Merry Christmas!

Making Music and Enriching Lives

I recently finished reading Making Music and Enriching Lives by Bonnie Blanchard. I have been reading and discussing the book with my former piano teacher. There is much to learn from this book for music teachers. While Bonnie is a flute teacher, she tried to make sure the ideas put forth were compatible with other instruments. For the most part, I think she succeeded. She includes lots of tips for getting students to practice (a really big problem for teachers.) She also includes suggestions on how to practice. A student's biggest problem may be not knowing what they should be doing during practice time. She also discusses how to motivate students, prepare for recitals, concerts, and auditions. On a slightly different track, she does spend some time on the business aspect of being a music professional.


On the whole, I would recommend this book to other teachers looking for resources to boost their teaching skills.

My Piano

Artistic view of my piano

It all started in April 2013. I had played on a digital piano for years. My teacher didn't exactly like that, but she and I both dealt with it. I don't remember exactly how, but the idea of an acoustic piano popped into my head.

I wanted to teach piano, but I wasn't sure how to do it with one piano. I had three siblings at the time that needed to practice, I needed to practice, and I needed to give said siblings lessons on that one piano.  I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to teach more students and still have my siblings get their practice time in. So I did a little, half interested research into used pianos available in Portland. After my syllabus evaluation that month down at the university, my mom and I went to look at what was available at the local music store. When we got home, we talked to Dad about it and he was willing to think about it and search for an instrument. (Though at the time, I had thought a $500 piano from a dealer in Portland would be just fine.)

So my mom and I searched websites of the stores in Portland and searched Craigslist. We had a list of some that were interesting, and we planned to look at the $500 piano in Portland when I was at an OMTA recital at the store in late May. That's is when I found it.....

It was a beautifully restored upright piano. It was supposedly from a Kimball 1869, (that is what I found from my research as well, but my tuner thinks it is from the 1890's, it doesn't really matter to me), the woodwork was beautiful, the color nice and bright. Needless to say, I really, really, liked it. However, it was $1000, more than my dad would probably consent to. Well, that ended up not being so much of a problem, he was alright with that, but still cautious about the investment. I sent the link to my piano teacher. She was interested. The problem was we couldn't get ahold of the owner.  We tried, but we never got anything back.

So several weeks passed and I went to my recital in Portland. I played on all kinds of pianos, including a concert grand for my recital. My dad was now convinced, but after playing the $500 piano, we knew that wasn't going to be an option. It sounded terrible. I played another used piano, it was better, didn't cost too much, and I was interested. 

 

We had a friend of ours who is a piano tuner take a look at it.  He was favorable to it. I just still wasn't quite ready to commit to saying yes to buying it. Then she called, the owner of the beautiful Kimball piano.  She hadn't been able to get back to us because the email link was broken, so she hoped we didn't mind that she looked up our phone number. We set up a time to go see it and we took my piano teacher along. My piano teacher and I both played it. It was definitely out of tune, but it had a beautiful bass section. 

 

Back at home I was undecided.  My piano teacher liked it, I loved the woodwork, but I wasn't sure if it had a heavier action than the one in Portland. My piano teacher didn't think the action was too heavy though. I really wanted to say yes to the Kimball piano, but I just wasn't sure. I talked to my dad on the phone and he got me to admit that the Kimball is the one I really wanted.

 

It wasn't too long afterward that we made the arrangements to buy it, and had it moved to my house on June 7th! I was then the happy owner of a beautiful piano. 

 

Now I will show you the reason why I fell in love with it......

 

 

My wonderful piano with the eagle claw stool.

 

Audio collections

Having audio collections of various composers is an important asset to any musical studio. Listening to audio recordings of current repertoire pieces can help both student and teacher and inspire them to greater heights of musical achievement. Listening to audio recordings of potential repertoire helps me choose the music I will enjoy. No one wants to practice a song they hate!

To begin my library of classical music recordings, I bought the Rise of the Masters: Chopin -- 100 Supreme Classical Masterpieces audio collection from Amazon. This collection contains a selection of Chopin's waltzes, etudes, mazurkas, polonaises, nocturnes, and many other pieces. I liked that it was an Mp3 download and I could immediate load it onto my electronic devices. Another great benefit was that it was very inexpensive. Because it is so inexpensive, it would be a great suggestion for students to get their own copy so they can listen to the music at home. Happy listening!

