Gerald Klickstein’s seasonal newsletter is always chock full of links to various articles and resources for musicians. His book, The Musician’s Way, still stands out in my mind as one of the most insightful and practical that I’ve read on the topic of practicing. In his Summer 2023 newsletter, he linked to an Efficient Practice […]
Teaching
Invisible Labor
One of my favorite quotes is this gem from Victor Hugo, author of the literary classic, Les Miserables: “A man is not idle because he is absorbed in thought. There is a visible labor and there is an invisible labor.” I am always reminded of those words this time of year when I begin brainstorming […]
Carnival of the Animals Remix
Anyone who’s been around here a while knows that I am a huge fan of Carnival of the Animals. It’s made its way into the theme of two of my piano camp programs! I was thrilled to discover recently that the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra performed a Carnival of the Animals: Remix that “takes viewers through […]
Redwood Resistance Piano Practice Incentive Theme is Now Available!
We just wrapped up the year in our studio with Year-End Evaluations this week, and our Redwood Resistance practice incentive theme was a huge hit! My studio age range right now is 6-17 years old, and levels range from brand new beginners to 10 years of lessons, and every one of them enjoyed the various […]
Guide to Contemporary Educational Piano Composer Websites
Several times now I’ve heard Dennis Alexander mention his personal website and how few teachers seem to know it exists. And several times now I’ve forgotten about it! So I decided that maybe if I make a point of writing about it, I’ll be more inclined to remember it. And while I was at it, […]
Teaching Piano Technique to Beginning Students
Tim Topham recently wrote a fabulous article that presents 4 Tips for Teaching Beginner Technique to piano students. He outlines the importance of non-legato touch, emphasizes forming a naturally curved hand, discusses naming musical gestures, and describes rotating the wrist. These closely parallel some of the technique principles I’ve discovered over the years and incorporate […]
