Cindy's Piano Studio

February Contest for Young Beginners Class

2012-01-28T11:30:00.000-05:00

February is evaluation month for the Young Beginners Class so I'm having a contest to help the students do their best and have fun too. This cute bag of goodies, worth $25, will be the prize. I wonder who will win it?

February2012 Contest

Prize: Red Bag of goodies worth $25

Dates of Contest: Feb 2, 9, 16

Prize given on February 16^th atend of lesson

How to Win Practice Points: TotalPossible Points

1 point for every day youpractice 10 minutes (or more). 7 possible points

1 point for having all yourbooks in class 1possible point

1 point for paying attentionthrough the whole class 1possible point

1 point for not playing ortalking while I’m explaining 1possible point

1point for every piece played with correct finger numbers

1 point for every piece playedwith correct notes the first time

1 point for every piece playedwith correct rhythm the first time

1 point for every piece playedup to speed with orchestra

Black Eighth Note Handmade Pillow

2012-01-18T17:05:00.001-05:00

Amazing! My student here made this eighth note pillow for me. He stitched it by hand this weekend! Just for me!! It is proudly sitting on a chair in my music room for all to see. He had to make something for his home ec class and decided to do a pillow for me. Now that is just enough to make me cry! :) I love it!

Piano Dust

2012-01-14T10:30:00.000-05:00

Does the inside of your piano look like this?! Mine did until my technician came dusted it when he was resurfacing the hammers. The hammers are on the bottom in the picture; you can see where it hits the strings and has made deep indentations into the felt of the hammers.

Here he is removing a hammer so he can fix it. He had to use a special type of screwdriver to catch the screw so it wouldn't fall into the piano and be lost.

He then shaved all the hammers to make the piano sound better and so that the hammers didn't stick into the strings.

Here you can see the tool he used to shave the hammers. It looks like a big metal file. Don't use it on your fingernails though or you won't have any left!

He did a great job and now the piano is ready to go into some blessed piano students home. It is for sale for $600.

Mozart Piano Co. Upright Piano

2012-01-13T15:40:00.002-05:00

My piano in the Bemus Point studio has been fixed. The technician came and revoiced all the hammers so now it sounds nice. The piano is by Mozart Piano Co. out of Toronto. They don't exist anymore. In fact this piano is dated in the 1920's. It still has the original ivory keys. I had to reglue one of them but it's still the original. Now I'm thinking about selling it for $600. It was very heavy to move and required four guys. It would make a nice piano for a student who is really interested in piano lessons.

Detective Cindy

2012-01-12T20:02:00.001-05:00

One of my adult students said to me today, "You're like a detective!" She is so right. Teaching piano is like following the clues that the students leave to the way they think and process information. Each student is different and needs to be taught the way they understand. When teaching, I use my method and when that doesn't work I have to pull out the magnifying glass to find the problem and then try other paths for that student. I love researching other ways to teach and seeing the results, or not, from them.

Detective Cindy to the Piano Rescue!

Pictures!

2011-09-29T13:59:00.003-04:00

I love it when students draw pictures for me. This is a picture of a falcon according to six-year-old Oliver. He drew it while waiting for his sister's lesson to be over. It's hanging in my Bemus Point studio.

And Here We Go!

2011-09-14T10:16:00.001-04:00

Private lessons have begun and we're having fun already. My students are ready to learn more about how to play the piano and the music they love. Even the adults are excited! We are planning an adult music tea so they can socialize with other adults who love piano.

Group lessons begin next week. There is still room for more students in the classes. Check out my website for day and times. http://www.cindyspianostudio.com/group

Sign Up For Fall Classes

2011-09-01T11:22:00.000-04:00

I had some wonderful news today. I can have flyers distributed to the students at Bemus Point Elementary School this year. Yea! Now more students will have the opportunity to find out about Cindy's Piano Studio. I'm so convenient to the school and the bus will drop off the students at the door after school.

The schedule this year will be:
Thursday:
3:30-4:15 - 9-11Year Old Beginner Class
4:15-5:00 - 7-8 Year Old Beginner Class
5:00-5:45 - 5-6 Year Old Beginner Class

I'm planning some fun things for this year. More on that later...

Summer is Coming to a Close

2011-08-01T14:24:00.000-04:00

It's August 1st already! Summer is almost over and it's time to think about scheduling piano lessons. My hope this year is to have private students at my home in Lakewood on Monday and Tuesday and classes at the Bemus Point studio. I'll be calling everyone the last week of August or first week in September to arrange lesson times.

