How do you help your students when they keep playing the same mistakes? I tried different method and section or so-called “smart practice” with him, but somehow, he still makes the same mistakes even though I have said that a thousand times!

What a relevant question for all of us music teachers! This is such a broad issue that we could approach it dozens of different ways, but let me just offer 5 tips for addressing persistent mistakes:

1. Identify what the root issue is that’s causing the mistake. As the teacher, you basically have to be a super sleuth – watching every little detail as your student plays so that you know what’s going on and what issues need to be addressed. For example, let’s say that your student is playing the wrong note every single time in a particular place. As the teacher, you have to observe and figure out why – is he reading it incorrectly? Or is he using a poor fingering choice that’s causing him to miss the note? Or is he playing by ear and has the wrong note stuck in his head so that it sounds like the correct note?
2. Guide the student to identify the problem. Start more generally and move to specific targeted questions, like, “Are there any spots where you’re having trouble?” “Do you like how the piece sounds when you play it?” “Do you have any questions about any of the notes?” “In measure 5, do you realize that you’re playing a note differently than what’s written in the printed music?” “Can you tell which note it is?” And so on.
3. Help the student hear the difference between the correct way to play it and the incorrect way that they are playing it. This seems similar to the previous point, but it’s one step further. I actually hit on this crucial step after one of my lessons one week. At my first practice time following the lesson, I stared at my printed music, thinking, “I know there was something about this section that I needed to fix, but now I can’t remember what it was!” As I thought about this disconnect in my own experience, I realized that teachers often hear a problem and tell the student what it is and how to fix it; but unless the student actually hears the problem for himself, he won’t be able to take the appropriate ownership to make a difference in his playing. Basically, you want to get the student to the point that when he plays it incorrectly, he immediately hears it and is compelled to fix it.
4. Determine the student’s level of interest in fixing the mistake. Is this a piece that the student has been working on for months and is sick of playing? Do they like the piece? Do they want to play it better, or are they happy with where it’s at? Of course, you don’t want to enable students who have a tendency toward laziness, but I think there are plenty of legitimate reasons to move on even if a piece is not perfected. As the teacher, just make a note of the concept or skill with which the student is struggling and find another piece of repertoire that will address it.
5. Be up front with the student. Maybe it’s because I’m impatient with lack of progress, or maybe it’s because I’ve just learned not to gloss over things with my students, but I have no problem saying to a student. “OK, you’ve been playing this same mistake for the last three weeks. Are you really still having trouble with it or are you just not putting in the time to fix it?” Put the responsibility back on their shoulders if you’ve given them the tools and instruction they need to fix the mistakes and play the piece. Above all, welcome communication. Find out what’s going on and why they aren’t making progress. I used to have a habit of tip-toeing around things like this because I didn’t want to hurt my students’ feelings, but nobody enjoys doing something repeatedly that they’re not good at, so if they’ve been stuck on the same problem for a considerable length of time, be up front and work with them to figure out how to get past it. Encourage them and let them know that you have confidence that they can overcome the difficulties and play the piece beautifully. Everyone – including the student – will be much happier in the end!

Like I said, there are many other ways of addressing situations like this – and we all face such situations! So, does anyone have other tips they’d like to offer for helping students overcome persistent mistakes?

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!

What happens when students just can’t memorize (I’m one of them; I just don’t have the capacity for memorization)? Do we give up on them as musicians, or is there another way?

We are all gifted in different ways, with different capacities for various skills. In my opinion, it’s more valuable to be able to sight-read with ease than memorize with ease. But that’s probably because I can sight-read well, but have great difficulty memorizing. One of my students and I have this debate frequently because he is…shall we say…significantly lacking in the sight-reading department, but he can memorize effortlessly and play dozens of songs off the top of his head. Naturally, he thinks that memorization is a more desirable skill than sight-reading. Too bad for him that I’m the teacher, so I win the debate by nature of that fact.

