Vahl Piano Studio // Passion, Excellence, Artistry

Tis the Season: I Want To Quit Piano!

Tue, 08 May 2012 03:45:00 +0000

Today I've talked to a few parents who are asking what to do when their child begins to utter those awful 5 words "I want to quit piano." If you're a student who thinks you want to quit, or a parent who is hear these words, or a teacher dealing with this in your studio, I hope you take a look at this before the decision is made:

http://musicmemos.com/2011/08/19/the-6-stages-of-piano-students-why-and-when-piano-students-quit-lessons/

The author, Theresa Chen, makes some great observations and includes this picture in her blog on the subject

I love this, especially the part on the R in the chart that says if you can get past the growing pain hurdles, "No More Kid Stuff!" As a teacher who has students of all ages from 6 to 18, plus adults, I've seen the whole gamut for the past 30+ years. You may recognize your child in these descriptions, and hopefully you'll encourage your student to stick it out through the tough stuff, because great rewards await those who get past the doldrums that can occur in the early teens. I wish all parents would determine not to let their child (by definition, not an adult) make the decision on whether to stop lessons. I hope you'll consider that you, not your child, are the best person to make the decision and let your child know what you expect.

One wise parent in my studio told her child, when they wanted to quit, that she expected the child to give it their best until the end of the year. If that happened, they would discuss it. Things turned around through the great efforts the student made, and that "quitting" discussion never happened. What a great result! The parent, the student, and the teacher were all winners in this equation!

Circle of Fifths Group Lesson

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:40:00 +0000

Recently I joined a group of teachers who are taking a class on the theory requirement of The Achievement Program http://www.theachievementprogram.org/. With our instructor, Dr. Andrew Hisey, Regional Leader for TAP, we've gone through all of the beginning assessment and have taken an exam. What has been most interesting is an emphasis on teaching power principles. I've tried to teach intermediate and advanced students the circle of 5ths before with the result they didn't really see a purpose for it, but I found some online resources to explain it in simple termsThe Circle of Fifths is a power principle and gives students all kinds of information when they understand it. If a student can reproduce the circle of 5ths in less than a minute it can be drawn on scratch paper during a theory test and be a way to check whether an answer is correct.

~~~

The lesson plan: I needed a plan I could use for all ages from 6 through 18, that I could make simple for the younger students and more detailed for the older. I used two items I found online; http://www.wolfpiano.com/bagoblocks.html

Sets of the Bag O' Blocks are available at wolfpiano.com for $24.95 a set.

I started with blocks in a C Major scale: C D E F G A B C

One thing that most of the students knew is that the key of 1 sharp is the key of G, so we took the 1st 4 blocks - C D E F, and slid the GABC blocks to the left, then put the C D E F on the right of the blocks starting with G A B C, like this: G A B C C D E F, took the extra C out, and took another G block from my 2nd set of blocks to finish the scale with a G, AND made the 7th tone into an F#, G A B D E F# G, and voila! we have the G Major scale. We did this in each key around the circle of 5ths (without referring to the circle itself) and built all the sharp major scales. Additionally, we started with C Major again and built all the major flat scales, pointing out that if we go from C DOWN to F, it is still a 5th. For the older groups, I emphasized that an inverted interval of a 4th is a 5th. To build the F Major scale from C Major, we take 3 blocks (C D E) and move them to the right of F G A B - C D E F, took out the extra C, and this time, made the 4th tone of the scale - B - into a Bb. Then we worked around the scale of 5ths to the left and constructed all the flat major scales.

The 2nd item, I found online at http://musicstudystudio.blogspot.com/2011/09/circle-of-fifths-caterpillars.html

I liked the fact that Lacey Range, the owner of the Music Study Studio website, used this sentence: Caterpillars Go Down And Eat Big Fuzzy Clovers. I liked that it started with a C, so we can start at the top of the circle with C at 0 sharps and 0 flats. It's colorful and interesting enough to hold the little ones' attention, and the placement of the fat green caterpillar emphasized the enharmonic scale. The sentence works starting at the enharmonic key of B = Cb, too, and brings you back to C at 0 sharps and 0 flats. I used the blank printable Lacey Range provides on her site and laminated each one for each student's notebook. Next week's lesson is the proof of what they learned. Will they all be able to reproduce the circle for me? We practiced it several times and most ended up being able to reproduce the circle as quick as 30-40 seconds.

At the end of the lesson we went upstairs where I had baked cupcakes for the circle of 5ths:

I was amused that it mattered to most of the students which key they ate! This was a memorable group lesson and I hope the message "sticks" for a long time.

Grace and Ethan chow down Bb and Eb!

Student Christmas Gifts

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:20:00 +0000

Several years ago I read about this cool Christmas gift for students:

Made with Word for Mac in Publishing Layout. I tried to get a font that was close to the "HERSHEY'S" font. I came close, but not exact. These always bring a smile to students and parents faces!

Playing It Right

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:50:00 +0000

My Facebook firend, Mario Ajero, just posted this: Compare how many times you played it right in the practice room to the amount of times you played it wrong, and you'll understand why you didn't perform admirably. #yaypiano

My college prof said this many times: You earn a good performance in the practice room. (I'm paraphrasing.)

Mario's way of expressing it sure is neat and succinct, and a great thought for me to remember, as well as all of my students. I've tried preaching this to my students before, but now I have a perfect way of expressing it. Thanks Mario!

Check out Mario's Piano Podcast at http://marioajero.blogspot.com/ Be sure to catch Nio's performance of Carol of the Bells, arr. by Carol Klose.

Jelly Bellys and Piano Lessons!?

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:10:00 +0000

I've been waiting to blog about the new Studio Incentive for a while. Now we've completed the first full week of lessons, and everyone is happy with this new idea. I purchased 1 pint jelly jars from Walmart to be containers for the Jelly Belly Incentive at a cost of less than $1/jar. Jelly Bellys were slightly more expensive! I've stopped focusing on practice time and am really pushing meeting weekly goals with each piece. Goals are listed on the students' new assignment sheet and are numbered 1 through 10. For each goal reached the student will put 5 Jelly Bellys of their choice in their jar. There is no contest here, just a visual way of seeing their work each week make a difference. It is similar to my last year's incentive of pony beads on practice chains.

New Year, New Plans!