Dandy Ritardando

2011-05-11T10:30:00.000-04:00

I love children's sayings. In L's lesson yesterday we were learning about ritardando and her comment was "It's dandy to have a ritardando." She just said it without any prompting on my part. It just popped out of her mouth. I wonder if she had been thinking it beforehand or it just came out on the spur of the moment. Whatever, it was really cute.

APT Exam

2011-04-05T11:37:00.000-04:00

Saturday, six of my piano students participated in the Association of Piano Teachers' yearly exam. This was their first year and it was a lot of work. We started in October slowly learning scales and sightreading and clapping rhythm examples and brushing up on theory questions. They also started learning their two pieces a little at a time so that it wouldn't be overwhelming. Looking back on the process, I don't think I would have changed anything except less focus on the exam and more on learning new concepts. The exam took up too much lesson time.

All six of my students; however, got excellent scores and one frequent comment was how well they played dynamics! Yea students! A few students were very concerned about the sightreading and yet they got perfect scores.

It was an interesting process and one I'm sure the students are glad is over. Well, I am too. Now we can focus on learning new concepts and finishing books and and and...

I'm very pleased with each of my students progress at the exams.

Piano Lessons in Bemus Point

2011-03-19T14:02:00.000-04:00

Cindy's Piano Studio in Bemus Point is growing. Students are coming and learning how to play piano in a fun atmosphere. Classes are being held on Wednesdays and Thursdays and some Saturdays. All ages are coming from 6 years old to 65 years young. More improvements to the space are in the works. Soon internet access will allow students to reinforce piano learning concepts with theory games.

Call 716-763-1197 or visit http://www.cindyspianostudio.com/ if you wish to sign up for classes this Fall.

Wonderful Student Comments

2011-01-27T14:05:00.002-05:00

I love it when I get comments that just pop out of my students mouths like this one:

"I'm in love with this song. It's so awesome!" Comments like these make me feel like what I'm doing is worthwhile. My students are having fun and enjoying their music and piano.

"Practice A Lot"

2011-01-20T14:35:00.000-05:00

This week a beginning student said to me, "It's really easy if you practice a lot!" She was so excited about being able to play her pieces well at her lesson. She is right. In order to play piano well, it takes lots of practice. Practicing with concentration and a purpose, not just playing through pieces once, will ensure lots of progress and quickly. Practicing piano when you are tired is not the best time to expect progress. It's better than nothing but the best time is when you are able to concentrate on what you are trying to make your fingers do and listening to the sounds that your fingers are making. Slow repetitions are best for learning new pieces; however, the repetitions should be in short sections like two or four measures at a time, not the whole piece. Thinking about how you are pressing the keys on the finger tips with a rounded hand position or relaxing your shoulders, back, and arms as you play or counting outloud or saying letter names outloud will help to keep you focused. So as my student said, "It's really easy if you practice a lot!"

Happy Practicing!

Group Piano Lessons Available in Bemus Point, NY

2010-11-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

Sam's Club has this 88-key keyboard in stores today. Perfect for taking group piano lessons at Cindy's Piano Studio in Bemus Point. Cost: $499.86. You'll also need a stand $24.86 to put it on, a sustain pedal $17.86, and a bench $18.83 to sit on. Sam's has those as well. So for $561.41 plus tax you will be ready to sign up for group piano lessons at Cindy's Piano Studio in Bemus Point, NY. A perfect Christmas gift for your child or yourself.

Yamaha DGX530B 88-key piano

Cindy's Piano Studio in Bemus Point has classes forming now for all ages. No musical experience needed. You will learn how to read music and play simple pieces. The two-year curriculum will prepare you for private lessons, if you or your child so desire. Group lessons are a great way to find out if your child really wants to play piano or if it is just a passing phase. Send an email to pianolessons at cindyspianostudio.com to schedule your interview. I'm not posting a link here to my email due to spammers. You can click on the link above to go to my website for more information.

Martina Filjak Concert

2010-11-19T22:17:00.000-05:00

I took three piano students to see Martina Filjak in concert at St. Luke's. It was sponsored by the Jamestown Concert Association. She played a wonderful concert of composers Soler, Chopin, Prokofieff, and Scriabin. My favorite were the Three Sonatas by Soler. I enjoyed the lyrical quality and drama of the pieces. All three girls were excited to meet Martina afterwards; however, only one actually was able to. I guess Martina was tired and wanted to leave. Not sure. The others were disappointed but still glad to have gone to the concert.

