This just in, from Frederick!

I have just recently moved to Frederick, MD, and I'm taking the summer months to get situated and explore my new hometown.  So far I like what I see.  I've been to see a play and an art show, enjoyed a concert at the park just about every weekend, eaten my way around town, and toured a few wineries. Who knew Frederick was home to such viniculture?  It's a relatively new industry here, but the hills and valleys surrounding this city are quite conducive to growing grapes of such varieties that the wines from this area are enjoyable!  The fireworks in the park last night were spectacular.

I have been enjoying time at the piano this summer. I have read through volumes of lesson books, beginner to advanced, as well as supplemental materials.  I am currently reading Music Makes Your Child Smarter,  by Phillip Shepard.  I am familiar with the premise but had not appreciated the amount of research to back up the thought.  No, it does not necessarily make your child smarter, but it opens neural pathways, thus allowing the brain to be more receptive to processing and storing information.  The key is creating music, playing an instrument, engaging the brain in the creative process.

That's where I come in.  I am just setting up shop, as it were, here in Frederick. I plan to open my studio door in September.  The piano is tuned, I've just ordered new glasses so I can see the music, and I  am eager to get started.  Part of my plan is to write here once a week.  Wish me luck in that endeavor.  Here in my new abode, tiny house, tiny yard, I think I will find the time to get more accomplished.

Performing

Hee, ha, I love my job!  Earlier this month, my students performed their annual Halloween mini-recital for the residents of Sunrise Assisted Living.  The Activities Director had us set up in the cafe, a new performance space for us.  It was a more intimate space, easier for the residents to enjoy the children's performance.

It was a perfect performance.  The kids were happy to be there, enthusiastic to share their most recent repertoire, and they were well received.  They each played more than one selection; two girls had even composed their own creepy tunes.  I loved Opposite of Fun; Claire explained that it starts happy-go-lucky, but as the Halloween evening wears on, night begins to fall, and it gets scary. She did an excellent job,  and used most of the keyboard to describe the fright of the night.

The Sunrise staff is always welcoming, and treats the children and adult alike with cookies and juice after the performance.  The following week, we changed our focus to holiday music.  As musicians, we prepare to celebrate the holiday at least a month early, so by the time Christmas is upon us, we can play those carols with confidence.  Anyone walking by my house this month has heard many versions of Jingle Bells.  We're planning a Twelfth Night party to enjoy lots of Jingle Bells and other winter fare. Oh, I love this time of year!

 

Happy Halloween

My young students are gearing up for Halloween.  We are presenting a mini-recital at Sunrise Assisted Living next weekend.  The kids are excited; the music they have chosen is a whole lot of fun.  I even have one student who has written her own Halloween composition.  She calls it The Opposite of Fun, and she uses the whole keyboard to describe a spooky, not-so-fun Halloween night.

It's funny how different people respond to their assignments.  I told everyone that I was challenging them this fall.  I am pushing a little harder than in the past.  Some step right up to the plate, and conquer the tricky passages without much complaint.  Others look at the music and say that there's no way they can play it.  We approach it phrase by phrase, measure by measure if needed, and they come out claiming how easy it was to learn!

I am very proud of my students' achievements already this fall.  I'll write again after the mini-recital with a review of their performances.  I am looking forward to it.  Happy Halloween!

Practice time

I addressed this issue earlier, but I return, because it is an on-going concern.  Both the teacher and the parents are key elements in the practice routine, at least with younger students.

I'll address the teacher first.  How many times have your students made no progress between lessons?  You know it's all about the practice.  Talk to the child. Ask him or her what else is on the plate that keeps him from the piano. A lot of kids are over-scheduled any more. "If it's Tuesday, it must be piano" kind of week. Ask him why he takes lessons in the first place? Remind him that mom and dad are paying real money for the privilege (yes, it is a privilege) of taking lessons. 

Does he like sports?  Is he an athlete?  Remind him how the team has to practice in order to improve; same with musicians. 

Practice with her at the lesson, and write down exactly what she needs to do over the next week. Have her repeat the assignment to you, in mom or dad's presence. Do mom and dad understand the assignment?  Write it out clearly, so there are no questions.

Ask him if there's a specific piece he wants to learn, and find it at his level.  Not always as easy as it sounds; you might need to edit it a bit to fit his abilities.


Assign 3 or 4 short pieces she can read through at home, then have her pick her favorite piece to practice for the next lesson.   What about that piece does she especially like?  

Perhaps you need to lessen the assignment. Or have him keep a daily record of his practice time. 


Parents, I have less suggestions for you.  I actually don't like parents to push too hard; that often results in angry practice, which accomplishes very little.  At least in my house, the more I pushed, the more she pushed back.  My own daughter learned to hate the French horn.   

Does she watch a lot of TV? Does she have an electric keyboard?  She can play that during commercials. These days, I think there is more time spent airing commercials than the program.  

