It's that time of year again. Coming to the close of the school year, the weather is clearing, and it's a rare few who want to stay inside practicing the piano. Hence the early Spring Recital. Too much competition with spring sports, field trips and finals, not to mention the longer, warmer days, if we put it off any later in the season.
We had our recital this past Sunday, and were blessed to have had a lousy weather day. Cold and cloudy led to rain, and a full audience for whom to perform. For the past ten years, I have had the honor of holding my recital in St. Anne's Church in Annapolis. I tell my kids it's Stop #1 on the Historic Annapolis Tour, so they need to play really well -- you never know who might be walking through the church. (I remember one Sunday a few years back when Dan Rather wandered in.) In order to prepare for their performance, I offer one lesson at the church a few weeks before the event. The acoustics of the church are phenomenal! The music resounds, and can be a bit overwhelming , especially for the younger musicians. In addition, every piano "plays" a little different. The feel is different, the action is stiffer or softer, the pedal tighter. It's always good for the kids to experience all of this, the feel, the sound, the space, before the actual event.
This year our practice day was the Saturday before Palm Sunday. The Flower Guild was hard at work stripping the palms for the next day services; there was a lot of commotion in the church that day. And what a good opportunity for the performers. Instead of playing in my home studio for me and the dog, they actually had an audience! They were able to work out some of the willies that morning, (and the ladies of the Flower Guild appreciated the entertainment!).
Come recital day, everyone was well prepared. These young musicians had practiced, and hard! I had challenged each of them with music a bit beyond their level, and each rose to the occasion. We began the program with the most novice; she started lessons just 2 months ago. At the other end of the spectrum, Stairway to Heaven, performed by 2 sisters, on piano and recorder, was the perfect closing piece. I think the most poignant performance, however, occurred after the formal recital. My youngest student, just barely 5 years old, was scheduled early in the program. His extended family, unfortunately, arrived late and missed hearing him. After all the commotion at the conclusion of the program, he sat down at the keyboard, his entire family, parents, grandparents,siblings, gathered around the piano and he played his 3 pieces for them. They were so proud of him and he just glowed in all the attention. What a heart-warming sight!
It's funny. I get so worked up, worrying about my introduction. But the folks in the seats are not there for me; they want to hear their children perform. I kept my comments to a minimum and all went well. Now we're into the last month of the piano year. New this year, I have given each student a piece of music to teach to themselves, as I explained, to practice as if I am sitting next to them every day. They seem to appreciate the confidence I have in them. We'll have a soiree at the end of May to show off what they've taught themselves, and to celebrate all their accomplishments this past year. Should be another fun event.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
I'm back!!
I feel like Rip van Winkle. I must have just woken up. It's been 2 months, to the day, since I last updated. Oops!
We started the new year with a new resolution, and so far we’ve stuck to it. Congratulations! We have explored Baroque and early Classical music, in preparation for our Spring Recital, and we have made some good selections. I am hoping each of you has at least two pieces to play; we will continue to play through more selections to make the final decision in the next few weeks.
Our Spring Recital is always a Big Event. We are fortunate to play again this year at St. Anne’s in Annapolis. Mark your calendar! Sunday, May 1, with an on-site practice on Saturday, April 16.
January weather hit us hard, and who knows what February has to offer. I need to repeat my snow policy: I do not have one. Please do not assume that when schools are closed, so are lessons. Too many times the County has over reacted, and the roads are fine. When in doubt, call. Always call.
I know it’s cold, but we need to think about your Spring Break. I have students from different schools, with different vacation dates. I have worked into the piano year schedule one floating holiday, to accommodate everyone. Please let me know in advance of your spring break plans, so I then can plan around them. And play that piano!
We started the new year with a new resolution, and so far we’ve stuck to it. Congratulations! We have explored Baroque and early Classical music, in preparation for our Spring Recital, and we have made some good selections. I am hoping each of you has at least two pieces to play; we will continue to play through more selections to make the final decision in the next few weeks.
Our Spring Recital is always a Big Event. We are fortunate to play again this year at St. Anne’s in Annapolis. Mark your calendar! Sunday, May 1, with an on-site practice on Saturday, April 16.
January weather hit us hard, and who knows what February has to offer. I need to repeat my snow policy: I do not have one. Please do not assume that when schools are closed, so are lessons. Too many times the County has over reacted, and the roads are fine. When in doubt, call. Always call.