Oliver's First End of Book Recital

2010-11-07T19:43:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Oliver for complete his first book and end-of-book recital. He is now promoted to Faber's My First Piano Adventures level B. He did an awesome job at his recital. The cool thing was that his grandparents in the Netherlands were able to join us via Skype. Love that technology!

Skype and Piano Recitals!

2010-10-30T19:46:00.000-04:00

This was a first for Cindy's Piano Studio and hopefully the beginning of many more exciting global recitals. Oliver had his first end-of-book recital at his home tonight. His dad is from the Netherlands where his parents still live. They were able to see Oliver perform live via Skype and we were able to see them. What a great way to share in each other's lives even though thousands of miles apart.

New Studio Location - piano lessons coming to Bemus Point, NY

2010-09-22T21:58:00.000-04:00

In August, I got the idea to check into renting space again so I could start up Cindy's Piano Studio classes. The first few spaces were very depressing: too much money, spaces needed to be bulldozed not rented, bad locations. And then...we were driving around the lake after getting our last ice cream cone at Boxcar Barney's in Mayville and my husband saw a for rent sign on a building in Bemus Point. We stopped and looked in the windows. It looked perfect! So I called the number, set up an appointment and prayed for favor.

We met with the landlords, who are very nice, and decided to proceed. The first step is getting a zoning variance; however, there have been businesses in the space for 30 years so we aren't too concerned about that. I dropped off the application with check today and am now waiting for the zoning board meeting in October.

I'm 'sort of' excited but not really until the board meeting is over...then I'll be jumping!

I'm planning on adding piano classes in Bemus Point on Thursdays and possible Wednesday evenings. All private lessons will remain in my home until I have money to buy a grand for the studio. Even then, those that are on the west side of the lake will remain in my home. I'm hoping to add four classes this year and more next year.

Stay tuned!

Summer!

2010-07-01T11:49:00.000-04:00

Yeah! Summer is here. School is out! "No more lessons, no more books, no more teacher's dirty looks!" That includes piano teachers! Ah, not really. I don't give dirty looks; well, not often anyways! Summer, a wonderful time to spend with family.

Unfortunately, most students don't spend much, if any, time at the piano and so when lessons start up again in the Fall (if they haven't totally lost interest), we have to spend a lot of time reviewing concepts before we can proceed.

You can help change this by prompting your child to "visit" the piano at least two or three times a week during the summer. Some students will have a big assignment to complete over the summer, such as:

preparing an 'end-of-book' recital for the Fall,
learning a new piece of sheet music to be played at a recital in the Fall,
reviewing part of the book so that the concepts remain fresh.

Summer vacation should be a great and refreshing time for all the family. It is a refreshing time for me as a teacher. When we start back in the Fall, I will be fresh and ready with new ideas for making music at the piano fun!

A Sad Car Story

2010-06-08T17:43:00.000-04:00

Luke's dad sold his favorite car. As it was pulling out of the driveway, Luke ran to the piano and played this for his dad....The Minor Mynah. His lyrics are:

As the car drove out of the driveway,
I was so so sad.
I cried myself to sleep.

Poor Dad!

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano? Encouragement

2010-05-18T10:31:00.000-04:00

Everybody needs encouragement once in a while to help them move to the next level. Your child needs to know that you approve of his piano playing abilities.

Ask them to play for you and then praise them for the good (ignore the bad!)
Talk about their piano playing with your friends while your child is in the room
Encourage them to play for their friends that visit
Encourage them to call or email me if they have questions or problems
Ask them to play a piece that you enjoy from their lessons and then sit and listen to them with all your attention on them
Encourage the rest of the family to sit and listen and praise them also

There is so much criticism in our lives that is seems to outweigh the praise. Let's change that in our piano world and give more praise. I think we'll see your child soar to new heights in music making.

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano? Snacks

2010-05-10T15:45:00.001-04:00

Your child has a lot of demands for his attention. We don’t want one of them to be his/her stomach. Plan on giving your child a nutritious snack (NO SUGAR!) before the lesson or before practice sessions so that they can concentrate fully on learning. Junk food will not help their piano playing unless they are learning a spastic piece! If your child requires carbs due to low blood sugar, make sure that they have it before the lesson or practice as well. You know your child’s body better than I do. Do what their bodies need before the lesson so that we don’t have to push so hard to maintain the focus needed to learn this new skill. Your child and I will thank you for it!

