A daily calendar that I have in my studio had this wonderful quote by John R. Mott yesterday, “Difficulties are not without their advantages. They are not to unnerve us. They are not to be regarded simply as subjects for discussion nor as grounds for skepticism and pessimism. They are not to cause inaction, but […]
Teaching
Monday Mailbag – Video Recording on the iPod Touch
I’ve been looking into buying a tablet or something similar to use in my studio. I would like to be able to record video and watch it back right away, and then later upload to YouTube. Would the iPod Touch work well for that? At this point I pretty much feel like the iPod Touch […]
Music-Related Book Reviews
One of my favorite things to do is read a good book! Last year, I posted a list of recommended biographies, compiled from my own reading and recommendations from other Music Matters Blog readers. This year, I thought I would share several reviews of music-related books I read last year. I always want to read […]
What’s the Purpose of Your Studio?
In the latest newsletter from Character First!, column writer Gene Linzey asks the question, “What’s the Purpose of Your Business?” He shares the responses he received from several business owners and then reveals what he considers the correct answer: To serve others without a selfish motive. I was immediately compelled to ask myself the same […]
The 5 C’s of Learning Piano Technique
The longer I teach, the more convinced I am that good technique is one of the most important areas for beginning students to develop. That’s why it’s so important for parents to seek out an excellent teacher for their beginning student. The techniques they learn (or don’t learn, as the case too often is) can […]
Recital Repertoire Pop Quiz – Free Worksheet
Thanks to the inspiration of Sarah Lantz, of the Piano Discoveries Studio, I decided to surprise my students with a pop quiz at our Christmas Recital rehearsal. I just put together this simple Recital Repertoire Pop Quiz worksheet that I handed out to each student as they arrived – in exchange for the book with […]