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 04:05:00 +0000

I've done a lot of thinking during August about the shape lessons at my studio will take this year. I have a few students who are taking Piano Exams this fall in November, so we worked hard on keyboard skills and memory of repertoire pieces during the summer. Just thinking about all the work these piano exams entail made me focus on better ways to "hit the ground running." So I'm borrowing an idea from an internet colleague, Wendy Stevens. http://www.mvpianostudio.com/apps/documents/?&page=1

Smart Practice focuses immediately on the information the score has to tell you, so I'll be giving away an eraseable highlighter to students who can prove to me they are "Practicing Smart." The students will receive a list of what they need to do to practice smart. At the end of September I'll evaluate each student on how they are showing me they are practicing smart.

How To Start A New Piece and Practice Every Day is the title of a document I wrote for my students in 2005, and I worked on it again under the title Adventures in Practice. http://www.mvpianostudio.com/apps/documents/

New Assignment Sheet is done, too. Take a look and see what you think. This one is focused on the student creating goals for themselves each week and reporting on which goals were attained. There will still be a place to indicate on which days of the week significant practice occurred, but the main focus will be practicing smart to attain reachable goals. You can download it here. http://www.mvpianostudio.com/apps/documents

All 3 of these documents will be placed in the students' 2011-2012 Music Journal, coming soon!

No Progress Without (Efficient)Practice

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 00:15:00 +0000

In a few short weeks, piano lessons will be in full swing. What are your goals for the new year of Piano Study?

As you already know, there is no progress in becoming a better musician without practice. Did you also know that careless practice can actually make you worse? When you sit down to practice, focus on the 5 ELEMENTS that will help you practice more efficiently and enjoy it more.

WHO?

Of course the answer to who is YOU! Efficient practice requires more than justsitting on the bench and playing around. You could be sitting at the bench,mostly noodling around; please don’t call this Piano Practice! You must bringeverything with you to the bench: your body, your brain, your emotions, yourears, so you are hearing, seeing, and feeling, and the music you are playing isartistic and expressive, not just a succession of sounds.

WHAT?

Practice that leads to progress and perfection will include warm-ups; learning and reviewing scales, cadences, chords andinversions, arpeggios, and etudes; review of pieces you have already learned;your new assignment; and something you really love to play, just for fun.

WHEN?

Make practice a part of your daily routine. “Practice Only On The Days That YouEat,” as Dr. Suzuki said. You will be able to fit into your day whatever you have planned; plan ahead, and follow your plan.

HOW?

Practice should soundlike the solving of a puzzle rather than a performance. You should hearmany repetitions of short phrases, combined with listening for improvement ineach repetition. The Fifth Repetition should sound much better than the First! Qualitypractice involves stopping, backing up to work on notes/rhythms/otherchallenges which have been marked and practiced initially in the lesson. ThePiano Lesson Is NOT “PRACTICE!” It is instruction in HOW to PRACTICE. Youshould hear thoughtful repetitions of isolated sections rather than simplyplaying through of the entire piece, if the student is past the pre-primerlevel.

If you are hearing the pieces being played straight through, often as quicklyas possible, as if the student was performing at a recital, then go on to thenext thing, no matter what happened, you (or your student) is making a hugepractice mistake.

PLEASE FOLLOW THROUGH IN:

Setting specific goals to accomplish for your practice session
Knowing what the piece should sound like
Working on the most challenging spots first
Breaking the music down into 2-4 measure phrases
Repeating the passage many times AFTER you get it right
Once a week, read through HOW TO START A NEW PIECE AND PRACTICE EVERYDAY in your piano journal.

Why Students Stop Piano Study

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 07:29:00 +0000

Parents thinking a child can practice alone is a major reason children stop piano study.

Why daily practice is important. The longer your student waits between the lesson and thefirst practice session of the week, the more frustrated they can become. Theywill tend to forget what they are supposed to do and how they are supposed todo it. Help your child succeed in lessons by enforcing a daily practice sessionand make it a daily routine. One teacher has said “ONLY PRACTICE ON THE DAYS THAT YOU EAT.”

How many practice days in a week? If practicing 7 days a week does not fit in your family’s routine, let the child “take a break” for one day. Do not make the day after thelesson a day for a break. Practice immediately after the lesson and the nextday are the most important practice sessions of the week. Do not refer to thelesson as your child’s “practice.” During the lesson, your child’s teacher goes over what to practice and teaches the student how topractice. It is thestudent’s responsibility to carry out the teacher’s practice suggestions in adaily practice session. Daily practice is where learning takes place; nolearning is accomplished without adequate practice sessions during the week. NOPRACTICE = NO PROGRESS.

You are the Secret Weapon in the Battle for Your Child’s Music Educaiton

If you assume that your child can practice by herself, even demand that she go to the piano because she loves practice so much, you can pretty much assume that the words “I want to quit” will come back to haunt you at some point. DON’T CULTIVATE A QUITTER; CULTIVATE A STUDENT WHO IS COMMITTED FOR THE LONG TERM.

Frustration and confusion set in when the child can’t carry out practice tasks on her own. Often what results is that the parent starts thinking “Whatis wrong with my child? Why can’t they play the piano?” and “What is wrong withmy child’s teacher; it must be their fault” OR “my child needs a break from piano,” when all they need is you. They need you to take an interest, toshow your support by being in or near the room where they are practicing. No matter how old your student is, they need your attention and encouragement. I think we would all like to live in a world where our children took care of their own needs, practiced with no prompting, did homework without being reminded, took care of their bedroom and other home tasks without being told.THIS IS AGAINST THE NATURE OF A CHILD. The Law of Inertia even affects us as an adult: Bodies in motion tend to stay in motion: bodies at rest tend to stay at rest. Your task is to assure that your child begins their tasks promptly. EXPECT THE BEST.

Expect that your child needs you in order to practice effectively! You are a big part of your child’s success in their music lessons. They need YOU.

Here are some things your child’s teacher may ask you to do for your child during practice at home. The teacher may ask you to watch the student's hand position as she plays to make sure she maintains the correct one or she may ask you to count out loud for your child. With young children, you may have to be involved directly for the entire practice session at first. Do not expect your child to carry out her practice entirely by herself until she is about 11-12 years old. Children (up throughapproximately 6th grade) like to have a parent keep them company while theypractice. Even if the child doesn't need your direct participation, she may desire your presence because she's lonely in the piano room all by herself.

At some point, your child will let you know they want to practice alone. This is common during Middle School orJunior High, at about age 11-12.

Split Practice Sessions With busy families in today’s world, it often works well to split practice sessions into two or more segments, particularly with a young child whois still developing her attention span. Two15-minute practices--or even three10-minute sessions--can be more productive than one 30-minute sitting. Dividethe material for variety, too. Ask your child’s teacher for help in managing practice sessions at home.