Is the piano in a busy section of the house? He can run through a scale or a quick passage when he walks past the piano.  

Even my committed adults have weeks where there really isn't time to practice. The lesson is a time to slow down, to enjoy the process of making music. 

More than just a few thoughts. Sorry. My goal is not to make masters at the keyboard, but to encourage a love of music. Beat the rhythm on a drum, play the melody on a kazoo. And don't forget to laugh during your lessons.  Remember, it's really not "work" you're asking him to do; he gets to "play" the piano. Such fun!   Good luck.

Adult Soiree

I had 6 adult students at the community college this past summer.  I love teaching adults.  They take lessons because they want to, not because mommy wants them to.  They take practice time seriously, and admonish themselves when they don't meet their own expectations.  Makes my job easy.

My adult students are at both ends of the experience spectrum, and all are enthusiastic about their progress over the summer session.  The absolute beginner learned Jingle Bells, and given the extreme temperatures this summer, it helped her to cool down each evening.  A more advanced student worked on Grieg's Norwegian Concerto.  When she and I first met over the phone, she exclaimed that she wanted to play "that piece that goes buumm, bump bump buumm,"  I knew exactly what she meant, and actually have 2 copies!  Not the whole concerto, but a piano reduction.  She read through it gloriously, but the rhythm just wasn't there.  With some clapping exercises, bongo drums and rhythmic poetry, we conquered that challenge.  May I add, a good time was had by all.

I hosted an adult soiree at the end of the summer term.  One student had to back out at the last minute for work.  The others arrived, amazingly all at once.  My living room was chock full.  Everyone played beautifully, and confidently.  When the performance segment of the evening came to a close, we moved over to the dining room to share stories over wine and cheese.  Everyone had a great evening.

I am hoping to make the soiree a semi-annual event.  I have hosted soirees in the past, and get the most pleasure from watching the faces, of performer and audience alike.  The pride both in and out of the limelight is palpable.  Let's do it again!

September First

School started this past week, giving me a week to prepare my studio for the piano year.  I like to give my students and their parents the first week of school away from the piano, enabling them to make the transition from lackadaisical summer to structured school year as smooth as possible.  My lessons will recommence on Tuesday.

In the meantime, I am sprucing up my studio.  Fresh paint on the walls and ceiling.  Yes, the Teletubby water stain above the piano will soon be a thing of the past.  I am very excited about the studio up-do.  The shelves that house all my music are not big enough to hold the books vertically -- I'm getting that changed.  New wall color to coordinate with the re-upholstered furniture, and new curtains.  I'll even wax and polish the floor.  When all is said and done, I hope to find my camera and post a picture of the finished product.

All that being said, I am still accepting students for the coming piano year.  The first lesson is complimentary; we need to make sure we fit.  I am currently teaching Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons for school age children; adult lessons are any time of day.  Give me a call, or shoot me an e-mail.  I will be happy to discuss my philosophy and studio policy with you.  Remember, you are never too old to learn to play an instrument.  Or too young, for that matter.  I love what I do, and I do it well.

Summertime, Part II

Last week I had the privilege of volunteering at an arts camp here in Annapolis.  Arts Mentorship Academy, run by Creating Communities, is a weeklong camp for underprivileged youth in Anne Arundel County.  Interest and participation this year was so great, 2 camps ran concurrently; the 120 students, ages 7 - 17,  divided to small groups, enjoyed learning various art forms taught by master artists and teachers.

Each morning started with a short meditation, where the children quieted themselves, read affirmations and poetry, and prepared for the day ahead.  One class taught the art of journaling and book-making; another featured origami.  I assisted in the painting room, where we painted picture frames and created a 4 panel mural "Life Is Art Is Life," which was the theme of this year's camp.  

The dance portion of the camp was especially noteworthy.  The 10 or 12 students in each group collaborated on a dance, each group creating its own ballet, hip-hop, or blues expression.  The children work together to develop a theme, offered suggestions, and chose dance steps and gestures to express their theme.  The final product was a beautiful portrayal of cooperation.

As do many arts camps, Arts Mentorship Academy brought the week to a close with a performance.  The campers invited family and friends to Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, to see and enjoy all that they had learned over the week.  I have already doted on the dancers.  Some children displayed their journals, and shared some of their entries, specifically a day or experience in their life that is etched upon their heart.  The stories all told of the love of family, and brought a tear to many an eye in the audience.  Others read affirmations and poetry they had written.  Two boys spoke on what this camp experience meant to them.

At the close of the program, all were invited to share a meal before heading home.  These kids took home with them great experiences of leadership and cooperation; they learned to calm themselves when all around them is wild; they learned to express themselves through dance, words, music and art.

To learn more about the Arts Mentorship Academy, and to see how you can support this and other various  on-going projects and programs, please go to 
www.creatingcommunities.net.  There you can also see pictures from camp.  What a great week it was!