Monthly Archives: January 2011

Technique Troubles

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There are basically two schools of thought on technique:

  1. Technique is in the music. Draw from the repertoire to learn the necessary skills in order to play it well.
  2. Technique is what you bring to the music. Develop fluency in various skills so that when you want to learn a new piece of music you already have the tools you need to learn and play it well.

I confess that I have often waffled between these two philosophies and have yet to settle on one that undergirds my teaching approach. Here is my dilemma. The second philosophy makes more sense to me pedagogically and pragmatically, but there is no inherent motivation or convincing systematic approach to implementing it. In other words, that’s what may seem best for my students from my perspective, but they are much less inclined to work on fast, fluid arpeggios as an isolated exercise. If, however, a piece that they really wanted to play included several measures of arpeggios, they would work tirelessly to learn and play them well. Same goes for scales.

I used to be a stickler for working on scales, but only the rare student is motivated enough to work on them and learn them fluently from week to week. I always incorporate scales and other technical skills into my practice incentive theme for the year, but whether a student works on them or not is usually based on their personal goal selection for the week. And most students don’t voluntarily choose the scale option for their goal (shocking, huh? :-) ).

Anyway…I really want my students to be more skilled in technique. And by this, I don’t mean that they can come in and barely eek out a harmonic minor scale on the bazillionth try. I want them to be confident and fluent the first time. I’m working on some ideas, but would LOVE to get some advice from anyone who has experienced success in this area. What approach has worked the best for you? And I would love to hear from anyone – do you teach according to the first or second philosophy of technique? Anyone else struggling with this in your studio and want to work together to come up with a good solution?

Monday Mailbag – Ear Training for Blind and Autistic Student

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I’m looking around for a VERY basic ear training program for a new blind/autistic student. He has an excellent ear and is motivated to learn. Any ideas?

Yikes! This is a hard question, so I’m hoping some others will have some helpful answers. I’ve taught a number of students with various learning disabilities and visual tracking problems, but never one who was completely blind. Here are a few random resources:

Alfred’s Basic Piano Course Ear Training Books: http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/search?q=alfred+basic+piano+course+ear+training&id=97380

Various worksheets that you can download and print: http://www.composecreate.com/wendys-piano-studio/teaching-resources/ear-training

Various worksheets that you can download and print: http://www.sheetmusic1.com/EAR.TRAINING.HTML

Also, another thing that I’ve started doing a lot with my students, especially those who are more aurally inclined, is the Any Song Assignment. He would probably enjoy something like this:

http://musicmattersblog.com/2010/05/04/the-any-song-assignment/

http://musicmattersblog.com/2010/05/18/the-results-of-the-any-song-assignment/

And that’s about the extent of my help in this area. Does anyone else work with a blind student or know of any resources that could be used in such a situation?

Remember, if you have a question you’d like to contribute to next week’s Monday Mailbag, leave it in the comments below or send me an e-mail sometime this week with Monday Mailbag in the subject line!

EveryNote – the world’s largest digital music library…

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…at least that’s what their website claims. Maybe I’ve been living under a rock, but I just came across this EveryNote website for the first time. One of my students was interested in finding a piano transcription of Vivald’s Four Seasons, and our online searching led us to this vast database of digital music downloads. The prices seem very reasonable (for only $4.49 we were able to purchase and download the 42-page decently notated transcription). We had a little glitch with the download, but an e-mail to the customer service was responded to quickly and the issue was resolved.

I haven’t explored the site in great detail yet, but it looks like another resource to keep in the files for future reference!

Fabulous Resource for Worship Song Chord Charts

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While doing some searching around recently for some lyric and chord charts, I came across this wonderful website called Worship Archive. The site has a fabulous database of today’s most well-known and oft-sung praise and worship songs available for free download. I always have students who are working on keyboarding skills or who get asked to play with their praise bands at church, so I am thrilled to know about this site! My students and I will be getting lots of use out of it, for sure. :-)

MeetUp in Milwaukee…

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In just ten and a half weeks, the doors will open to Music Teachers National Association’s (MTNA) annual conference. This year’s event will be held in Milwaukee, WI – heralded as the “City of Festivals.” The 5-day conference will include: workshops, teaching demonstrations, recitals, new material showcases, competitions, and lots of opportunity for networking and fellowship. I always love attending the national conference, and will be live-blogging from the event again this year!