Immediately After the Lesson To accelerate progress, after you return home, sit down with your child and play through the lesson assignment one time. Ask yourstudent to explain each part of the lesson, then have the student play the assignmentonce. If you have questions, email the teacher right away for clarification. Do not allow your student to ignore a part of the teacher’s assignment all week orpractice it incorrectly. Unlearning and Relearning is a very unpleasant task, and should not be necessary if the teachers instructions are followed to a T. Immediate repetition of the assignment is a huge factor in your student’sprogress. immediate repetition means an almost 100% retention of the instruction at the lesson.

Make Music Practice a Daily Routine All students benefit from a regularpiano practice time. The student feels security from routine. Schoolwork is first priority. If there is a large assignment that evening, there may be no time for practice because schoolwork is most important. When schoolwork is done, it is time for piano practice, however. When the child has practiced,then there's time to play outside, talk on the telephone, watch TV, or whateverelse they'd like to do. It's important to teach your child that piano studycomes right after schoolwork in the importance of the day’s activities.

Quiet Zone Be sure to provide a quiet place for piano practice, freefrom distractions of other family members, TV, videogames, and computers.

Reminders Sometimes, you may have to remind your child to practice.Occasionally, you'll have to remind more firmly! No matter her level ofinterest in music study, your child is human and some days she will want to do something else before piano or skip practice altogether. Take a deep breath. Ask your student to play a favorite piece. Applaud the effort! Take another deep breath, hug your child, and say how proud you are! Sometimes just getting the child to the piano is the main battle. Once they are playing, their practice usually becomes enjoyable.

Remember that young children can'tbe expected to practice on their own or even remember it's time to do theirpiano-playing. All teachers want to help their students conquer anydifficulties, so you can avoid tears and tantrums over practice times. Consultthe teacher for advice sooner rather than later.

When Things Get Rocky, Don’t GiveIn! When you feel like giving up,don’t. You'll be doing the right thing, and your child will later thank you forproviding the opportunity to learn a skill they will be able to use theirentire lifetime. Piano study isn't easy. I teach adult students, who always saythey wish they hadn’t been allowed to quit lessons as a child. In 36 years ofteaching, I’ve never heard an say theywere glad they were allowed to quit lessons as a child or young adult. Don’tallow the natural immaturity of a child to make a premature and unwise decision to quit lessons.You are not only giving your child the gift of music, you are teaching themresponsibility and perseverance when things seem hard.

Getting your child to practice ma yinvolve one of the biggest power struggles you will have with your child.Helping your child appreciate the rewards of practicing is important in order to teach them an important life lesson about commitment, following through, and responsibility. Teach your child that making an effort with long term commitment will help them be very good at something.

Try these strategies:

Pick something your child truly enjoys. Let the child’s interests lead you to the instrument they should play.

Set up a routine.

Schedule a time that doesn't follow a less enjoyable task like homework, but comes before a fun activity like playing with friends. That way your child has something to look forward to when he'sfinished.

 Remove the ticking clock. Focus on goals and correct repetitions of small sections and then join the correct sections together. Practice should be like putting the pieces of a puzzle together.

Foster appreciation for the skill. Take your student to concerts to see “live” music and call attention to others they know who spend time making music.

To Market? To Market!

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:55:00 +0000

I just got home this afternoon from a great MMTA Convention! Our marketing committee gave an hour's presentation on Marketing - Here, There, and Everywhere!

Here. That was within our membership. Our Vice President of Membership, Rebecca Daws, made comments about networking within our membership and how her experience with a mentor not only helped her build her studio numbers, but also helped her to develop contacts within the organization that enriched her life and teaching.

There. In our community - how do they hear about us? Marketing Committee member Marilyn Henry spoke about ideas to get our message out to our community.

Everywhere. Then it was my turn to talk about marketing through a studio website. As Tech Chair for MMTA the last 2 years, my responsibilities included getting our website to be more functional and have an attractive design. I had just a few minutes to speak, so my presentation included free (or very low cost) sites that have very user friendly site builders. Almost 100% of my new student inquiries come through people who have found my studio website online, so I believe in the importance of having a website for your studio.

I opened with this statement I found on a website in my research:

Does This Describe You?

“You have all of the customers you could ever want, from now until the end of time. Everyone you would ever want to know about you or your company already does, always will, and there is no one left. No one will ever move to or from your city again, and no one will ever again be born. And finally, what we may soon never hear again, "my customers can find me in THE YELLOW PAGES!"

In the presentation, I answer the questions, "Why Do I Need A Website?" and "What Kind of Website Do I need"? and gave pointers on how to go about building your first studio website, or re-doing your studio website to sharpen its graphics and message.

SOME OTHER MATERIAL I COVER IN MY PRESENTATION NOTES - Does Your Website Answer These Questions?

1. Who are you?

2. What do you do?

3. Why do I care?

4. How can I get it?

If you leave a comment on the blog under this topic I will send you more extensive presentation notes for this and another presentation I did two summers ago regarding the need for a website and specific suggestions for your consideration if you have a website or want to build one.

As always, thanks for reading,

Marcia

Ear Training Giveaway

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:05:00 +0000

If you haven't heard yet about the tremendous giveway Jenny Boster has on her blog, click here to find out more information about the new ear training online site "Ear Training Pro." They are giving away a subscription to one lucky winner.

http://theteachingstudio.blogspot.com/2011/04/review-giveaway-ear-training-pro.html

I'm entering!

Stop. Step Back. Refresh.

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 06:33:00 +0000

By Jane Magrath

When I posted this last week, I was in a real hurry and gave no explanation. Sorry about that. In this convention session, Jane Magrath gave all these suggestions for fresh repertoire. Some of them I've taught, but most of them are charming pieces I had never heard before. I love these kind of convention sessions because I come away with practical hints I can use right away in my studio. My next job is finding how many of them might be included in the new MMTA Piano Exam Syllabus. Have fun exploring!