Scott Joplin Rags

For my birthday, I received a book of Scott Joplin's complete rags. I was really excited to be able to dig into Joplin's music. I have been working on memorizing "The Entertainer", and have found that I really enjoy playing rags. My favorites from Schirmer's collection of Scott Joplin rags would be "Elite Syncopations" and "Bethena Waltz". This collection would be a good book for an advanced student to sight read from.


For my listening pleasure, I own Rags to Riches: the Essential Hits. This is a well done collection of a sample of Joplin's rags. It is available both as a Cd and as an audio download.

Composition Competitions

For many years, I participated in OMTA's Composition Celebrations, an event designed to encourage students to compose their own music. Since I graduated from piano lessons, I have not been participating in this event. However, I recently found that Greg Howlett is hosting music writing contests. It is open to various genres and instruments, and runs monthly. One of the criteria for winning is the marketability of the piece. Is there a viable market for it? An incentive for entering is the $250 dollar prize. All entrants can choose to have their piece posted as a free download on Greg Howlett's blog, although you may also be able to have it sold from his website instead. To find out more, click here. I have already submitted my own piece.

Mezzo Forte means Medium Fast!

I think all teachers have found at some time or another that they or their students have redefined the meaning mezzo forte and forte. The new meaning of mezzo forte is medium fast, and obviously forte means fast!


It is an interesting phenomenon that dynamic markings unconsciously influence how fast a section is played. Passages marked piano are often played slowly and treated reverently. Loud passages are played with great speed and gusto. It is amazing to see the connections we unconsciously make between speed and volume, and in turn connect to different emotions.

Quote from J. S. Bach

“Where there is devotional music, God is always at hand with His gracious presence.”  ~ Johann Sebastian Bach


(quoted from goodreads.com)

A Resource for Church Musicians

Recently, I found a wonderful resource for church musicians. Greg Howlett posts many free arrangements that would work for preludes, postludes, and interludes. He also writes posts about how to find the happy medium between being tied to the music and playing solely by ear. If you sign up for his newsletter, he will send you a free download for one of his CD's, a hymn arrangement that is not posted on his blog, and a free course on charting chords in a hymn.

Replaceable vs. Dispensable

Replaceable and Dispensable. These two terms when applied as adjectives to a teacher could easily be interpreted to mean that the teacher is easily replaced by another or that music is not important so music instruction can be dispensed with.

I do believe that a teacher should be irreplaceable, but in a way dispensable. First of all, the reasons should be obvious about being irreplaceable. We want to be good teachers so that our students won't want to find another teacher. We should seek to pursue excellence in teaching and a good teacher/student relationships. A good relationship goes a long way to keeping a student.

On the other hand, one of our long term goals for any student should be that they don't need us anymore. Hence, the reason we should be dispensable. It is important that we teach them how to practice and go about learning a piece so that they don't need us anymore. Being able to get a student to that level of independence, is the sign of a good teacher.

Sight Reading....

As I prepare my students for OMTA's spring syllabus, I want to test my students' sight reading so they are prepared for their syllabus evaluation. (For more on what OMTA's syllabus is, click here.) For the next few weeks, I will be working them through a sight reading book.

For beginning to intermediate students, it can be hard to find pieces that are easy enough for them to sight read that they haven't already learned. That is why I think a variety of sight reading books is an important asset to a teacher's library. It makes my job easier if I don't have to go searching through repertoire books looking for pieces that can be sight read. More advanced students can either play through an upper level sight reading book or an early grade repertoire book.

Anton Bruckner Quote

"They want me to write differently. Certainly I could, but I must not. God has chosen me from thousands and given me, of all people, this talent. It is to Him that I must give account. How then would I stand there before Almighty God, if I followed the others and not Him?" ~ Anton Bruckner (quoted from The Cult of Genius)

Valentines Day

So this year for Valentines Day I didn't get to making valentines for my students..... Oops. If any of you haven't given your students valentines yet and still want to, head over to Color in my Piano for some ideas for musical valentines!