Anyway…my personal philosophy is to never have such a narrow view of what a music education has to look like that it doesn’t leave room for students who have a desire and/or talent to learn, but may not possess the capacity for certain things – like memorization. Along those same lines, unless my students are playing in a competition or festival that requires memorization, I leave it up to them whether they want to perform from memory or with the printed music in front of them. Some play better from memory; some enjoy the challenge of working a piece up to that level; others prefer the security of playing with the book. I’d rather have them play beautifully while looking at the printed music than have a disastrous experience just because I required memorization and they couldn’t handle the pressure.

I guess for me, memorization just isn’t that big of a deal. But I’d be interested to know what others think. Do you require memorization? What if you have a student who just can’t seem to memorize? Is that okay with you?

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!

I’d love to be able to use notation software in my studio. I have some budding composers, and I also would love to do my own “edits” of songs for some students that is more readable than me just printing it out. However, there are several products out there, and they all claim to be the best! Wondering if you use any, and also thought this might be an area that folks could share their expertise!

My first steps into the world of notation software came when a friend gave me her used copy of Print Music. I used that for several years until I came to the point where I needed capabilities that it didn’t offer. After doing some research, I eventually settled on Finale. There is considerable debate between Finale and Sibelius users and I won’t pretend to know enough to make a case for either. My only experience has been with Finale, but so far it does everything I need it to. They also have a NotePad version that is great for students as a starter-level software. It used to be free, but now costs $9.95. Still well worth it in my opinion!

There are a couple of free programs available: MuseScore is one that I heard about not to long ago. I’ve been wanting to take a look at it, but haven’t done so yet. LilyPond is an automated engraving system that looks really cool! I investigated it in depth several years ago, and if I had the time to devote to learning it, I would love to give it a try. (Definitely just for the more geeky among us, though. )

If you do decide to purchase a software program, I found this website called AABACA Music Barn that had by far the best prices I could find. It’s been quite a few years since I did my research, but I suspect they are still one of the best deals out there for music educators.

Obviously, my expertise in this field is rather limited, so if anyone else has thoughts or recommendations on notation software, please share!

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!

How can I help my students express with their bodies when they are playing? Many of them just SIT THERE and play. Even the students who play with all the expression (dynamics, phrases, articulation, etc.) feel intimidated when I ask them to move a little and not play like “robots.”

Years ago, when I was going through a class on storytelling techniques, one of the principles I learned was to move with purpose. Make your gestures match your words. I believe the same principle applies to playing the piano. Movement should be with purpose, subservient to the greater goals of beautiful sound and natural technique. That said, usually “robotic” playing is conducive to neither of these. Here are a few thoughts from working with similar students:

1. Start small. Be content with little bits of progress. For example, my first approach with students is always to get them comfortable with using the weight of their arm. I have them drop their arms in their lap, then have them drop one arm at a time into my hand and demonstrate by letting it go whether they have truly dropped all their weight, or are holding back. Sometimes even this little thing can take a student a couple of weeks. Others get it right off the bat. You just have to start where the student is at and go with them from there.
2. Emphasize natural design and flow. The impetus behind movement in playing is that we want to use every part of our body as it is designed and as it functions in the most natural way. For example, rather than using our fingers as levers, we can achieve greater velocity and consistency by maintaining a fairly stable hand position and just rotating the bones of the forearm that connect to the wrist. (Many people refer to this as “wrist rotation,” but I prefer to have the students think of the rotation as originating in the forearm as a more true understanding of the function.)
3. Less is more. Ultimately, we want to plan our gestures and body movements so that we achieve the greatest results with the smallest number of movements. For example, consider the 2-note slur technique. Most students want to lift the wrist after the first and the second note. This generates more movement, but it is counter-productive. And it greatly impedes the flow of a piece of music at a faster tempo. Instead we aim for one intentional gesture that drops weight into the first key, transfers to the second, and releases in a natural fluid movement.
4. Lead the students to an experience that convinces them of the value of the movement. Again, if we are merely encouraging movement for movement’s sake, the student will easily disregard it because it feels awkward or unnecessary to them. However, if they are working on a piece and you show them a gesture or movement that makes it easier for them to play or enables greater technical facility or helps them create a more beautiful sound, they will be eager to put it into practice in their own playing.
5. Dig deeper. In my experience, most students’ movement – or lack thereof – at the piano directly correlates with their attitude. If a student plays with a sort of droopy look, they may be angry or depressed. If they play timidly, perhaps its because they lack confidence. If they play really fast and stiff, maybe they are stressed out. And so on. Instead of just observing piano techniques and movements as components toward the end goal of becoming a musician, you can also use them as “windows” into the hearts of your students. Because the music we make ultimately comes from the heart, the best way to play beautifully is to have a heart that’s in the right place. As we take time to get to know our students, communicate with them, and reach their hearts, the things we are teaching them about music and movement will be able to flow in a true and uncontrived manner from within them. I talk with my students a lot about the musical gifts God has given them and how we can use them to praise and glorify Him. Of course a whole range of emotions make their way into our lives and music, but if we want to be effective musicians, we should have hearts that are open to learning and growing so that we can develop our talents and skills to their greatest potential.