Level 3 (ASE = Any Standard Edition)

Gurlitt The Chase, The Little Savoyard, Hymn, The Return fromFirst Lessons, Op. 117, No. 15, 24, 26, 32. (ASE)

Alec Rowley Prelude and Fugues No. 2 and 4 from Five Miniature Preludes and Fugues (Chester)

Maykapar In the Garden, The Orphan, In Autumn, An Anxious Moment, Butterfly from Trifles, Op. 28, No 1, 2, 4, 6, 12 (Associated)

Pal Kadosa Allegretto leggiero, No. 8 and Hommage á Bartok, No. 13 from 55 Small Pieces, Bk 1 (Editio Musica)

Attwood Sonatina No. 1 in G Major (complete, III)(ASE)

Lichner Sonatina inC, Op. 4, No. 1 (complete, I) (ASE)

Latour SonatinaNo. 2 (complete, III) (Sonatina Masterworks Bk 2)

Level 4

Gurlitt Sunshiny Morning,By the Spring, Slumber song, The Fair (from Albumleaves, Op 101) (Schirmer)

Muczynski Fables, Op.21, No 1, 3, 6, 9 (6 and 9) (Schirmer)

Starer Purple, Shades of Blue, Bright Orange,Pink, from Sketches Set 1, No. 1, 2, 4, 6 (MCA)

Tansman Organ, Iberian Mood from Happy Time,Book 3 (Associated)

TansmanTheBouncing Ball and Russian Dancer from Pour les Enfants, Set 1 (Associated)

Tansman SpanishMood, Merry-go-round, Rainy Day, from 10 Diversions, No. 1, 3, 5(Associated)

Spindler Sonatina in C, Op. 157, No 1 I, II (complete, I) (ASE, SonatinaMasterworks Bk 2)

Lichner Sonatina, Op. 66, No 1 (complete, III)(ASE, Schirmer, Kjos)

Level 5

Graupner Intrada (ASE, Audition Repertoire for the Intermediate Pianist Bk2)

Gurlitt Roserock and Cinguefoil from Little Flowers, Op 205 No 8and 5 (ASE, Melodious Masterpieces Bk 2)

Burgmuller Restlessness, Ave Maria, Tarantella from 25 Etudes, Op.100, No 18, 19, 20 (ASE, Alfred, Schirmer, Universal, Carl fischer, Schott,etal.)

Maykapar Pedal Prelude No. 17 (Alfred, Melodious Masterpieces Bk 2)

Tansman The Warbler, Noel, and Ping Pong from Pour les Enfants,Book 3 (Associated)

Goedicke Petite Piece, Op 6, No 5 rom Petite Pieces, Op. 6 AuditionRepertoire for the Intermediate Pianist Bk 2)

Rebikov The Clown (ASE, Masterpieces with Flair Bk 2)

S. Bernstein Birds, Set 1, No.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (No 1-3 The Purple Finch, TheWoodpecker, The Hummingbird) (Associated)

Diabelli Sonatina in G. Op 168 No 2 (III) (ASE, Kjos, Peters,Alfred, Sonatina Masterworks Bk 3)

Beethoven Sonatina in F, Anh. 5, No. 2 I, II (ASE)

Level 6

Benda Sonatina No. 34 in D Major(Masterpieces with Flair Bk 2)

Schumann The Wild Horseman, Op. 68 No 23 fromAlbum for the Young, Op. 68 (ASE)

Gurlitt Con Moto, Op. 107 No 7 from Buds and Blossoms Op 107 (Alfred,Masterpieces with Flair Bk 2)

Burgmuller Velocity, Op 109, No 10 from 18Characteristic Studies Op. 109 (ASE, Alfred, Schirmer, Peters, Schott, EncoreBk 1)

Prokofiev Morning and Evening, fromMusic for Young People Op 65 (Schirmer, Boosey, Alfred)

Kabalevsky Toccata, Op 60 No 4 from Four Rondos,Op 60 (Schirmer, Bastien Piano Literature Bk 4, Masterpieces with Flair Bk 2)

Casella Bolero, Op 35 No 4 from CasellaChildren’s Pieces, Op 35 (Universal, Masters Music, Audition Repertoire for theIntermediate Student Bk 2, Modern Masterworks Bk 1)

Level 7

Bach Bouree in E Minor (ASE, AuditionRepertoire for the Upper Intermediate Student Bk 3)

Mozart Viennese Sonatina No. 6 (I) (ASE,Classics Alive Bk 3)

Burgmuller Rondo alla Turca, Op 64 (ASE,Masterpieces with Flair Bk 3)

Burgmuller Confidence, Morning Bell, The Pearls,Op 109 from 18 Characteristic Studies, Op 109 (ASE, Audition Repertoire for theUpper Intermediate Student Bk 3)

Gurlitt A Steadfast Resolve, Op 131, No 13(ASE, Masterpieces with Flair Bk 3)

Kabalevsky Sonatina in A Minor, Op 13, No 1 (ASE,Schirmer, Alfred, Boosey)

Poulenc Valse Tyrolienne and Staccato fromVillageoises, No 1 and 2 (Salabert)

Level 8

Mateo Albeniz Sonata in D Major (Alfred, Durand,Masterpieces with Flair Bk 3)

Beethoven Six Ecossaises, WoO 83 (ASE, Alfred,Durand, Henle, Schirmer, Schott, Encore Bk 1)

Field Nocturne in B flat Major (ASE, Alfred,Peters, Schirmer, Schott, Melodious Masterpieces Bk 3)

Grieg Norwegian Melody (ASE, Alfred, Henle, Ricordi, Schott, Masters, ClassicsAlive Bk 3)

Martinu Columbine Dances ThePuppet’s Dance from Martinu Puppets, Book 1 (Barenreiter, Masters Publishers,Modern Masterworks Bk 2)

Granados May Song, Op 1, No 3 (ASE, Encore Bk 3)

Gliere Prelude in E flat Major, Op 31 No 1(ASE, Encore Bk 2)

Poulenc Coda (No 6) from Villageoises(Salabert)

Level 9

Dvorak Silhouettein D flat Major, Op 8 No 2, from Silhouettes, Op 8 (Alfred, Masterwork ClassicsBk 9)

Ibert Le petit ane blanc from Histoires (ASE,Leduc, Masters)

Gershwin Promenade (Alfred, Classics Alive Bk3)

Toch The Juggler (Schott)

Turina Sacro-monte(Salabert)

Poulenc Suite Francaise, No III, Petite marchemilitaire, IV Sicilienne, VII Carrillon (Durand)

Alexina Louie Shooting Stars and Moonlight Toccata from Star Light, Star Bright (FrederickHarris)

Level 10

Paradisi Toccata (ASE, Schott, Schirmer,Alfred, Masterwork Classics Bk 10)

Mendelssohn Song Without Words Op 62 No 1 “MayBreezes” (ASE)

Copland The Cat and the Mouse (ASE, Alfred,Boosey, Masters)

Poulenc Valse (Durand, Modern Masterworks Bk 2)

Tcherepnin BagatellesOp 5 No 3 and No 8 (ASE, Schirmer, Alfred, International, Auditionrepertoire for the Advancing Student Bk 2)

Poulenc Novelette No 1 (Chester)

Bartok Rondo No 1 (ASE, Boosey, CelebrateBartok)

Liszt for the Advancing High School Student

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 00:29:00 +0000

Apologies! I was having trouble updating the site for a couple of days, but here we go with more notes and reaction to the sessions at MTNA Convention in Milwaukee.