Another Quote from J. S. Bach

"There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself" ~ Johann Sebastian Bach

I am sure that everyone who has played an instrument seriously questions the truth of this quote. :) I certainly don't think it is that simple!

Quote from J. S. Bach

"The final aim and reason of all music is nothing other than the glorification of God and the refreshment of the spirit." ~ Johann Sebastian Bach

Continuing to Perform

I desire that all of my students love to make music and to continue to use the skills they have learned long after they leave my studio. Yet, I realize that most music students won't become concert pianists, famous singers, members of a prestigious orchestra, or have any sort of career relating to music. So how can I encourage my students to use their gifts?

1. They can volunteer for their church worship group.
2. They can play in public venues, such as music stores, libraries ect. During the Christmas season, these places may be looking for people to volunteer to play quiet music for their patrons.
3. They can host a recital/concert at a retirement or nursing home. They could collaborate with friends who play different instruments.
4. They can play at a benefits concert. The more adventurous performer could put one together to raise money for the charity of their choice.
5. They can host their own post-lesson recitals.

This is only a sample of things that our students can do to keep using their musical education. No matter whether they do one or all of theses things, we should encourage them to do it for the glory of God.

Recommended Reading

I would recommend that my fellow teachers head over to Susan Paradis' blog, and read her post on "Six Secrets of Successful Music Teachers".  Happy reading!

Music History: How to

It is a problem I am sure music teachers have all had at one point or another: how do you include music history into a short lesson? You can use all of their lesson time just giving new assignments and listening to the old.

Including music history into a students lessons can take many forms, depending on the teacher's style or the student's learning style. If you have an older student that has access to a computer, you could send them links to articles about the different music periods, composers, or instruments. (Be sure to preview everything you send to you students.) This frees up time in the lesson that would otherwise be taken up with history. Younger students can read short articles that you print off the computer for them. The really young students could color pictures of composers with a little information about the person at the bottom of the page.

During the summer when things are likely to be a little slower, you could give your student an essay or poster board assignment. This lets them be a little more creative when they are less likely to want to practice. Each student could put something together on a different composer and post them in your studio. Then as students wait for their lesson they can look at other students' research projects. Young students can merely answer the questions about a composer. You can assign your older students to do a paper, writing at least two to three paragraphs answering the questions you provide. Below I have included some questions to get you started.

Who is your composer?

When did he/she live?
What period did they compose in?
What country were they from?
What are they famous for?
What is a piece that they wrote?

What instrument(s) did they write for?

Avoid Apathy!

I have been reading Making Music and Enriching Lives by Bonnie Blanchard as part of a study on pedagogy. It has been a challenging read. The book is easy, but the challenges to be a better teacher are hard. One of the challenges (in my own words): Don't be apathetic, either about your student's progress or your own. Teachers need to be improving themselves to be better able to help their students. Don't neglect your practice time! It is important. As Bonnie Blanchard suggests, read books on all aspects of music, make connections with colleagues, join an teacher's organization, or join a local music group. Anything to keep improving as a teacher.

How to buy a Piano: Part 3

In this post on how to buy a piano, I will mention how to find one, advice on having an acoustic piano moved, and additional resources.

Newspaper ads and Craigslist (a website where local ads are posted) are good places to find used acoustic pianos in your local area. Your local piano store will also probably have some used pianos for sale. You will most likely have to buy a new digital piano to get a specific brand and model. Your local store should have a wide selection of digital pianos. You can also order a digital piano online if you can't find what you want locally.

If you buy an acoustic piano, you will then have to figure out the logistics of having it moved. You don't want just anybody moving a piano. You'll want to find a company that knows how to move a piano and lists it as one of their services. Otherwise, your piano might get damaged being moved by someone who doesn't know what to do.

This concludes my advice on searching for and buying a piano.  If you want to know more, Piano Buyer is a good resource for information on new and used pianos.  The Piano Book by Larry Fine is a another good resource for information on what to look for in a used piano, the different piano companies, how a piano works and more.  If you have any questions for me, you are welcome to contact me through the contact box on the side or in the comments below.

