How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano?

Each week I have been giving parents ideas for how to help their child practice piano at home. The home practice time is where the "real" learning should take place. I, as the teacher, present new concepts during the lesson for the student to go home and practice until the concept is easy.

This week, maybe two or three days after the lesson, ask your child what did you learn in your lesson this week and see if they can demonstrate it or explain it to you. If not, have them review the assignment sheet for any clues to help them remember. They should also review the written words in the lesson books. Many times we forget to read the words and just go directly to playing the music. This review will help to keep the concepts fresh in their minds.

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano?

Continuing on with how you can help your child with their piano practice. Last week I mentioned setting a routine and reviewing their assignment with them. This week I'd like to suggest the following:

1. Each week just a day or two before the lesson, have a family recital where your child plays their current pieces for you. In this way, they will see where they still need work, if any. And, it will help them to always be ready to play for people.
2. Encourage your child to play for their friends when they come over. Give them as many performance opportunities as possible to help build their confidence. When playing for friends, the should pick their favorite and best pieces to play.

That's it for this week. Stay tuned and Happy Practicing!

A Funny Name

In lessons last week I asked Olivia and Mike what the name of our composer of the month was and Olivia said, "Tchskidoo". You know... Peter Illyck Tchskidoo? He's the Russian composer who wrote the Nutcracker. It was very funny even if our composer of the month was Haydn.

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano?

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano?
You are spending money each week for your child to learn piano. How can you help him to achieve his goals in piano?

1. schedule practice time. Mark piano practice on your calendar each day. It is most helpful to establishing a habit if the practice is done at the same time every day, or associated with a certain activity such as right after dinner or after homework is done.
2. check assignment. Just like you would check their school homework, set aside some time to look at your child's assignment sheet with them to be sure they are following the specific directions that I write down. It is most frustrating to me and the student when they come to the lesson and apologize for not doing something because they didn't look at the assignment. By checking the assignment sheet, they are learning to be diligent and observant. These traits will carry over into other areas of life.

That's all I'll give you for this week. Stay tuned for more ways to help your child in their piano learning.

Adventures in Music Listening - Christmas

We had our first Adventures in Christmas Music Listening classes this month. Six students came on the first two Saturdays in December for 2-1/2 hours each day. We learned about changing forms.

We started with origami.

Changing four squares of paper into a Santa.

We then combined some odd objects to make a wind chime. By odd I mean, nails, bolts, nuts, rope, dowel rod, fishing wire and beads.

We played games to help us compose a Christmas Rondo. All five rondos will be posted on my website at http://www.cindyspianostudio.com/ once I get them into the computer. You'll be able to see the music and hear the compositions.

Of course, you can't spend 2-1/2 hours with children and not have snacks. We had lots!

The parents were supposed to take these 5 hours and go shopping without children or wrap presents. Did they do it? I wonder?

Have You Heard About B Flat

Check out this fun and interesting song that Andrew told me about. It was featured on NPR.

http://joshadam.com/Audio_Bflat.html

ETA-3 Concert

Makala and I enjoyed our evening together at the Jamestown Concert Association's presentation of ETA-3. The program by Tomoko Nakayama, piano; Emily Thomas, flute; and Alexey Gorokholinsky, clarinet was beautiful. The sounds from the very moment they began were breath taking. The atmosphere was set so beautifully when Emily Thomas began Debussy's Prelude to "The Afternoon of a Faun". She waited until all was quiet and then seemed to become the faun in her playing. Her playing of Ian Clarke's Zoom Tube later was so amuzing and in such a different character. She must be a very good actress as well. Makala enjoyed talking with her after the program and learning about how she got started in her music career and her acting on All My Children. Alexey Gorokholinsky displayed wonderful technique and velocity and musicality on the clarinet solo by Tchaikovsky, Russian Dance. He was fun to talk with afters also. Very down to earth and easy to communicate with. Being pianists, of course, Makala and I were watching Tomoko Nakayama very closely. Awesome! She was accompanist extrodinare! I sympathized with her on the page turning! She never missed a beat. Makala enjoyed seeing a professional's technique and watching her play was a delight.

All three were so friendly to both of us after the program during the reception. Oh, and I can't forget to mention the manager...now what was his name? He was very cute and fun! Oh yes, Reggie Bahl from Manhattan Music Ensemble, INC.

A very enjoyable evening.