I dragged out all my notes tonight,hoping for a few more posts about the convention before my memory fades.

On Sunday I attended an excellent session presented by students from the University of Michigan and the University of Oklahoma on preparing students for playing Liszt. The students selected two well known Liszt pieces, the Consolation No. 3 in D flat major and Valse Oubliee No. 1, and discussed pieces to teach to prepare for these 2 pieces. I hope you'll profit from these suggestions as much as I did.

Preparatory Pieces for Consolation No. 3 in D flat Major:

Little Flower (Cinguefoil, Op 205, No. 5 – Cornelius Gurlitt ~ Fingerpedal creates rich layers throughout while simple melody must shine through.Level 6.

Evening Peace, Op. 131, No. 20 – Cornelius Gurlitt ~ Complex cross-rhythms and turns ornament the expressive melodyover rolling LH figures. Level 6-7.

Epilogue from Escenas Romanticas, No. 6 – Enrique Granados ~ Nocturne-like with arpeggiated LH; exercise in maintaining RH tone. Level 8

Nocturne in B Flat Major, from 18 Nocturnes– John Field ~ Alternating lyrical texture with light, repeated chords;sensitivity to tone should be coupled with sustained bass. Level 9.

Traumgesight (Phantom), Lyric Pieces, Op.62, No. 5 – Edvard Grieg ~ Singing melody needs care in phrasing, expecially whenreturning in octaves. Layering appears near the end. Level 9.

Additional Preparatory Pieces for the Consolation:

Andantino from Adventures of Ivan – AramKhachaturian ~ Dreamy Melody gives way to outer layers with controlled andsyncopated inner voice. Singing quality is challenging to project. Level 5.

From Foreign Lands and People, Op. 15 No. 1 – Robert Schumann ~ Both hands are active in sustaining a restrained inner layerbetween the harmonically interesting counterpoint of the soprano and bass.Level 6.

Prelude in D flat Major, Op. 43 No. 1 –Reinhold Gliere ~ RH melody should project over shadowy atmosphere created bybroken chords; LH has melody in B section. Level 7-8.

Venetian Boat Song, Songs without Words,Op. 19 No. 6 – Felix Mendelssohn ~ Image evoking layers challenge control in both hands whilemelody must be carefully shaped and projected. Level 8.

Dedication, Op. 13 No. 1 – Ernst von Dohnanyi ~ Nocturne like LH with complex harmonies provides foundation for emotive RH line. Level 9.

Preparatory Pieces for Valse Oubliee No. 1

Woodpecker, Op. 64 No 9 – Jean LouisStreabogg ~ Waltz bass with quick repeated righthand notes; some arpeggiation in the RH. Level 4-5

Little Leopard – Children’s Album, Book IINo. 4 – Aram Khachaturian ~ Quick staccato chords at the endreminiscent of the Valse; 16th note figures provide practice inrotation. Level 7-8.

Waltz in A minor, Op. Post. – FredericChopin ~ Chopin’s writing allows for practicein creating balance and nuance, as well as ornamenting a singing melody line.Level 7.

Improvisation in C sharp Minor, Op. 84 No.5 – Gabriel Faure ~Hands share in arpeggiated figureswhile RH projects simple meldy line above; similar chord progressions to theValse. Level 8.

Landler, D. 790 No. 3 – Franz Schubert ~Busy arpeggiated RH over waltzpattern. Short in length (16 bars that may be repeated). Level 8-9.

Additional Preparatory Pieces for the Valse:

Bagatelle in A Minor, Op. 119 No. 9 – Ludwig van Beethoven ~ Short, accessible study with arpeggiated RH motives over jump bass. Level 6.

German Dance in C Major, D. 783 No. 9 –Franz Schubert ~ Begins in a similar fashion to theLiszt Valse; big staccato chords and opportunities for contrasting dynamics.Level 6-7.

Valse Tyrolienne from Villageoises –Francis Poulenc ~ Waltz using traditional harmony withlarge leaps in the LH. RH uses arpeggiated figures. Level 7.

Moderato Grazioso from Buds and Blossoms,Op. 107 No. 7 – Cornelius Gurlitt ~ Active RH over simple waltz bass inopening; contrasting B section inclues sweeping arpeggiation in both hands.Level 7.

Boys Round Dance, Op. 36 No. 2 – Niels Gade ~ Lively character similar to theValse; sections with arpeggiation in both hands alternate with waltz-like basswith a missing downbeat. Level 7.

Zurich Sweetheart Waltz – Richard Wagner ~ Strong 3 pattern under many legatosixths and octaves; energy needed comparable to that of the Liszt Valse. Level 7-8.

Romance Op. 31 No. 7 – Reinhold Gliere ~ Arpeggiation alternating betweenhands in a triple meter. Challenge in sustaining legato melody and finger pedal throughout. Level 8-9.

Suggested Lower-Level Pieces by Liszt:

The Tolling Bell, S. 238 – Charming short piececharacteristic of Liszt’s lyrical style. Useful for developing a rich, singingtone in the left hand. Level 5

Nocturne No. 2 (first version) – Expressive and lyrical; undulatingaccompaniment in middle voice (RH) and sustained notes in LH. Excellent fordeveloping balance of 2 voices in the right hand. Level 6.

Album Leaf, S. 164 – Short with some chromaticism andleaping bass. Excellent for learning to voice a melody over a chordal and 3part texture.

Piano Piece in A flat Major, No. 2 S. 189a – Very Chopinesque. Middle voicepasses between the hands. Some large leaps in the B section. Level 6-7.

Nuages Gris, S. 199 – A harmonically interesting yetdark piece with rumbling LH tremolos

Landler in A flat, S. 211 – Playful melody and teasing tempochanges. Requires flexible wrist rotation and ability to voice a compound linein the RH. Accessible for students with smaller hands. Level 7-8.

Five Piano Pieces, S. 192 – Short, lyrical pieces thatrepresent Liszt’s easiest writing. Level 7-8.

Five Hungarian Folk Songs – Recitative style, heavy use ofrubato, and programmatic descriptions characteristic of Petrarch Sonnets andoperatic transcription. See expecially number 2 and 3. Level 7-9.

