A recent video by the always creative Tim Topham features 20 Ways to Teach (or Play) Scales on the Piano: I’ve used a handful of these before, but especially like the idea of playing each scale with only one finger – for both theoretical purposes and to encourage the technique of weighted arms and whole […]
Teaching
Maestro Classics Music Story CDs for Kids
Anytime I see anything having to do with the Carnival of the Animals, I am immediately hooked! It’s one of my all-time favorite collections of music and I have used it multiple times for piano camps – for my piano students and for a special preschool Piano Expeditions music camp. So, when I recently came […]
A Personal Update
For anyone who follows along closely enough to notice, you can see that I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus here on Music Matters Blog. It’s been exactly three months since my last post – the longest break I’ve ever taken in the 15 years I’ve been blogging here! Some of that has been due […]
Free Videos for Teaching Young Piano Students
Renowned piano pedagogue Fred Karpoff, of Entrada Piano, recently announced his new free video series, Teaching Little Hands. So far he has uploaded video clips on Encouraging Improv, Arm Weight Drops, and Counting and Tapping Process. I have always loved and learned so much from observing masterclasses, so I’m thrilled to be able to watch […]
Imagine Symphony Live Premiers this Wednesday
Thanks to a successful $20,000+ Kickstarter campaign, Imagine Symphony Live will premier free to the public this Wednesday, at 5:45 p.m. (PCT) followed by a live Q&A with the creators. The film short is a collaboration between Musicians from Central Oregon Symphony along with cinematographer Bradley Lanphear, TV and film composer Chris Thomas, and producer/director […]
Have You Seen Alma Deutscher at the Piano?
I recently came across this delightful video clip of Alma Deutscher improvising at the piano on four notes randomly selected from a hat. It’s fascinating to watch, and her personality is endearing. I’m enjoying listening to selections from the album she released last fall, “From My Book of Melodies.” Definitely a rising musician to keep […]
