James Koertz has become one of my go-to arrangers for hymns and Christmas songs. I love his vibrant arrangements that fit the hand well and are easy to learn, pleasing to the ear, and fitting for nearly any occasion. He has a new arrangement of Joy to the World that is available for free for […]
Recital Ideas
Review and Giveaway of Rock the Boat by Rebekah Maxner
They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Whoever “they” is. However, if you did so in regards to Rebekah Maxner’s newest piano book for early elementary students, Rock the Boat, you’d be justified. Every piece is as delightful as the colorful illustration on the cover suggests! The student parts are truly simple […]
September Surprise is a World of Fun!
In keeping with this year’s World of Wonder practice incentive theme, I planned our annual piano studio kickoff (a.k.a. September Surprise!) with a world theme. Even the parents had a great time putting their world knowledge to use as we played rounds of a game where they had to alternately identify a landmark (or its […]
September Surprise – Always a Favorite!
This past week marked our annual September Surprise! – the kickoff to our studio year, named so because the students all surprise me by playing any piece of their choice. It’s always fun to hear what they’ve continued playing through the summer or what new pieces they’ve learned on their own. Here are a few […]
Year-End Celebration is a Hit!
For the conclusion of our practice incentive theme, Beat the Pirates!, this year, I hosted a celebration party. All the students converged on our house for a couple of hours last night and we spent the time… …going through the line of pizza toppings… …meticulously selecting just the right toppings for each personal pan-sized pizza… […]
A Lovely Night
Due to a number of unexpected circumstances last year, I made the difficult decision not to host any kind of Christmas recital for my students (after 20 years of that annual tradition!). Instead, my husband suggested that we do something for Valentine’s Day. I decided to give his idea a try, and we had an […]