Consolations (especially E Major) – Accessible and beautiful lyricalpieces, reminiscent of Chopin Nocturnes. Level 7-10.

Etude in D minor, S. 136 – Hand crossings and fast doublethirds that sweep the full range of the keyboard. Presents an initial readingchallenge, but primarily uses two different technical patterns throughout.Level 8.

Fruhling (Spring) S. 448 No. 2 – Nocturne like texture with octavemelody and some LH leaps. Middle accompanimental voice shared between the handsrequires careful attention to balance. Level 8.

Mazurka, S. 384 – Closely resembles a Chopin waltz with a leaping LHaccompaniment and some figuration in the RH melody. Level 8.

En Reve Nocturne, S. 207- Beautiful and short with undulatingLH accompaniment. Singing RH melody develops into trills at the end of thework, which will require some attention. Level 8.

Sadness of the Puszta (Longing of thePlains) – Poetic, dramatic,dark and chromatic. Frequent tempo changes are helpful for preparing to studyoperatic transcriptions of Petrarch Sonnets. Level 8-9.

Weihnachtsbaum (The Christmas Tree) S. 186 – Set of 12 pieces; intended forchildren, though challenging octave and double note passages. Favorites includeShepherds at the Manger, Ancient Proencal Carol, March of the Wise Men,Lighting the Candles, and Slumber Song. Level 8-10.

Berceuse (first version – 1854) S. 174 – elegant piece notated in 3 staves,but patterns fit comfortably in the hands. Requires graceful hand crossings.Maintains the same texture throughout. Level 10.

Sources

Hinson, Maurice.Guide to the Pianist’s Repertoire. 3rded. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2000.

Magrath, Jane.The Pianist’s Guide to Standard Teachingand Performance Literature. Van Nuys, CA: Alfred Publishing Co., Inc. 1995.

Further Reading

Dalmonte, Rossana. “Pedagogy and Stylistic Influence in the Teaching of Liszt.” Liszt Society Journal 26 (2000), pp. 1-8

Davison, Alan.:Franz Liszt and the Development of 19th Century Pianism: ARe-Reading of the Evidence,” The MusicalTimes, 147 (Autumn 2006), pp. 33-43.

Dumm, Robert W.“Liszt’s Piano Teaching.” Journal of theAmerican Liszt Society 4 (1978), pp. 23-36.

Gerig, Reginald.Famous Pianists & Their Technique.Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2007

Gervers, Hilda.“Franz Liszt as Pedagogue,” Journal ofResearch in Music Education, Vol. 18, No. 4 (Winter, 1970), pp. 385-391

Hedley, Arthur.“Liszt the Pianist and Teacher.” FranzLiszt: The Man and His Music, ed. By Alan Walker. New York: TaplingerPublishing Company, 1970, pp. 22-35.

Machnek, Elsie J. The Pedagogy of Franz Liszt. Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms, 1965.

Morrison, Bryce.Liszt. New York: Omnibus Press, 1989.

Ullyot, Marianne. “Chopin and Liszt: A Legacy of Teaching.” Journal of the American Liszt Society 10 (1981), pp. 39-42.

Walker, Alan. Franz Liszt, 1861-1886, Vol. III. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1996.

Williams, Adrian. “Liszt the Teacher.” LisztSociety Journal 25 (2000), pp. 91-95.

Zimdars, Richard. “The Piano MasterClasses of Franz Liszt: Observations by August Gollerich,” Journal of the American Liszt Sociey XLIV (Fall 1998), pp. 35-46.

The Most Gracious People in the World

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:55:00 +0000

Gracious - that is Randy and Nancy Faber. I've attended every Faber seminar and session at MTNA Convention for the last several years. What I always observe is how gracious they are when receiving comments and questions from teachers. They never react in a proud way, but they have much to be proud about. Even other composers and editors said how great they are as I made my way through the exhibits, with phrases like, "Of course it's great. It's by the Fabers." I was actually thinking today, "I would hate to be their competitor!"

All the attendees were stunned at the amount of complimentary music: Primer Level Lesson, Theory, and the new Primer Sightreading (which is just fabulous!) Level 1 Lesson, Performance, Theory, AND Bigtime Jazz and Blues Level 4.

I really appreciated all the changes in the 2nd edition and I think they will make using Piano Adventures even more exciting. Here's a summary of what they have added:

Enhanced Reading Strategies. Level 1 opens with "E-G-B Mouse" (from My First Piano Adventure®) for very effective review and a head-start orientation to new notes.

New Progress Chart The first page in the Lesson Books is a progress chart. These are so useful for easy lesson planning. I love how easy this makes it to see both the concepts and pieces in each unit.

Integration Between Lesson and Theory Books The Theory and Lesson books are correclated even closer through the same artwork and subject. For example, Copy Cat is reinforced by Copy Cat Meows in the Primer Theory Book, an aid to learning about steps and skips.

New Pieces / New Musical Twists The books now include more pages and new repertoire. I can't wait to teach "Magic Rhyme for Bass D," "A Joke for You," and "Octavius the Octopus.'

Improvisation Activities are offered in the theory books and are linked closely to the pieces in the Lesson Book. I'm really going to enjoy getting creative with many ideas in the new books. Looking forward to my students creating their own Dinosaur Dance using the G 5-finger scale.

Challenge Section The Level 1 Lesson Book includes Challenge Section at the end of the book. More 5-finger scales, introduced as off-the-staff keyboard patterns.

Some Thoughts On The Road Trip

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:11:00 +0000

I really loved traveling to Milwaukee with fellow colleagues Marilyn Henry and Linda Seime. We had basically a 6 hour conversation about our studios, helpful websites, and piano pedagogy. In our busy lives, we rarely have this amount of time together to just sit and talk and laugh. I think I appreciate the laughing especially! One of my most prized possessions these days is a sense of humor and the ability to laugh at myself.

I found these facts on laughing being healthy for us at http://www.drstandley.com/facts_laughing.shtml

1. Laughing 100 times roughly equals 15 minutes on an exercise bike? Vigorous laughter increases the heart rate deepens the breathing rate, and uses muscles in the face, stomach, and diaphragm.

2. Aside from improving our moods, laughter can reduce stress, help fight infection, and reduce pain.

3. The levels of two stress hormones, cortisol and epinephrine which suppress the body's immune system, will actually drop after a dose of laughter.

4. Laughter causes positive changes in brain chemistry by releasing endorphins, and it brings more oxygen into the body with the deeper inhalations.