I know it’s cold, but we need to think about your Spring Break. I have students from different schools, with different vacation dates. I have worked into the piano year schedule one floating holiday, to accommodate everyone. Please let me know in advance of your spring break plans, so I then can plan around them. And play that piano!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Mini-Recital
Six of my younger students performed for the residents of Sunrise Assisted Living this past weekend. After a lot of schedule changes, we were happy to be there, and the residents were happy to have us! The recital opened with the National Anthem. One of the gentlemen asked if they should all stand. LOL From there the music ranged from a spooky, well-performed Halloween selection (see previous note about schedule changes) to Jingle Bells, from Classical to Rock 'n Roll. The kids were great. The youngest performer, 7 years old, asked if she could play her own composition. I admit, I was hesitant, I didn't know what to expect. But she really wanted to play, and what a great job she did -- you could hear the Christmas bells ringing! After performing, we shared juice and cookies with our audience. All in all, a wonderful respite from the pre-holiday rush!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Adult soiree
Such fun! I hosted a soiree last Sunday afternoon. Four of my adult students participated, playing whatever they have been working on most recently. We gathered at 4:00. One participant was detained, so we gathered around the hors d'oevres and chatted it up a bit. Present so far: Phyllis, a brandie-new student to me, transferring from the credit department at the college to the non-credit department (less pressure); Olivia, a student of 3 years; Rob, whom I've been teaching for 5, maybe 6 years, his wife Katie, and Kerry, my newlywed daughter. The Rob and Olivia played at my last adult soiree, 2 years ago. None of us could believe it had been that long ago! All enjoyed sharing their stories, why they are taking lessons, how long they've been playing, what they enjoy playing. My daughter entered into the conversation as well, having played both the piano and the flute for a while when she was younger.
Jim and Frieda eventually joined us, at which point we moved to the piano to enjoy an informal performance. I volunteered to go first. This was new for me -- I do not perform in recitals. After my summer camp experience, I thought I should break the ice, as it were. I had played Confidence, one of Mendelssohn's Songs without Words, last summer, and dusted it off that morning. I introduced my piece, talked a bit about my summer experience, what I had done, what I had learned. Then I sat down and played. Not flawlessly, but well enough. One of my favorite quotes from Oprah magazine: "Strive for Excellence, not Perfection."
Phyllis volunteered to go next. She had just finished working on Bach's Minuet in D Major. She gave quite a good introduction, talked about Anna Magdelena Bach and her children, the Baroque era. Finally she talked herself down enough to play. She was nervous, but I insisted that she go on: we are not a discriminating audience, but a most appreciative group of fans. She started hesitantly, but played on, and received a great round of applause when she finished. She sat down and said she can now relax and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Her audience noted her well-rounded knowledge of her piece. Phyllis was happy to move out of the spotlight, which now shone on Rob.
Not to be outdone, Rob gave a brief history of the Beatles before facing the keyboard to play Here, There and Everywhere. I was very proud of his performance. He has been working on bringing out the melody, not rushing. He was very expressive. He, too, received a hearty round of applause. Katie, especially, was happy to hear him play -- he tends to practice when no one is home.
Jim was quick to volunteer next. Jim is my "youngest" student, in that he just started at the piano in June. We had worked about halfway through the lesson book, and he said he wanted to play more rock and roll. He wanted to play Layla! LOTS of notes, but he was determined. We worked on it for a few weeks, and he felt comfortable enough to play through the first verse. Jim has enviously long fingers -- he could play Clapton's chords with relative ease, but he stopped at the chorus! Didn't matter -- he did very well, and his wife, too, was especially proud of his performance. Everyone was impressed that such a rookie would tackle such a composition. Good job!
Okay, Olivia, it's your turn. She has been working on another Baroque piece, Minuet in F Major, by Haydn. She has worked hard on this one, and it showed. Her technique was admirable, her dynamics well-suited. She commented upon finishing that she forgot the repeats, but perhaps she just forgot that she played them.. She seemed more nervous toward the end than at the start, and any mishaps occurred in the last line. Nevertheless, she was spectacular. Another round of applause for a job well done.
Now we can party! I had prepared a limited array of appetizers, and wine, of course. I think everyone had a great time. We concluded the evening with hugs all around, and promises to get together again for another performance opportunity. I received my marching orders: a soiree next spring. I'm already looking forward to it!
Jim and Frieda eventually joined us, at which point we moved to the piano to enjoy an informal performance. I volunteered to go first. This was new for me -- I do not perform in recitals. After my summer camp experience, I thought I should break the ice, as it were. I had played Confidence, one of Mendelssohn's Songs without Words, last summer, and dusted it off that morning. I introduced my piece, talked a bit about my summer experience, what I had done, what I had learned. Then I sat down and played. Not flawlessly, but well enough. One of my favorite quotes from Oprah magazine: "Strive for Excellence, not Perfection."
