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Pianos are Germ Magnets

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Heather Brunner

Well, I didn’t pick up my latest cold from a student but students are already bringing their fall and winter colds to lessons with them. So just a few reminder on keeping everyone healthy in the studio.

1. If the student has run a fever or vomited within the last 24 hours, do not come to lessons.

2. If the student has been sick with a cold or sinus infection or any other affliction, please let me know. I try to keep the piano disinfected on a regular basis but can take extra time if someone has the sniffles.

3. If the student has started antibiotics for something like strep. Please make sure it has been 24 hours. Otherwise, stay home.

We all hate to miss lessons, but I really don’t want the latest cold and the student after you probably doesn’t want it either. So be considerate.

Back from Disney

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Heather Brunner

I spent the last 10 days at Disney World. Over the next few days, I’ll put a a few pictures from the trip. Disney has an excellent array of music to experience. From Elliot Dyson at Port Orleans French Quarter to the saxophone quartet at the Magic Kingdom.

These pictures were taken at the Grand Floridian Hotel. That is a Steinway and Sons piano. The piano is in ok condition but the sound is a little bright.

Notice the nice wrap that I am wearing? I finished knitting it while on the trip. Made for a great excuse to sit in the bar and listen to Elliot Dyson play some great tunes.

Should Teachers Use Books Assigned By Other Teachers?

Posted on August 30, 2011 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.

Make Up Lessons. Why or Why Not?

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Heather Brunner

Most of my families know that make up lessons is one of my least favorite topics. The different policies from studio to studio are as varied as you could possibly get. Some teachers offer an unlimited amount of make up lessons. Some teachers offer one per year or one per semester. Some teachers don’t offer make up lessons at all. The real question is, does it really matter? Are the make up lessons or lack of make up lessons effecting the student in a positive or negative light? Here are my thoughts.

Currently, I do not offer make up lessons for student absences. My reasoning for this has multiple parts.

1. The actual make up lesson for the missed lesson usually falls on week with a regularly scheduled lesson. This means that over the course of 8 days a student would have 3 lessons. Many times this can leave students feeling stressed out and it takes an additional week for the lessons to find their correct balance again. I would rather have a student out for a week and then come in with 2 weeks preparation of material for us to work on. So many lessons crammed into such a short time leaves the student musically burned out.

2. When should these lessons be scheduled so that it is fair to everyone. If I only offer one make up date at the end of the semester or year and a family is unable to attend, I usually hear get asked if they can pick another date. Well, if I reschedule for one then I really have to reschedule for all. It is much easier just not to offer make up dates.

3. There just isn’t time in the schedule. My teaching schedule is quite full and there just isn’t time in the day to fit those extra lessons in during the week and I prefer to keep weekend time available for my family. Last year there were over 20 weekends when I was gone with students participating in music activities. That is a lot to ask of families.

Even though I don’t offer make up lessons there might be an available option. I am looking at allowing students to trade lesson times if it is done with at least 2 weeks notice. I had a teacher that did this and it worked quite well. Everyone was given a roster and if you knew you were going to miss a lesson, the family was responsible for calling another family to see if they would be willing to trade. Trades were limited to one per semester. I haven’t completely made up my mind but it could be a viable option.

Choosing your lesson time carefully can cut down on missed lessons. Most of my high school students take later lesson times. Don’t schedule a lesson so close to school getting out that you are trapped in the car pool lane even though the teacher’s studio is only 5 minutes from the school. Kids and parents get sick and things come up. As a teacher I understand that but keep in mind that there are often 40 students who could be calling any given week for a schedule change. Things could be come chaotic very fast without a firm studio policy.

As a reminder, always read your studio policy sheet carefully and keep a copy handy at home.

Composers Who Wanted to Be Independent

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Heather Brunner

Beethoven

Liszt

Stravinsky

Schoenberg

Meet Schubert the Studio Mascot

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Heather Brunner

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?

If You’re Happy and You Know It

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Heather Brunner

Let’s have a sing along…memememememe

If you’re happy and you know it

Write a Note *clap-clap*

If you’re happy and you know it

Let us know *clap-clap*

If you’re happy and you know it

Let your music teacher know it

If you’re happy and you know it

Write a note. *clap-clap*

A great big word of encouragement to all those music teachers out there who are putting on those final spring recitals and concerts. You can do it!

If you are a parent or student, let you teacher know that you appreciate all the hours they have put in outside of lesson times to make these events happens. Those programs don’t type themselves. So keep practicing and make your teacher proud.

That Doesn’t Belong There

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Heather Brunner

Yesterday I was reading old blogs from The Yarn Harlot. It was there that I ran across this one http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2005/03/25/forget_it_just_forget_it.html. If you will notice, her day ended with finding a juice box in her backpack hand been impaled with a knitting needle. No need to describe that mess.

You would be very surprised to know how often students bring juice boxes to their lesson in their music bag. Who seriously thinks it is a good idea to put a Capri-Sun in the bag full of music books? I get that kids like their after school snack, but leave the juice in the car.

Here’s hoping for a juice box free week of lessons.

Congrats! You Did Great!

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Heather Brunner

Well, I think we officially survived the large part of festival season. On Feb. 26 my students participated in the National Federation of Music Clubs festival. There were 19 students from my studio participating in the Solo Piano division. Are you ready for the big news? We had 100 % Superior ratings! Everyone did a wonderful job.

Many of these students also participated in the Theory Testing that took place on the same day. A special recognition to Taegan, Justin and Michael for getting 100 % on their theory tests.

On March 5, some of my more advanced students participated in the North Carolina Music Teacher’s Association Festival. These students were required to play 3 pieces from different musical eras. This is not a contest for the faint of heart. The judging is fair but critical. Yet again my students knocked it out of the park. Congrats to Tori who will be advancing to the state competition. She scored a Superior in the Jr. B division. Luna scored a Superior in the Jr. A division. All my other entrants were rated Excellent.

Thank you so much for all your hard work.

I don’t suppose now would be the time to tell you that the NCMTA repertoire list for 2012 has already been released? No? In that case we can all live in denial for a few months and take a well earned vacation from festival music. New repertoire here we come!

Related to Piano

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Heather Brunner

For a chance of pace, I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite things that loosely relate to piano.

First up is Schubert. Isn’t he cute? He’s also more than a little dirty in these pictures. Schubert is half Shih Tzu and half Bichon. He a little over 2 years old. Unlike his name sake, he really doesn’t like piano music. He does like to sleep on the sofa with his Poppy.

Schubert doesn’t like wool. Which poses a problem when I am knitting things like this:

You would think that sweet pup was part cat. He is forever taking the yarn and running off with it. I knitted this really cool gift bag while I sat around listening to piano students at the UNCG High School Piano day last weekend.

So Schubert is my piano dog and I knit while waiting on students. See this blog is closely related to music.