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano? Comfort

2010-05-07T18:27:00.000-04:00

Your child is concentrating on so many details when playing the piano. Having clothing that is too tight or uncomfortable in any way is a distraction from learning. They need to be comfortable in their eyesight as well. If they wear glasses or contacts for up close reading, make sure they have them on for lessons and practice.
A wonderful birthday or Christmas gift would be a cushion for the hard wooden bench they have to sit on everyday. For those crafty moms who have lots of time, why not make one? For the rest of us, Friendship House has some nice options here: http://www.friendshiphouse.com/product/product_view.aspx?UID=927046C6-1A07-406B-BFB5-6D1E04E1BAA8 for about $62 in lots of colors.

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano? Posture

2010-04-26T14:34:00.002-04:00

Tip for the week to help your child at piano...

Encourage your child to sit properly at the piano.

They should sit on the front half of the bench.
The knees should be just under the keyboard.
Feet should be flat on the floor or on a stool if legs aren't long enough.
Arms should be parallel to the floor. If not raise the bench using pillows or books.
Back should be flat not arched in - will get back aches if arched.
Shoulders and arms should be relaxed.
Wrists should be straight across not humped or sagging.
Hands should be naturally curved so they can play on finger tips (which means finger nails need to be short.)

I’m So Excited!

2010-04-08T11:31:00.001-04:00

Dominique told me last week before we began our lessons:

“I was sitting in chorus class and I was thinking…’I can’t WAIT to come to piano!’ I was so excited I went home and practiced!”

Now that’s the kind of enthusiasm every piano teacher wants for each of their students! Yes, we did have a good lesson.

I’m proud of each of my students and pray each week that they will go home and practice well and enjoy making music.

Yea Dominique!

Ensemble Pics

2010-03-24T12:52:00.002-04:00

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!

How to Help Your Child Learn Piano - Theory

2010-03-23T10:17:00.001-04:00

Because 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.

How to Help Your Child Learn Piano – Fly Away Fingers

2010-03-10T13:40:00.001-05:00

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.

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano? Observation

2010-03-05T17:33:00.001-05:00

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.

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)

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano? Practice

2010-02-22T12:10:00.002-05:00

Why should your child practice? Simple...to get better at the skill of playing piano.
How should your child practice? Slowly, in small sections, hands alone and then hands together.
When should your child practice? Everyday that they eat. I have given them one day off, so they should be practicing six days a week in order to get better.

The assignment sheet should be helping your child practice. It is a reminder of what we did in the lesson and what should be accomplished during the week.

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano? Concerts

2010-02-17T10:47:00.003-05:00

My next suggestion for parents supporting their child with piano study is to provide opportunities for them to hear excellent pianists perform. During live performances they can see what the pianist is doing to make the wonderful sounds come out of the piano and observe how to act when performing.

We have a perfect opportunity for your child on Friday, March 19th. Alexander Ghindin, winner of the 2007 Cleveland Int'l Piano Competition, will perform at St. Luke's in Jamestown. It is free for students. I will take anyone who wishes to go with me. However, you too, as parents, can attend for only $10 and have an enjoyable evening with your child listening to great music. Let me know if you'd like tickets.

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano? Eyes

2010-02-11T14:14:00.002-05:00

Students learning piano need to focus on the music, just like reading a book. The eyes need to be on the writing so they can see what is coming up next quickly. When they constantly look at their hands, they will lose their place in the writing which will cause the speed of the piece to be inconsistent. There is greater accuracy in reading when the eyes are focused on the music.

This is not to say that they should never look at the hands as there are times when we need to see where we are going, especially if it is a large leap. However, when the hands are not moving out of "position", the eyes should be reading music not checking where the fingers are on the keys.

How can you as a parent help? Check to see where there eyes are as you walk by and gently remind them to keep their eyes on the music as much as possible. Looking at hands unnecessarily is a habit that needs to be broken with practice looking at music.

How Can I Help My Child Learn Piano? Demonstration

2010-02-03T12:30:00.003-05:00

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? Home Recital

2010-01-18T11:43:00.003-05:00

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:

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.
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

2010-01-18T11:34:00.002-05:00

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? Time and Assignment

2010-01-14T12:39:00.003-05:00

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?