Phyllis volunteered to go next. She had just finished working on Bach's Minuet in D Major. She gave quite a good introduction, talked about Anna Magdelena Bach and her children, the Baroque era. Finally she talked herself down enough to play. She was nervous, but I insisted that she go on: we are not a discriminating audience, but a most appreciative group of fans. She started hesitantly, but played on, and received a great round of applause when she finished. She sat down and said she can now relax and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Her audience noted her well-rounded knowledge of her piece. Phyllis was happy to move out of the spotlight, which now shone on Rob.
Not to be outdone, Rob gave a brief history of the Beatles before facing the keyboard to play Here, There and Everywhere. I was very proud of his performance. He has been working on bringing out the melody, not rushing. He was very expressive. He, too, received a hearty round of applause. Katie, especially, was happy to hear him play -- he tends to practice when no one is home.
Jim was quick to volunteer next. Jim is my "youngest" student, in that he just started at the piano in June. We had worked about halfway through the lesson book, and he said he wanted to play more rock and roll. He wanted to play Layla! LOTS of notes, but he was determined. We worked on it for a few weeks, and he felt comfortable enough to play through the first verse. Jim has enviously long fingers -- he could play Clapton's chords with relative ease, but he stopped at the chorus! Didn't matter -- he did very well, and his wife, too, was especially proud of his performance. Everyone was impressed that such a rookie would tackle such a composition. Good job!
Okay, Olivia, it's your turn. She has been working on another Baroque piece, Minuet in F Major, by Haydn. She has worked hard on this one, and it showed. Her technique was admirable, her dynamics well-suited. She commented upon finishing that she forgot the repeats, but perhaps she just forgot that she played them.. She seemed more nervous toward the end than at the start, and any mishaps occurred in the last line. Nevertheless, she was spectacular. Another round of applause for a job well done.
Now we can party! I had prepared a limited array of appetizers, and wine, of course. I think everyone had a great time. We concluded the evening with hugs all around, and promises to get together again for another performance opportunity. I received my marching orders: a soiree next spring. I'm already looking forward to it!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Noteworthy News ~ November 2010
(I should have posted this 3 weeks ago. Oops.)
November is a short month. I do not teach the week of Thanksgiving. You can play for your grandparents before you sit down for turkey dinner. They will love to hear you perform! Lest there be any questions, the tuition remains the same. There will be longer months in the new year to make up the difference. Just makes bookkeeping easier all around.
The mini-recital is on! We will perform for the residents of Sunrise Assisted Living on Sunday, December 5. There are 7 of you who have responded -- I am counting on each of you to remember and to be there.
Remember also, this is not a formal recital, but an opportunity for you to show off what you have been working on, and to provide some light entertainment for the residents. They are looking forward to you being there. And of course, those of you who need it can earn an hour of community service for participating.
November is a short month. I do not teach the week of Thanksgiving. You can play for your grandparents before you sit down for turkey dinner. They will love to hear you perform! Lest there be any questions, the tuition remains the same. There will be longer months in the new year to make up the difference. Just makes bookkeeping easier all around.
The mini-recital is on! We will perform for the residents of Sunrise Assisted Living on Sunday, December 5. There are 7 of you who have responded -- I am counting on each of you to remember and to be there.
Remember also, this is not a formal recital, but an opportunity for you to show off what you have been working on, and to provide some light entertainment for the residents. They are looking forward to you being there. And of course, those of you who need it can earn an hour of community service for participating.
Monday, October 18, 2010
No excuse for missing a lesson
"But she didn't practice all week. She'll just have to miss her lesson this week." How often have I heard such a line? And how often have I acquiesced? Until now, that is. I have finally come to understand the efficacy of a weekly lesson, regardless of progress at home. Yea, verily, 30 minutes of daily practice is not always the key to success at the keyboard. Effective training at the lesson is the essence.
Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying I would encourage my students not to practice. What kind of teacher would I be? Daily practice is the aim. Effective practice is the goal. In my studio, when a student sits down at a lesson, she plays through the assigned piece. No comments until the end. I typically ask what she thought of her performance. "Did you listen as you played?" Funny, the responses I get. Often that's the hardest part of coaching: they have to listen as they play -- how else can they hear what they're doing? Then we review the sticky passages. I provide a practice approach to improve those sections. We then "practice" how to practice. And immediately the notes go in the assignment book. I might even ask for a review of the assignment. That way we both know what's expected over the next week. If all goes well, the following lesson will produce great improvements, and space to move forward.
