I guess I’m on an improvisation kick this week! As much as I am not a naturally gifted improviser, I have always admired those who were, and I see the value in helping students develop an openness to improvisation. Ever since I started doing student interviews years ago, one of the areas that I include […]
Quick and Easy Improvisation with Students!
If I have a student who struggles with note reading, but loves “doodling around” on the piano and/or if I have extra time at the end of a lesson, I often opt for my quick and easy improvisation activity. I sit at one piano and the student sits at the other (if you only have […]
Monday Mailbag – Practice Expectations for Sick Students
I was wondering if you and other teachers would share their policies for students getting their practice time in if they are sick? I have had the flu for 7 full days and realized how completely it knocks one out…I thought of my students, and think if they get it that I should most definitely […]
Happy Thanksgiving Week!
I’m off this week in my studio and decided to take a week off from blogging as well. Hopefully I can tackle all the things that I’ve been adding to my list of oh-I-can-just-wait-and-do-that-during-my-week-off. 🙂 I’ll leave you with a beautiful quote that some friends sent me recently: “Next to the Word of God, the […]
Musical Definitions
I’ve subscribed to the Clavier Companion magazine this year and carved out some time over the last week to read through it. Several of the articles were just wonderful! The interview with Louise Goss was inspiring, the Diary of a Cliburn Competitor was intriguing, and both Unlocking the Mystery of Playing by Ear, and Sight-reading […]
More About Christmas
Is everyone else in the midst of Christmas music and preparations for Christmas recitals? Somehow it snuck up on me this year, so I didn’t get the recital selections to all my students until last week. Gulp! I hope they are motivated to work really hard between now and the recital to get them learned […]