This is really a fascinating topic, so I’d love to have input from others. What have you found to be effective in helping students develop better choreography at the piano?

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!

I’m currently in a class called Group Piano and Technology, for my masters program.  We’re reviewing everything technology-related to teaching piano.  I know that you use Music Teacher’s Helper and I was wondering if there are any other similar programs out there that compare.  That was the only program of its kind that we discussed in the class and it would be nice to know if there’s something else out there just to “compare.”

Even before Music Teacher’s Helper was developed, I did some checking around to find a good bookkeeping software that would meet my needs. I downloaded a trial version of a software called Time Signature, but found that it didn’t fit the criteria of what I was looking for. So I continued for several years to battle the bookkeeping headache. My Dad, who is in the financial industry, even developed a custom Excel-based program that I used for a while. One of the main frustrations, though, with both of these approaches is that regardless of how meticulous I am in recording payments, handling scheduling, etc. there is no way for the studio families to access and view their records. That’s why I really love the online-based platform! in addition to the studio-wide accessibility, this also allows for constant updates and improvements without having to download and install new software.

All that said, I have been so pleased with Music Teacher’s Helper that I haven’t had any occasion to search around to see if there is anything comparable on the market. Has anyone else found another similar program for your studio bookkeeping? Feel free to leave any links or suggestions in the comments!

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!

I have a question brought up by one of my students. She asked me if my back ever hurt after practicing for a long time. I told her yes, and then began to wonder if there was anything I could suggest for her to do to help it not hurt (and for me too!). I look forward to seeing some of your suggestions.

This is such an important issue! So many musicians have had to quit or greatly reduce their playing due to pain. Thankfully, though, in recent years an incredible amount of research has been done and many individuals and groups are working to educate musicians on how to avoid injury while playing.

One of the things that I learned when I went through some Suzuki piano training is that every part of the body is interconnected and there are both natural and unnatural ways of using them. The point of pain may not necessarily be the root of the problem. For example, a pain in the back could come from tension in the shoulders. Or it could come from an incorrect sitting position on the bench (anyone heard of the “sit bones”? ). Or I’m sure there are plenty of other possible root causes.

I would recommend reading the notes from the workshop presented by Beth Grace called, Beyond Scales and Hanon. Beth’s workshops (I’ve been to several) have been some of the most valuable resources for me as a teacher. Above all, I have learned from her the importance of researching and educating myself on the area of technique and proper/natural body movement so that I can intently observe my students, properly diagnose technical problems, and guide them in finding solutions that will make their playing easier and more beautiful.

Gerald Klickstein, of The Musician’s Way, has an extensive list of wellness resources that would be a great starting point for finding books and/or articles related to specific areas. A quick list of easy-to-implement tips that you’ll find in almost any discussion of this topic include:

• Do appropriate stretches before you commence practicing. Just as athletes set aside time to stretch the muscles that will be called upon in their sports, musicians should take time to stretch and warm up their muscles as part of their practice session.
• Take periodic breaks. Practice sessions don’t have to be marathons. I tend to be a chunk-of-time person; I like to set aside the time and work until I finish a project. But I’m learning that with practicing it can be better to take short breaks or spread the time throughout the day so that the brain is refreshed and you can focus better on the task at hand.
• Drink lots of water. You should be constantly replenishing your body fluids through the day to maintain optimal brain and muscle functioning. Just have a glass of water somewhere close to the piano and take drinks in between pieces.