Last year we had a fabulous get-together of virtual friends one evening, and I would love to put together something similar this year. If you are planning to attend and would like to meet up for dinner one night, just send me an e-mail and I’ll keep you in the loop as we discuss the details! :-)

(Also, remember to register by February 16 to receive the early registration prices!)

Review and Giveaway of Old MacDonald Had the Blues Piano Book by Rebekah Maxner

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If student demand is any indication of quality, this music “re-telling” of classic folk songs is already destined for success! Shortly after receiving a copy of “Old MacDonald Had the Blues” from its composer, Rebekah Maxner, a student asked me what it was. I played him a sampling of some of the pieces and he’s been begging to take it home and play them himself ever since. (Thus, he is thrilled that I’ve finally finished writing the review so that he can set to work on his favorite, Twinkle, Twinkle Superstar!)

Each piece in the collection is catchy and fun, and just right for an intermediate-level student! You can get an idea of the various styles just by looking at the clever titles:

  • Old Macdonald had the Blues
  • Three Cool Mice
  • Mary had a Little Jam
  • Jack and Jill went to the Beach
  • Jazz! Goes the Weasel
  • Hickory Dickory Rock
  • Jingle Bell Swing
  • R & B Baby
  • Hot, Hot Buns
  • Twinkle, Twinkle Superstar
  • The Wheels on the Bus go Ragtime
  • London Bridge is Getting’ Down

You can watch and listen to samples of all the pieces in this colorful book on Rebekah’s website. This would be a super fun collection even for a more advanced student to play as a set in a recital, perhaps with the audience guessing what familiar folk song is hidden within the rhythms and musical twists of popular styles like Jazz, Blues, Ragtime, Latin, and more.

I am pretty sure that this new book will find a welcome reception in any studio. And Rebekah is offering the opportunity for one special studio to receive a copy for free! Just leave a comment below to be entered in a drawing to win Old MacDonald Had the Blues for your studio! And to start off the New Year giveaways, if you post a link to this giveaway on your blog, facebook, twitter, etc. you will receive one extra entry per posting. Just leave a separate comment for each posting. The drawing will be held at noon (CST) on Thursday, January 20, 2011.

Monday Mailbag – Scheduling Breaks

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I’d love to hear how you “schedule” your year. I’m teaching through the Christmas holidays. Always have. But now that I’m in it I sure would love a break to spend more time with my own children.  In the summer (June, July, August) I teach every week as well unless I am out of town, and then I have a substitute teacher here in my place. But I’d sure like a break myself…

I personally think it is really important for both the students and myself to have periodic breaks. This gives all of us the opportunity to get refreshed, just play for fun, and re-evaluate goals for ongoing study. What I do is publish a studio calendar at the beginning of the school year indicating any weeks that I will not be teaching. This includes a week off at Thanksgiving, two weeks off at Christmas, two weeks off for spring break, and often an additional week off in the fall and/or spring for a family vacation.

In the summer, I give families the option of taking off, continuing lessons in June and/or July, and participating in piano camps in July. Then I take off the month of August for traveling, planning, and putting together the next year’s practice incentive theme.

This scheduling system has worked really well for me for several years. And honestly, the time off doesn’t seem to negatively affect any of us to a great extent. Playing an instrument is something that should integrate into everyday life, with learning going on constantly as we learn new pieces, prepare for special occasions, etc. I try to encourage my students to learn new things and enjoy playing on their own. Obviously, the further along students get in their piano studies, the more they feel confident doing this, but even young ones who are equipped with the right techniques and given the right materials can make progress on their own.

I know there are lots of other scheduling approaches, so feel free to share! What has worked best for you and your students?

Remember, if you have a question you’d like to contribute to next week’s Monday Mailbag, leave it in the comments below or send me an e-mail sometime this week with Monday Mailbag in the subject line!

