the trunk of my car.
3. You forgot. Way back when I first started teaching (in college) there was a family that I went to their house to give lessons. It wasn’t close but there were multiple lessons and at the time gas was around $1 a gallon. The family was always forgetting about lessons and leaving me hanging. If you forget your lessons and are taking at my studio, I can still get work done if you forget or get sick at the last minute. There is a lot of time involved in teaching lessons other than the 30 minutes you are here.
4. Student don’t take the lessons as seriously as in a different environment. My studio is a dedicated space for lessons. It is a environment set aside for education. Your living room with the siblings running through and the door slamming just doesn’t allow the same focus.
So there are a few reasons that I don’t advocate lessons in the student’s home. Now this isn’t to say that it would never work, but for me from a professional standpoint, I want a dedicated music space for educational purposes.
Success with the Carnegie Hall Achievement Program
Congratulations to Rohan who received a score of First Class with Honors on his Level 4 examination that he took in December.
Rohan looks forward to taking his Level 5 practical and theory examinations.
Sign up begins tomorrow 1-24-12 for the spring examinations. It isn’t too late to sign up for lessons and take your first examination this spring.
Festival Deadlines
This is just a reminder to all the local teachers that there are several registration deadlines this month:
NCMTA District is due on Jan. 21, 2012.
NFMC Non-Scholarship and Scholarship are both due on Jan. 14, 2012.
The paper work for these festivals states there are NO EXCEPTIONS on the deadlines. Please plan accordingly.