I know there are others who have done much more extensive research and have more experience in this area than me, so if you have comments or suggestions related to dealing with pain, feel free to comment!

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!

How do you teach beginners ¾ time without having them pause and feel the nonexistent beat four? No matter how often I waltz around the room or count out loud emphasizing the first beat or even play the song for them, they still hold beat three twice as long as it should be. I’m starting to think it would be better to start beginners off with triple time and then switch to common time after that. Do you have a successful approach? Or do you think they’ll “get it” after a while?

Ah, yes, that sneaky beat four that just doesn’t like to be left out! This is definitely a challenge for youngsters, but it can be done. Rhythm is such a critical component of playing an instrument – arguably even more important than note reading – so it’s something worth working on over and over again until they get it. And the younger the better! Here are a few approaches that I use. Obviously, some students get it quickly with little need for reinforcement, whereas others missed out when the rhythm gene was being distributed, so it takes every approach imaginable (and then some!) before they really start to internalize different pulse patterns.

• Instead of you doing the waltzing and counting for them, have them do it with you. I almost always introduce 3/4 time by having the student learn the waltz. We emphasize the big step on beat one and then the two smaller steps following it. Movement is key, because you ultimately want the student to internalize the pulse.
• Be completely up front with the student if they are playing incorrectly. In my early years of teaching I was so afraid of hurting a student’s feelings that I often glossed over issues like this. I have since learned that the best thing I can do for my students is communicate openly with them and do what it takes to help them become skilled musicians. Acknowledge that this is a challenging time signature  and that most students have a difficult time getting it at first, but if they learn it well now, they’ll have it down for life!
• Break it down. You want students to be successful every step of the way, so perhaps having them just play the first two measures in perfect rhythm would be a great first step. The penny game is perfect for this approach! Once they play the first two measures correctly a specified number of times in a row, add the third measure and do it again. This should help them grasp the concept of moving seamlessly from one measure to the next.
• Tap and count out loud. This is another approach I used to be hesitant about, but now every one of my students from beginner through advanced knows that if they are not playing the rhythm correctly they are going to have to count out loud. (By the way, if I have a student who protests that he’s already counting in his head, I say, “That’s great! Then it should be a piece of cake for you because now you just have to have your mouth say what your brain is already thinking.”) Again, the goal is accurate rhythm, so if we have to feel slightly ridiculous to reach that goal, so be it. Better to feel slightly ridiculous in the safety of the studio than face the big world outside as an incompetent musician.
• Use a rhythm instrument. Drums are especially good, and I will often pull out my djembe and have the student beat the pulse while I play and then swap instruments. In order to get the feel of the the 3/4 time, I have them beat the first beat slightly louder than the second and third.
• Record the student playing the piece. Have them listen to the recording and follow along with the printed music and see if they can identify any places where they pause, play a note too long, cut a note too short, etc. If they can hear the error, that will be a huge first step toward them being able to correct it. It’s surprising how many students don’t hear what they’re doing incorrectly – even by listening to their recording!
• Be aware of other issues that may be manifested in incorrect rhythm. Typically this case is a rhythm-specific issue, but occasionally a student will be struggling to play on beat because they are unsure about which note to play, or they are using poor fingering, or they are trying to read the words, etc. As a teacher, you have to be careful to identify what the root issue is and then address that, knowing that it will result in the correction of the secondary issues as well.

As always, if anyone has other suggestions on this issue, please feel free to share what works 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!

I have been pondering how to teach memorization to students who have a different learning style from me.  I know exactly how I memorize, but if visualization is not working for one of my students what can I try?

