Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Ensemble Pics

Our ensemble recital was a hit! The students played well together and had fun. I believe the favorite song of the day was Balloon Pop Polka. Not surprising since it was fun to perform as well. Great job students!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

How to Help Your Child Learn Piano - Theory

imageBecause we only have 30 or 45 minutes in the lesson, I will sometimes assign theory for your child to do at home. The purpose is to reinforce the concepts learned in the lesson.  Writing what they are learning helps to reinforce it in their brains.  I also may assign flashcards to help them quickly recognize note names or music symbols. You can help by reviewing their theory with them as you would their school homework and by doing the flashcards with them often.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

How to Help Your Child Learn Piano – Fly Away Fingers

image The fingers are very important in playing piano.  The first knuckles need to be strong enough to press the keys firmly without the knuckles collapsing.  And the fingers need to stay lightly on the keys so that they can quickly press the keys when required. 

You can help your child this week by observing their fingers.  Are they close to the keys or sticking up in the air.  Just a gentle reminder to keep fingers close to the keys should be enough to help.

Remember the donut holes in the very first lessons?  These are good for strengthening the first knuckles.  Have them do these every day.

Friday, March 5, 2010

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano? Observation

Rhythm is the heartbeat of music.  It’s what makes music pleasing to our ears and bodies.  We feel the rhythm in our bodies.  Ever noticed your foot tapping or hand tapping the steering wheel as you listen to music?  That’s rhythm.  image

I am constantly reminding students to count, say something, outloud so that they keep the rhythm steady.  You can help by tapping your foot or clap along with their playing. If you can’t, then the rhythm is not correct. (Unless you really have no sense of rhythm. In that case, get another family member to do it! lol)