How to buy a Piano: Part 2

In the first post on how to buy a piano, I gave only some general advice on buying a piano. Here I will go into more details on electronic versus acoustic and cost estimates. All the information I have included here is meant to be used in conjunction with the advice you receive from your advisor.

So do you get an acoustic or a digital piano? There are benefits to both, but the preference most piano teachers are going to have is for an acoustic piano.

The benefits of an acoustic piano can be summed up simply: it is a real instrument. Acoustic pianos, if they are good quality instruments, will usually sound better than an electronic piano. They also provide a better incentive to practice, because the sound is more inspiring than most electronic pianos. Also, a greater amount of emotion can be put into the music being played. The downside to a real piano is the fact it will need to be tuned, and depending on the age of the instrument it might need repairs. If an instrument is inspected by a piano technician before you make the purchase, he can tell you what repairs might need to be made and what they will cost.

There are several benefits of an electronic piano. One of these is the ability to control the volume and the ability to use headphones. Also, it is never out of tune.  Another useful benefit is the ease of recording music. Electronic recorders can be connected to the piano, eliminating background noise. These pianos are also likely fitted with a Midi connection, enabling the user to connect to a computer. This can be a benefit to those interested in musical composition. Plugging a keyboard into a computer through a Midi connection can simplify the process for notating compositions.

There are some downsides, however, with electronic pianos.  Most low end keyboards do not have the same key action and pedal action as an acoustic piano. When a student who practices on an electronic goes to play on an acoustic piano, it can be more difficult to play because they are unused to the heavier key action and the different sound from the pedals. When learning, these issues can be overcome, but it takes extra thought and effort to do it. (While not a downside exactly, not all keyboards have 88 keys. You will want to make sure any you consider have at least 76 keys.) 
 

If you end up with a choice between an equal quality digital or acoustic piano (price being no object), I would choose an acoustic. However, I would choose a good quality digital piano over a poor quality acoustic piano.

I won't say much about the cost of acoustic pianos, since prices will vary from state to state, but I will give some general guidelines that should make sense.  The proverb "you get what you pay for" is most often true for pianos.  If you find one listed as "free" or at a very cheap price, have your advisor and a piano technician look at it. It is better to wait than to get one that is in poor condition and won't stay in tune. You should expect to pay several hundred to over a thousand dollars to get a good used acoustic piano off the private market, and it will be more if you go through a piano store or dealer.  New pianos will likely be over $5,000 to get a good one. If you go shopping at a piano store, take your advisor with you. They will be able to help you sort through the maze of piano models and styles. If you are looking for a digital piano, you may be able to find one used that might cost you a couple hundred dollars. If you are seeking to buy new, a good quality instrument will probably be about $1,000.

How to buy a Piano

Before starting piano lessons, there are several important decisions to be made: who is going to teach you or your child, and what piano are you going to get. Both of these decisions are extremely important, and are going to affect how much you or your child enjoys learning piano.

When buying a piano, it is extremely important to get expert advice. That advice, can come from the piano teacher you have selected, or someone you trust who is a serious pianist, or a piano technician. These people likely have the resources to help you find an instrument, along with giving you advice about whether or not a particular instrument would be a good buy.

Before you start searching for a piano, it would be good to talk to your expert about what you want a piano for and what your goals are as a musician. They can then help you decide what type of piano you need and give you an estimate of cost. Once you have found a few instruments you are interested in, be sure to have your teacher (or other advisor) examine them. They can then give you an opinion on whether the instrument would be a good fit for you. (As a side note, be sure to reimburse them for their time, it is a worthwhile investment.) Before buying a used instrument, if you haven't already, you should have it looked at by a piano technician as well as your teacher or piano friend. The technician will check the instrument out looking for breakages, some of which while almost imperceptible, could end up being really expensive fixes. For the older used instruments, most big repair jobs would cost more than the piano is worth. However, the technician's professional opinion will help you make a decision about the purchase of the instrument.
 

We wish you a merry Christmas, And A Happy New Year!!!

I was late for wishing everyone a merry Christmas, but I won't let New Years escape me.  I hope you all have a wonderful new year, and you meet some of your new goals for teaching or music study.