This is a great topic that I hope others will weigh in on as well! Most of my childhood recital horror stories are related to being required to perform from memory and then going blank somewhere in the middle of the piece. Mostly this was because although I was required to perform from memory, no one ever taught me how to memorize. The most common memorization technique of playing a piece until your fingers remember how to play it even without having to read the music anymore (muscle memory) is also arguably the least effective.

In her book Thinking As You Play, Sylvia Coats outlines a strategy for memorization that works wonders! I know this because she is my teacher and the one who actually taught me how to memorize. I use the same approach – or various elements of it – with my students to help them develop this important skill as well. Ultimately, you want every relevant sense to be fully engaged in the process so that the memory is as secure as possible. On top of that, the brain has to understand what is going on and be able to communicate important information to the necessary body parts when the nerves hit in a performance situation. Here are a few tips I’ve learned when it comes to memorization:

1. Start early! I want students to feel comfortable performing from memory when they get older, so the best thing is to start young so that they can learn the techniques and establish good habits in this area.
2. Identify form and patterns. Starting as early as the primer level books, I discuss the form of new pieces with my students and have them label the sections and point out patterns that look the same and sections that look different. We also relate pieces back to the pentascales and chords as often as possible so that they are connecting with something that is already familiar to them. This aids in establishing mental pathways in the brain that are incredibly helpful for memorization!
3. Verbalize intervallic relationships. A perfect example of a piece where I do this is Kaleidoscope Colors in the Piano Adventures Technique and Artistry Level 1 book. I would have the student identify the fifth that remains the same in the left hand throughout the first line and then point out the descending interval pattern in the right hand. Then I take the book away and ask if they can play that line from memory. Since they haven’t even played through it yet, this usually takes them by surprise! But after a minute of reflecting on the pattern they just described to me, they are usually able to pull it off. I, of course, make a big deal about memorizing an entire line of music in a matter of minutes and without ever having played it! We follow suit and memorize the rest of the piece at the lesson, then I assign them to play it by memory during the week.
4. Establish key starting points throughout the piece. The student and I usually go through the piece and place numbers to indicate separate starting points. Often these align with the form of the piece, but there may be more or fewer starting points, just depending on the piece. I write the same numbers on little slips of paper and then draw a random one and have the student practice starting at that starting point. We continue until they’ve played through every section of the piece. This helps create a musical “road map” they can follow as they perform and gives them places to get back on track if they should happen to blank out or lose their place.
5. Insist on consistent fingering. I believe this is critical to effective memorization! When students are memorizing, they must memorize the fingering along with everything else and then drill it in until it is second nature. Failure to memorize the fingering and play it consistently can ruin the flow and artistry of a piece of music that a student might otherwise play beautifully. This is especially hard for students like me who are very visual and tend to rely on seeing those fingerings written on the page to keep us on track.

Those are a few of my thoughts, but I’d love to collect some more memorization tips to use for myself and with my students, so please share away!

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!

I’d like to know how you teach students about hymn improvisation! Do you have any teaching ideas? Thanks a lot!

This is one of those things that I heard other pianists do growing up and always wanted to learn, but never could figure out how to do it. Gradually, through the years as I asked lots of people for tips and read ideas and took classes here and there, I began to pick up some helpful suggestions. Obviously, it’s not something that comes naturally for me, and I don’t have a very good ear either, so it’s been pretty challenging, but I’ve definitely made progress. And hopefully I have a better grasp of how to teach students who want to learn, but don’t come by it naturally!

First off, there’s a great website now that I wish had been around when I was trying to learn hymn improvisation: The Church Pianist. The site is run by Jennifer Cook, and there are tons of great tips and resources for aspiring church musicians. I recommend starting with this post – The Church Pianist: How to Improvise Hymns?

Jennifer has lots of systematic approaches for those who are at the level where they are ready to start playing hymns. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that there are lots of things that you can do much earlier on with a student so that they are already developing the skills they will need for improvisation – whether it’s playing from a hymnal or reading a lead sheet. Here are some of the things I do:

* Require students to learn scales, arpeggios, primary triads and inversions, 7th chords, etc. Applied theory and fluid technique are essential for improvising. You have to not only know the key and chord structure, but be so used to playing it that it comes pretty naturally when you’re incorporating it into an improvisation.