5. Laughter releases anger, fear, guilt, anxiety and tension.

6. Laughter encourages concentration on "right" attitudes rather than "wrong" attitudes.

7. Higher levels of an antibody (salivary immunoglobulin A) that fights infectious organisms entering the respiratory tract were found in the saliva of people who watched humorous videos or experienced good moods.

8. Researchers found after watching an hour-long video of slapstick comedy that the "natural killer cells," which seek out and destroy malignant cells, more actively attacked tumor cells in test tubes. And these effects lasted up to 12 hours.

9. The 1998 movie Patch Adams told the real-life story of a nonconformist doctor convinced that fun, play, and clowns are important in improving patients' quality of life in a grim hospital atmosphere.

10. Planning enjoyable activities for the future will reduce the stressor hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine.

This baby must be the healthiest baby yet! Enjoy.

Playing Your Best When It Really Counts

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 21:02:00 +0000

I'm hoping to blog occasionally while at the MTNA Convention about my personal experiences this week, sessions I attended for the benefit of my students. This will be a more permanent record for me and will help focus my thoughts.

Today I attended the excellent keynote address by Dr. Bill Moore, on the subject of his book by the same name, "Playing Your Best When It Counts." From his website for the book, playingyourbest.com comes the following:

Dr. Moore is a performance psychology consultant working with athletes, musicians, performing artists, and business professional helping both individuals and groups perform at optimal levels when it counts. He is president of Moore Performance Consulting and has worked with the worlds finest performers and organizations in the United States and in Europe. Dr. Moore is a popular and dynamic speaker at international and national conferences and has written books in performance psychology for athletes, coaches, and musicians. He has offered leadership development, team building and one-on-one coaching to numerous Fortune 500 executives and companies. Dr. Moore’s unique blend of experiences as a professional tennis player, intercollegiate coach, and performance psychology specialist has help to develop his reputation as a leading authority in his field. Dr. Moore lives in Norman, Oklahoma with his wife, Dr. Nicki Moore, Senior Associate Athletics Director for the University of Oklahoma Athletics Department, and has four sons; Brennan, Tyler and Cullen and Ian.''

Dr. Moore started by asking the question: How would you describe your best performance?

When I’m at my best I am like a . . . What would you fill in the blank? In trying to form an image of something tangible, I said a swan - serene, beautiful, graceful, floating.

Some very important points of emphasis -

The mental part of performance is the least developed.

Athletes are players who practice. Musicians are practicers who play.

Athletes have dozens of performance opportunities. Musicians have fewer opportunities.

The mental skills needed to put it in >>> are not the same as the ones needed to get it out.

We’ve got repetition, block practice, other kinds of practice, and now we’re ready to perform – I put it in there, why isn’t it coming out?

PRACTICE MINDSET Any one of these 3 will kill you in performance.

Self-instruction

Self-monitoring

Analyzing cause and effect

PERFORMANCE MINDSET (Is not a personality trait.)

Courage

Trust

Acceptance

PERSONALITY TRAITS:

1. Perfectionists are great Practicers, they have that mindset down perfectly

2. Artist – Accepts mistakes, no big deal. If you’re awesomely talented this is no problem. Just lets it come, doesn’t practice, plays “off the cuff” -

3. Performer - good practicers, but in performance they let it go. Ultimately what we want to do is let go of conscious control over correctness and attend to the higher order aspects of performance.

Self I processes one thing at a time Self II processes multiple things at the same time

Bottom line and inner battle in human performance – Self I does not want to trust Self II, especially if the outcome matters. When great performers stop trusting, they stop being great.

4. Under-achiever

Imagine if you were to describe, step by step, how you get out of the car? Self I would get involved in the execution and just mess it up. How do we put Self I in a proper place so it benefits, but is out of the way?

TRUST is the performance goal. If you can get to trust yourself 85%, you can get to 85% consistently.

We should not seek to avoid discomfort. Our performance goal should be to manage discomfort. It takes Courage to manage that effectively.

Performance Script is a sensory rich description of playing great. For instance, descirbe the perfect warm up and beginning of a performance:

“I walk on stage, face the audience with a bow and a warm smile. I sit on the bench and center myself, thinking about the choreography of the first note. I sink into the key and as I go on in the piece, I know my warmth and sensitivity is coming through.” Rehearse this script 20-25 during the week before the performance.

Trusting what you’ve got is a courageous act.

ACCEPTANCE – A non-judgemental mindset. Judgements narrow our focus and capture our attention.

Expands your attentional capabilities. How do we work on acceptance?

Giving Self I Attentional Targets. A plan to put your focus on specific things.

PERFORMANCE PHASES:

1. Approach

2. Execution

3. Response

You can learn to be better at acceptance through

an 80-20 plan

performance scripts

targeting your attention

journaling

Be more solution-focused than problem centered. www.PlayingYourBest.com

Rhythm . . . and Harry Potter?

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:40:00 +0000

A colleague posted this video on her blog. (Thank You, Chris Wolf) What does this have to do with piano lessons? Rhythm, Man! Enjoy . . .

Do You Ever Wonder Why?

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:13:00 +0000

Music Lessons from an Economist’s Point of View

By Vicky Barham, Ph. D.

I’m a parent of children enrolled inSuzuki music lessons. I’d like

to explain to other parents why I feel – quite strongly, actually -

that it is unreasonable of we parents to expect our teachers to make

up lessons we miss, even if I know as well as they do just how

expensive lessons are, and, equally importantly, how important that

weekly contact is with the teacher to keeping practising ticking

along smoothly. I think that it is natural for we parents to share

the point of view that students should have their missed lessons

rescheduled, but if we were to ‘walk a mile’ in our teachers’ shoes,

we might change our minds about what it is reasonable for us to

expect of our teachers.

Like many parents, I pay in advancefor lessons each term. In my

mind, what this means is that I have reserved a regular spot in the

busy schedules of my sons’ teachers. I understand – fully – that if I

can’t make it to the lesson one week (perhaps my son is sick, or we

are away on holiday, or there is some other major event at school)

then we will pay for the lesson, but that my teacher is under no

obligation to find another spot for me that week, or to refund me for

the untaught lesson. And this is the way it should be.