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.
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

2009-12-22T17:35:00.007-05:00

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

2009-10-28T11:21:00.002-04:00

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

2009-10-16T15:21:00.003-04:00

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.

Fall Lessons Begin

2009-09-14T13:48:00.002-04:00

It's the beginning of another exciting year at Cindy's Piano Studio. I have plans for two recitals with my studio this year:

an ensemble recital - students will play in groups of four, each will have their own part and instrument

a techno party recital - we'll use all the technology I can for this one: video, slideshow, orchestrations, keyboards, lights, camera, action!

There are three APT recitals also; however, I think we will only participate in the November 14th recital at Loyalton.

This year we will focus on nine composers, one each month. We'll listen to their music, read about their lives, and play some of their pieces.

I'm really looking forward to seeing all my students this week.

Happy Practicing!

A.P.T. Presents A Music Salon

2009-09-11T22:15:00.003-04:00

I just returned from a wonderful evening filled with talented Chautauqua County area musicians. The program sponsored by Jamestown Association of Piano Teachers was held at the Sheldon House. The program included works by Joplin, Chopin, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Haydn, Rachmaninoff and others. Area performers ranged from teachers to students to business professionals such as a chemist and a construction worker. This was the third program presented by A.P.T. Each year gets better and better. Ruth Dodds did a wonderful job of setting it up and made all the delicious desserts. Yea Ruth!

For more information on A.P.T. go to http://www.cindyspianostudio.com/apt.html.

Anyone need a piano?

2009-08-21T22:19:00.002-04:00

I just got a call regarding a good Baldwin console piano that is for sale for $850. If you are interested, call Sandy Brogan at 571-214-2480 (cell phone).

Adventures in Music Listening - Sweden

2009-08-19T12:01:00.005-04:00

Goddag, Good Day! We traveled to Sweden this week. We found Sweden at the top of the globe at the same height as Canada. We saw pictures of the Riksdagshuset (house of Parliament) where the Nobel Peace Prizes are awarded. We also saw a lighthouse that reminded us of ours in Chautauqua County. After talking about the clothing for ceremonies in Sweden and in the US, we saw a picture of a Nyckelharpa and heard what it sounded like. Then we danced the Hambo to a song from the CD, Hambo in the Barn.

We discussed animals of Sweden like the Elk or reindeer, the Mediterranean Gull, and then colored a picture of the dala hast (horse), while I read the Swedish folk tale, Peder and the Water Sprite. After a game of Tic Tac Toe, which originated in Sweden, the children left with a snack of Swedish Fish.It was a fun day of learning with the children and moms. I'm hoping they had as much fun as I did.

Adventures in Music Listening - Australia

2009-08-19T11:27:00.004-04:00

G'day Mate!

That was our password upon entering the class. It was fun to hear the children's voices speak it with joy.

After finding Australia on the globe, we learned about some animals and sang Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport while watching a YouTube video of the song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D-LmRNdQiQ sung by Rolf Harris. We then looked at some of the Aborginal art at http://www.aboriginalartonline.com/shop/region.php?type=10&local=14.
It was interesting to hear and see the didgeridoo at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC9w4KWEgJE.

We then danced the pieman to Waltzing Matilda, Australia's unofficial national anthem. We talked about some slang terms used in the song like swagman and billy and tucker bag.

After a game of Ostrich Tag,

they colored a kookaburra while they listened to the song and the bird laugh at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iygkpxzbVt8.

They ate a snack of chocolate covered carmel (milk duds) which are popular in Australia and as they left they took a boomerang home.

It was a fun morning at Lakewood Memorial Library.

Words That Describe Cindy's Piano Studio

2009-05-25T15:39:00.003-04:00

A while ago I started a list of words that I thought reflected my business, Cindy's Piano Studio....

Making Music Fun

Fun, Musical, Expressive, Awe
Learning, Technology, Rewards, Recognition
Sought after, Needed, Peaceful, Stress-free
Music, Piano, Keyboard, Games, Teach, Encourage, Demonstrate, Correct, Perfect
Create, Listen, Train, Ensemble, Together, Team

If you are a student, do you have some more words to add? Please comment...

2009-04-23T21:57:00.000-04:00

Are you practicing?

