Do you have any fun ideas for helping students improve their sight-reading skills? Oh yes! This is an area that is really important to me, so I’m always trying to come up with better ways of helping them develop sight-reading skills. One thing that is important to keep in mind is that sight-reading encompasses a […]
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Great Multi-Media Presentations on Composers
The San Francisco Symphony does such a great job of putting together these multi-media presentations to help visitors explore the lives and music of various composers. Just visit their Keeping Score website and click on the composer links to see it for yourself. Each one is designed differently, but is interesting and informative. While you’re […]
Amazing 6-Year Old Pianist and Composer
Have you seen or heard about Emily Bear? My sister told me about her several weeks ago, but I forgot to check out the links until just recently. Start off by watching this inspiring news story: Here’s another video I found that has a compilation of many of her original compositions: One thing that inspires […]
Monday Mailbag – Computer Lab
I think you mentioned before that you were going to start using a computer lab. How’s that going? I’d love to find out what programs you chose. Yes, at the beginning of last school year, I offered a computer lab time as an extra perk in which students could opt to participate. Instead of purchasing […]
Free Music Instrument Info Sheets for Students
Several of the symphony orchestras across the country have great, interactive websites for children, parents, and teachers. I just came across the Nashville Symphony Orchestra Kids website the other day. The Our Instruments section of the site has a photo and brief info about each instrument, along with a short recording so that students can […]
Monday Mailbag – Piano Methods
I’ve been talking to other teachers to find out what curriculum (technique, method, theory, etc.) they use in their teaching. Could you list what curriculum you use in your studio? This could be a long list! When I first started teaching, I used just about every method that I could find just so that I […]