* Have students pick out familiar tunes by ear, then add blocked chords, then broken chords, then make their own arrangements, etc. This is helping train the student’s ear for melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic aspects of playing music. I almost always begin with Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star because everyone knows it and it’s simple enough for anyone to learn.

* Encourage students to transpose early on. As soon as my students have learned their first several pentascales, I give them a challenge to transpose a particular assigned piece into another key. For the young students I describe this as moving a piece from the C-pentascale position and playing the same pattern of notes in, say, the G-pentascale pattern. For older students who have learned all their scales, I usually say, “Transpose to as many keys as possible” and then put little check boxes beside the name of each key. This is building muscle memory and good listening skills.

* Do a variety of improvisation activities with students to help them gain confidence in playing things that are printed on a page in front of them:
Quick and Easy Improvisation with Students
Black Key Improvisation
The Best Thing We’ve Done this Spring

* As far as actual hymn improv for younger students, I start them out with an early level hymn book. There are a number of different ones out there. Just keep in mind that you don’t want a book of arranged hymns for this; you want some pretty run-of-the-mill melody in the right hand, single note or chord in the left hand, for this purpose. Have them pick a favorite hymn and learn it as written. Then talk through the underlying theory with them – what key it’s in, what the primary triads are, etc. Help them come up with creative ideas to add in extras in the music that might sound good – full chords where there are single notes, fill-in notes when there is a skip in the melody, broken chords instead of blocked chords, etc.

* Have the student play hymn arrangements that are level-appropriate. This is a great way to learn as well! Try to help them be attuned to what they’re playing – point out chord patterns, scale passages, cool-sounding harmonies, etc. and then encourage them to transfer those same arrangement techniques to other hymns.

Hopefully these ideas are helpful! I’m sure there are tons of other ideas out there, so if you have a suggestion for helping students learn improvisation skills, please feel free to share!

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!

I’ve perused your piano camp lesson plans and student workbook. They’re all very well done. I have some questions for you:

1) How do you schedule piano camp amidst summer private lessons?
2) What hours do you run the camp?
3) Are students able to take only a part of the camp and still know what’s going on if they missed earlier camp days?
4) If you’re willing to share the following question, great, but if not that’s fine too: How do you charge for piano camp?
5) What number(s) of students is a good number, and what number is too many?

It can be a bit intimidating to think about offering a piano camp for the first time, but I highly recommend it! Here are my answers to each question, along with some things I’ve learned over the past several years.

1) I do a survey at the end of the spring semester that helps me ascertain everyone’s summer plans and schedule accordingly. Here’s a post with a sample of the survey I use: http://musicmattersblog.com/2010/05/06/summer-is-just-around-the-corner/. I wait to figure out all the scheduling until I’ve heard back from everyone. Interestingly, this year I’m not even holding a regular piano camp because so many of my students opted to either continue with private lessons or take the summer off. I’m trying a new idea, though – a Pre-Piano Camp for children ages 3-5 who want an introduction to piano. The format is different for that; I’m hoping to share more about it later this summer after we have several more weeks “under our belt” so I can let you know how it’s working!

2) You’ll be able to see the options for this in the above survey as well. I do it for 2 hours each day. Since I’ve had up to three camps in one week before, I’ve sometimes done 10-12, 1-3, and 3:30-5:30. 2 hours seems like just the right amount of time for my studio.

3) I’ve had students miss a day or two here and there and it’s usually pretty easy to fill them in and pick up with wherever we’re at.

4) I charge the same as my monthly 45-minute lesson rate. This covers the week of camp, plus all supplies.

5) I’ve had anywhere between 4 and 8. It kind of depends on what all you’ll be doing and what equipment you have available. If you’re doing ensemble playing, then you’ll probably want to limit the number of students to the number of instruments you have available. I love working with all different-sized groups; you just have to factor in the different dynamics and then work with it.

I know there are quite a few other teachers who hold piano camps in the summer, so feel free to jump in with your own thoughts on what works well (and what doesn’t!) for your studio!

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!