The Glorian Duo Concert

2009-03-24T15:06:00.004-04:00

Kendra and I went to The Glorian Duo concert sponsored by Jamestown Concert Association at St. Luke's this past weekend. Wendy Kerner Lucas, harpist and Donna Milanovich, flutist presented a beautiful concert of music through the ages from Concert Royal No. 4 in e minor by Francois Couperin (1668-1773) to Serenade No. 10, op. 79 by Vincent Persichetti (1915-1987). My favorite pieces was Suite Francaise, op. 114 by Paul Bazelaire (1886-1958). It has five movements that were beautiful. Ms. Lucas also played First Arabesque by Claude Debussy which was adapted from piano. The also played Nocturne for Flute and Harp by J. Naderman and J. Tulou, On Wings of Song, op. 34, no. 2; Sunday Song, op. 34, no. 5; and Suleika, op. 34, no. 4 by Felix Mendelssohn, Fantaisie, op. 124 by Camille Saint-Saens, and Cafe 1930 from Histoire du Tango by Asto Piazzolla. The majority of the music was by French composers. It was a very enjoyable evening. Even the ice cream at Friendly's after the concert tasted wonderful!

APT Recital at LSS

2009-03-14T16:02:00.004-04:00

Six of my students performed at the Association of Piano Teachers recital today at Lutheran Social Services. They all did splendiferously! How's that for a big word. The next recital is in June. I hope the rest of my students who didn't play today will be able to play then. You can check out today's performances at http://www.cindyspianostudio.com/studentperformances.php

Another End-of-Book Recital finished

2009-03-12T14:40:00.002-04:00

Sydney has just completed her third End-of-Book Recital using the Hal Leonard series. She played Joy, In Concert, Dixieland Jam, Bounces, Alouette, In the Hall of the Mountain King, Chorale, Alexander March, and Fresh Start. In Concert and Fresh Start were played with orchestral accompaniment. You should listen to her performance, especially if you are in the same series as she is. You know the one with Party Cat! When you listen, you'll hear music that you might want to choose for your recital too. Sydney is now working on a Pop Solos book from that level and going into her fourth book.

Congratulations, Sydney!

End of Book Recitals

2009-03-10T22:04:00.002-04:00

There are a few students finishing their books now. Makala's end-of-book recital is at http://www.cindyspianostudio.com/studentperformances.php and Sydney's will be out there in a few days as she just did her's today. Olivia has written a composition entitled, Pearl in the Sea, which you can see at http://www.cindyspianostudio.com/Documents/olivia.html. I'll post more EOB Recital info here in the coming weeks, so keep checking. These are good to listen to and watch especially if you are going into the same books. You can hear other student's favorites from those books.

Makala's End-of-Book

2009-03-02T21:23:00.001-05:00

Congratulations, Makala, on finishing your first "end-of-book recital". Her video will be on the website soon. Stay tuned...

Piano Par-Tea

2009-02-26T12:44:00.005-05:00

Our first piano par-tea was fun! We had Cream soda, punch made with sparkling water, cherries, and lemon juice. It was pretty good especially when the glasses were dipped in lemon juice and colored sugar.The cake was fun to make. I used two 1-1/2 quart bowls and 2 cake mixes. The lid is cut from one of the cakes. The spout and handle are mazipan. We decided marzipan taste a little like candy corn. I broke the handle as I was putting it on so I "glued" it back with frosting.

We playedpieces for each other in our hat as any proper young lady would do.

We made shrink art teapots and one young lady made the "lizard".

After playing the piano and creating art, we were ready for some snacks.

We enjoyed cake and punch and more

conversation. The decorations around the teapot in this picture are little muffins that turned out too hard; so I added tealights and flowers on top of the frosting and threw them away after the party!

In the Mood

2009-01-17T12:11:00.001-05:00

After playing Great News a few times and recording it, Taylor said, "That song puts me in the mood!" I love it when students are enjoying the music as well as the lessons. It makes me feel like my time with them is worthwhile.

A New Year

2009-01-04T17:21:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow starts another new year for Cindy's Piano Studio. I'm looking forward to seeing all of my students after our two-week break. I'm sure some will not have practiced and then others will. It will be good to get back into the routine of teaching and lesson planning again.

Speaking of planning...I'm thinking about a piano par-tea which would be for five students at a time. We'll play our pieces, make some shrink art, and eat dainties and tea (black raspberry kool-aid).

I'm planning a duet session too. I need to keep these students busy so they stay out of trouble, right?