So what happens when the student doesn't touch the keyboard all week? Certainly the previous lesson has not been ingrained. Possibly no improvement will be apparent. Surprisingly, there are times when the following lesson shows great improvement. How can this be? As I stated above, we had already practiced the tricky spots together a week earlier, and maybe the repeated review is all it took. So I ask, "Imagine how it would sound had you spent even one day last week actually practicing?" Yes, just imagine. Lest the performance be a fluke, I do repeat all that I had encouraged the week before, highlighting the improvements, and more than likely, making additional suggestions.
Another reason not to accept missing a lesson is in that word I used above: "ingrained". When a student hasn't heard her teacher's words of advice and encouragement for a week, she tends to forget them, even though I have written them clearly in her assignment book. The trouble spot is still there. She may very likely continue to play that trouble spot as she originally learned it. The incorrect fingering or phrasing becomes ingrained in the hands, and all that much harder to break. Attending an intervening lesson will always highlight that same section, review the proper fingering or approach, and lead to improvement.
In a nutshell, daily practice is an essential element in moving forward at the keyboard. Weekly lessons are vital -- no excuses. 30 or 60 minutes of concentrated effort once a week with a teacher will highlight trouble spots and break bad habits. So get back on that piano bench and practice!
Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying I would encourage my students not to practice. What kind of teacher would I be? Daily practice is the aim. Effective practice is the goal. In my studio, when a student sits down at a lesson, she plays through the assigned piece. No comments until the end. I typically ask what she thought of her performance. "Did you listen as you played?" Funny, the responses I get. Often that's the hardest part of coaching: they have to listen as they play -- how else can they hear what they're doing? Then we review the sticky passages. I provide a practice approach to improve those sections. We then "practice" how to practice. And immediately the notes go in the assignment book. I might even ask for a review of the assignment. That way we both know what's expected over the next week. If all goes well, the following lesson will produce great improvements, and space to move forward.
So what happens when the student doesn't touch the keyboard all week? Certainly the previous lesson has not been ingrained. Possibly no improvement will be apparent. Surprisingly, there are times when the following lesson shows great improvement. How can this be? As I stated above, we had already practiced the tricky spots together a week earlier, and maybe the repeated review is all it took. So I ask, "Imagine how it would sound had you spent even one day last week actually practicing?" Yes, just imagine. Lest the performance be a fluke, I do repeat all that I had encouraged the week before, highlighting the improvements, and more than likely, making additional suggestions.
Another reason not to accept missing a lesson is in that word I used above: "ingrained". When a student hasn't heard her teacher's words of advice and encouragement for a week, she tends to forget them, even though I have written them clearly in her assignment book. The trouble spot is still there. She may very likely continue to play that trouble spot as she originally learned it. The incorrect fingering or phrasing becomes ingrained in the hands, and all that much harder to break. Attending an intervening lesson will always highlight that same section, review the proper fingering or approach, and lead to improvement.
In a nutshell, daily practice is an essential element in moving forward at the keyboard. Weekly lessons are vital -- no excuses. 30 or 60 minutes of concentrated effort once a week with a teacher will highlight trouble spots and break bad habits. So get back on that piano bench and practice!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Noteworthy News ~ October 2010
We’ve been at it for a month already. And already each of you, from beginner to advanced, has made great strides at the keyboard. I look forward to every lesson, and to hearing what you’ve learned each week. Keep up the good work!
I need to postpone our previously scheduled mini-recital. I know as we move into November and December, everyone’s schedules become busy. Please check your calendar ASAP - how does Sunday, November 14, or Sunday, December 5 fit into your busy schedule? I need a commitment now in order to prepare a full program.
Why do I arrange these mini-recitals at Sunrise? It is an opportunity for younger members of our community to give back to our senior neighbors. I see it also as a “practice” performance, in front of a very accepting audience. And those who need it can earn an hour of community service. So let me know. And keep practicing!
I need to postpone our previously scheduled mini-recital. I know as we move into November and December, everyone’s schedules become busy. Please check your calendar ASAP - how does Sunday, November 14, or Sunday, December 5 fit into your busy schedule? I need a commitment now in order to prepare a full program.
Why do I arrange these mini-recitals at Sunrise? It is an opportunity for younger members of our community to give back to our senior neighbors. I see it also as a “practice” performance, in front of a very accepting audience. And those who need it can earn an hour of community service. So let me know. And keep practicing!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)