In my ‘other life’ I am an economistand teach at our local

university. Students pay good money to attend classes at the

university; but if they don’t come to my lecture on a Monday morning,

then I am not going to turn around and deliver them a private

tutorial on Tuesday afternoon. When I go to the store and buy

groceries, I may purchase something that doesn’t get used. Days or

months later, I end up throwing it out. I don’t get a refund from the

grocery store for the unused merchandise. If I sign my child up for

swimming lessons at the local pool, and s/he refuses to return after

the first lesson, I can’t get my money back. So there are lots of

situations in our everyday lives where we regularly pay in advance

for goods or some service, and if we end up not using what we have

purchased, we have to just ‘swallow our losses’. On the other hand,

if I purchase an item of clothing, and get home and change my mind, I

can take it back and expect either a refund or a store credit.

So why do I believe that musiclessons fall into the first category of

‘non-returnable merchandise’, rather than into the second case

of ‘exchange privileges unlimited’ (which I think is one of the

advertising slogans of an established women’s clothing store!)?

Speaking now as an economist, I would claim that the reason is that

items like clothing are “durable goods’ – meaning, they can be

returned and then resold at the original price – whereas music

lessons are non-durable goods – meaning, once my Monday slot at 3:30

is gone, my son’s teacher can’t turn around and sell it again. The

only way she would be able to give him a lesson later in the week

would be if she were to give up time that she had scheduled for her

own private life; and that seems pretty unreasonable – I can’t think

of many employees who would be thrilled if their bosses were to

announce that they couldn’t work from 3:30 to 4:30 this afternoon,

but would they please stay until 6:30 on Thursday, because there will

be work for them then!

Many teachers hesitate to refuse ourrequest to shift lesson times

(because our busy schedules *do* change), because unless they keep us

parents happy, we will decide to take our child somewhere else for

lessons (or to drop musical study), and they will lose part of their

income. This is particularly true in areas with lower average income,

where it can be particularly difficult to find students. So rather

than telling us that ‘well, actually, the only time when I’m not

teaching and that you can bring your son for lesson is during the

time I set aside each week to go for a long soul-cleansing walk, and

I *can’t* do that on Monday at 3:30 when you should have turned up’,

they agree to teach us at a time that really doesn’t suit their

schedule. Teachers who are ‘nice’ in this way often, in the long run,

end up exhausted, and feeling exploited; they try to draw a line in

the sand. However, too few parents ask to switch only when absolutely

necessary, and too many parents want lesson times when it suits them

this week, which is not the same time that suited last week. The only

time that I would feel entitled to discuss shifting a lesson time is

if the reason I can’t make the lesson is because (i) I have to do

something for the Suzuki school and the only time at which that other

event can happen is during my lesson time; (ii) my teacher were to

ask us to participate in some other activity (e.g., orchestra, etc.)

and that other activity were to create the conflict. If the conflict

arises because my child is in the School play, and they have their

dress-rehearsal during his lesson time, then I feel that I must

choose between the two activities, and if he attends the dress

rehearsal my private lesson teacher doesn’t owe me anything.

During May, my eldest son will bemissing three lessons because he is

going to accompany me on a trip to New Zealand to visit his great-

grandparents. I do not expect my son’s teacher to refund me for those

missed lessons, or to reschedule them by ‘doubling up’ lessons in the

weeks before or after our departure. Since there will be lots of

advanced notice, I might ask her to consider preparing a

special ‘practice tape’ for that period, or to answer my questions

via e-mail, but if she doesn’t have the time (the second half of

April is going to be really busy for her, and she wouldn’t be able to

do the tape until more or less the week we left) and so has to

refuse, then that’s fine. I certainly don’t expect her to credit me

with three make-up lessons; there is no way for her to find a student

to fill a three-week hole in her schedule during our absence.

Instead, I hope that she will enjoy the extra hour of rest during

those three weeks, and that we will all feel renewed enthusiasm when

we return to lessons at the end of the trip.

Vicky Barham, Ph. D., is the motherof two children who are enrolled

in Suzuki music lessons in Canada. She also teaches Economics at the

University of Ottawa.

New Blog

Tue, 18 May 2010 19:01:00 +0000

Please go to http://vahlpiano.blogspot.com/ to see my new blog. Thanks for visiting!

Rules of Interpretation for Students (and Teachers!)

Sat, 23 May 2009 17:34:00 +0000

One of my favorite pedagogical speakers is Marvin Blickenstaff. A few yearsago I attended a week long class at St. Thomas University in St. Paul and heard him speak many times. My favorite notes are these, on SHAPING THE SOUND - Rules of Thumb for the Student.

RHYTHM

Shortsgo to longs (crescendo)

Downbeatsare magnetic -- the sound is drawn to them ?but ?

No two successive downbeats should be alike.

Upbeat figures are interesting and have great musical energy.

HARMONY

Stressthe unusual; de-emphasize (relax) the predictable.

I6/4 chords are magnetic. (Think what a downbeat 1 6/4 must be!)

Harmonic considerationsare more powerful than either rhythmic or melodic ones.

Look to harmony first when determining the sound.

MELODY

Thelast note of the group is the quietest.

Highnotes must be supported from below. The important notes are the low ones -- they have energy and push.

Composersoften place their musical goals on long notes. Go to the long notes, make them project.

Upbeat figures are interesting and unpredictable -- downbeats are the predictable result.

Whenin doubt, . . . swell (crescendo).

TEXTURE

Piano sound is most interesting when the hands are never the same volume.

When playing two or more notes within a hand simultaneously, make the volumedifferent for each note.

PHRASING

Placethe focus of your phrase as late as possible. ("The later, thebetter.")

Traditionsays:

Out of 4, go for 3

In a two-measure phrase, focuson the downbeat of the second measure

The Question is more interestingthan the Answer

Two-note phrases orrelationships favor the first note.

GENERAL Variety is the spice of musical life. Vary the sound. Do not repeat a phrase exactly the same way.

Sad News

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 05:12:00 +0000

Many in the Twin Cities area have heard about the disappearance and death of a young man named Jelani Brinson. Jelani, his brother Jamari and his sister Kai were all students at Fourth Baptist Christian School when I taught classroom music, choir, band, and German there between 1975 and 1985. My thoughts and prayers are with the family as they face this terrible loss. Kai was my piano student for several years during elementary school and I think that she and Jelani had their sunny personality in common. The most notable thing about Jelani was his "ear to ear" smile, and so many people will remember him for this. When I think about the tragedy of his death, I try to picture how safe and loved he is in the arms of his Savior. So many loved you, Jelani, and we all will truly miss the light you brought to our world.