The Syracuse Symphony Orchestra

2008-12-10T15:05:00.005-05:00

I attended the Jamestown Concert Association's presentation of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. It was very good. I enjoyed the music and Santa's reading of The Night Before Christmas with music background was great. Margaret Carlson's voice is awesome. Not sure I would like a steady diet of her, but she sings very well. I left before the sing-along so I could get out before the traffic jam. I went alone this time as we were leaving on a long trip the next morning and I didn't want to be out late bringing students home. It was a very enjoyable evening.

Alexander Ghindin Concert

2008-11-12T21:44:00.002-05:00

I just returned from a concert sponsored by Jamestown Concert Association held at the Jamestown High School. Alexander Ghindin played Schubert's Six Moments Musicaux, Op. 94 and two pieces by Chopin. The acoustics were great and he played wonderfully. My students were impressed and said the time went really fast. I hope it inspires them to practice this week.

Baseball Clef

2008-11-04T19:13:00.001-05:00

During her lesson, I was quizing Rachel on what the names of the clefs were. She called the bass clef the "baseball" clef. I like that. I think I'll rename it.

APT Recital at Loyalton Thanks

2008-11-04T19:10:00.001-05:00

I received this yummy thank you from two of my students after the recital. I wonder how my student know that I love chocolate?

YouTube

2008-11-04T19:07:00.002-05:00

I decided not to use YouTube after talking with a parent about how much junk is on YouTube that is easy for students to accidentally see. I also don't want to cause my students any problems from people who might want to hurt them. So, I'm sticking with my website for performances.

Bagatelle

2008-10-28T22:51:00.003-04:00

During lessons today, I was quizzing a student on her flashcards when we came to Bagatelle. She defined it as a short, uninvolved bag! It was supposed to be a short, uninvolved instrumental piece. It was a laugh-out-loud moment during the lesson. I love these kids!!

APT Recital at Loyalton

2008-10-28T22:34:00.004-04:00

Twelve of my students played at Loyalton Assisted Living in Lakewood on Saturday, October 25th. They all played well. My video camera battery died right when I had to play with Morgan, so I missed her and part of Luke's pieces.

The students who played: Rachel, Kendall, Kendra, Sydney, Makala, Luke, Isac, Alice, Taylor, Mike and Olivia, and Morgan. For six of them it was their first time. I'm proud of all of them.

You can see their performances at http://www.cindyspianostudio.com/studentperformances.php if you have a user name and password from one of the students.

Georgia Guitar Quartet

2008-10-18T12:28:00.004-04:00

Makala and I attended the Georgia Guitar Quartet concert last night sponsored by the Jamestown Concert Association. It was at 8 p.m. at St. Luke's Church in Jamestown. We sat towards the back with Makala on the aisle so she could see better. The program was great!

They played with awesome dynamics and fun sound affects. They were always looking at each other for direction so the group interaction was fun to watch. We liked Scarlatti's, The Cat's Fugue. He wrote it after his cat jumped on his harpsicord and walked on the keys. Scarlatti wrote down the keys he played and transposed, turned upside down, and stretched out the simple theme.

They played two pieces that they commissioned, both were unusual. Wheels was full of circular themes. Just about the time my eyes glazed over, the music changed. We thought it would be good music for a suspense movie. I even heard a fist fight and gun shots. They said that each of the four parts were like spokes in a wheel; if one part got off, the wheel becomes an oval. Makala's eyes lit up when they played the Suite for Four Guitars. Her feet were dancing. It was like something you've heard and yet like nothing you've heard.

Their rendition of Linus and Lucy was interesting. That's all I'll say about that. Two Repaired Movements had a lot of tribal sounds and was percussive. Fun to listen to and watch. The last piece, The Road to Lisdoonvarna, an Irish Traditional song, made me think of leprocans dancing on a road. After the program, we went downstairs for refreshments and Makala got her program signed by all four guitarists. It was a fun evening.

You can see their website at http://www.georgiaguitarquartet.com/

APT Recital

2008-10-15T11:43:00.002-04:00

Students are preparing for the Association of Piano Teachers recital at Loyalton on October 25th. I have 12 students playing. This is Rachel, Isac, Taylor, Morgan, Mike, and Olivia's first recital. Kendall, Kendra, Sydney, Makala, Luke, and Alice have all played in recitals before. Seven of the students are playing duets. Alice is playing with her mom. This should be a fun time for them and the residents. The piano is a keyboard, Yamaha I think. The music rack is low so I hope I remember to bring something to hold the back of the music upright. There are only three of my students not playing at this recital. I had thought of having another recital for those who weren't playing; I may still do that. The next blog post should have pictures of the recital and maybe video if I can figure out how to do that!