Inspiration from a Scientist

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To close out our week of inspirational New Year beginnings, I thought I would share a quote from a book I just finished reading:

“My dear children, I send you my best wishes for a happy New Year – that is to say, a year of good health, good humor and good work, a year in which you will have pleasure in living every day, without waiting for the days to be gone before finding charm in them, and without putting all hope of pleasure in the days to come. The older one gets the more one feels that the present must be enjoyed: it is a precious gift, comparable to a state of grace.”

The above was written in a letter from the renowned scientist Marie Curie to her daughter, Irene, and son-in-law, Frederic. I’ve been reading the biography of this amazing woman, written by her daughter, Eve Curie, and have been so inspired by her devotion to her work and her generous spirit. It has been incredibly enriching to enter the world of science through the pages of this engaging story. I’ve always loved reading biographies, but I am more compelled than ever to read those of people outside my usual sphere of involvement. For in so doing I am reminded that while we all operate in subcultures to some degree, there is a cohesiveness in the world as a whole that makes the life and legacy of each person relevant in myriad ways to all of us. Just see how Madame Curie’s above quote echos the same sentiment expressed thousands of years earlier by King Solomon:

“Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.”

With these things in mind, I’ve been compiling a list of biography suggestions and would love to add any that you all would recommend. I’m looking for ones that are inspiring, engaging, and well-written. Anyone have any suggestions?

Inspiration from a Home Magazine

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Somehow I started receiving a subscription to Traditional Home a while ago. Magazines are one of my weaknesses, so I usually like to skim through it and see if anything catches my eye! Well, as I was making preparations for my Christmas recital about a month ago, I was contemplating what sort of design to use for the programs. I like to do something different each year, but with 12 years of recitals behind me, I was running out of ideas! Enter: Traditional Home magazine. As I was perusing it one evening, I came across this page from their Marketplace:

This is my typical M.O. for “reading” magazines: I skim through them quickly, circle any points of interest and make accompanying notes, then go back through and tear out all the pages on which I made notes. On the page above, you can see that I circled a paper design for some custom gift tags. I loved the look of the design and thought it would be perfect for our Christmas recital program!

Thankfully, the winning student artwork for the cover was an excellent fit with the design! The program consisted of five interior pages, plus the front and back cover, then tied with the sparkling red, green, blue, and silver ribbon at the top. Just goes to show that you never know where inspiration will come from for the current project. And I think we can also surmise that one should never feel guilty for reading magazines – it might contain just the idea you need! :-)

The Greatest of These Is Love

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At the beginning of this school year, Lisa McCluer, a dear friend of mine who is also the president of the Kansas City Music Teachers Association, wrote a wonderful article for her association newsletter. This has served as such an important reminder to me in my teaching this year that I asked her if I could share it here. She graciously agreed. I hope that inspires you as it has me!

“Many of us have been busy planning out the year’s activities and incentives. One of the wonderful things about belonging to this organization is that we have access to so many inspiring ideas and so much useful information. As music teachers and professionals, we are always working hard to make sure we are covering everything for our students and improving on how and what we teach, but this can be overwhelming. As I thought about planning for my students, a verse came to mind: “If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.”

While it is important to continue to come up with new ideas, and improve on how we do things, we can get so focused on “performing” or “succeeding” that we can forget about what is most important: being in touch with our students – caring about them and their lives, developing their specific gifts and talents…this is the foundation of a good teacher/student relationship on which learning can be built. They are more than just “students” – they are each unique and individual, each to be cherished and valued. If we approach teaching in this way, then we can afford to be imperfect – it will turn out okay anyway. Of course, we do our absolute best, but sometimes it is a process to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

As I have gotten to know many of you, I am struck by how dedicated and professional you are, and how hard you work. It is easy to allow your work to consume your life, especially if you work at home. I urge each of you to evaluate your priorities – be sure to take time to take care of yourselves, spend time with loved ones, and to connect spiritually. If our lives are in balance, we can truly be the best teachers we can be! Happy Teaching!”