Man, I'm Good!

2008-10-06T13:17:00.002-04:00

At Taylor and Morgan's lesson on Thursday, we had just been learning Carmen's Tune and Morgan blurted out "Man, I'm good!" after a successful playing. She was right, but it sure made me laugh out loud! What a joy these two are.

First Day of Teaching

2008-09-15T21:59:00.004-04:00

Today was the first day back at piano teaching for the year. It went well. I need to make shorter lesson plans so I don't feel pressured to cover so much each lesson. I'm looking forward to teaching each of the students some new music for a fall recital. I'm hoping most of them will play in the APT recital on October 25th.

Getting Ready for the year

2008-09-11T21:43:00.003-04:00

Piano lessons are starting next week and I'm just about ready. I've done my planning for the week and assignment sheets are printed. Next is updating the website. I want to make some changes like giving each student their own page instead of having them all together on one. I will be giving the students music with a fall theme for an October 25th recital at Loyalton. I'm looking forward to this year with my students. I hope they are looking forward to coming back.

New Year Starting

2008-09-07T20:34:00.002-04:00

I'm finally done with scheduling lessons for 14 students. What a chore! I'm teaching four days instead of three but I only have three lessons on each day. They will still be long days as I don't finish until 6p.m. This week starts the planning for the year's recitals and music and directions for each student and deciding where I want to take Cindy's Piano Studio in technology.

Adventures in Music Listening - Old West

2008-08-26T13:12:00.011-04:00

Howdy Pardner!

We had a grand time this morning in the Old West. After discussing what life might have been like a hundred years ago, we learned how to do a line dance.

After all, cowboys wouldn't dance cheek to cheek! The younger kids just did a walk, but the older kids learned to grapevine.

After having a little amuzement, we spun them around blindfolded to see if they could pin the sheriff with their badge. There were a lot of laughs as the sheriff was poked everywhere but his badge.

In the Old West they had to watch out for "rattlers". So we practiced jumping rattlesnakes trying not to get bit. Of course, I had to practice too.
After a full day of dancing and watching out for rattlers and catching dogies, it was time to sit by the campfire and sing songs like: Home, home on the Range, I've Been Working on the Railroad, Do Your Ears Hang Low, and playing BINGO with our kazoo. The full day made us soooo hungry that we really enjoyed our smores and sassparilla or cactus juice before leaving for greener pastures.

Be sure to check out the slideshow of pictures of all the countries at the top right of this blog.

Thank you to all who attended and to those who made this month of traveling possible. NYSCA and Buffalo Council of the Arts, Rotary Club, Quality Markets, The Shoops, The Dennerleins, anonymous donors and most of all the Lakewood Memorial Library personnel!

Taylor and Morgan

2008-08-23T16:47:00.002-04:00

I finally got Taylor and Morgan's first piano recital video on the website. I tried to do it on YouTube but it was too big. You can check it out under Students/Student Performance tab if you have the user name and password (which you only get if you are a family member or friend of the students).

Kudos

2008-08-20T14:26:00.002-04:00

I received this note from Taylor on the last day of lessons and it made my day....

"Dear Mrs. Robbison, I'm so glad your my piano teacher. Your the Best!!!! Nobody could EVER replase you." (I didn't correct her spelling.) She drew a big smiley and signed it "Sincerely, Taylor"

Awwwww

Adventures in Music Listening - Mexico

2008-08-19T14:22:00.005-04:00

Hola! We traveled to Mexico today. The children brought in their handmade or purchased maracas and they each received a maraca pen. Mary brought in some jewelry, castanets, sombrero, and ponchos from Mexico.

I started out with a siesta ...

and I definitely needed one after a full day of playing freeze dance

and moving to the mexican music

and coloring chili peppers or sombreros while I read The Giant's Secret. You can read it here: http://www.drlamay.com/giants_secret.htm.

We actually had some balls go into Mexico City in the Mexico Toss game.

The children are all having fun in these sessions and so am I. Some of them are using their passwords in conversations, like saying "Jambo" instead of hello to friends. They get so excited about it that they pester their parents saying, "has she called with the password yet?". They tell their friends at YCare, "I'm going to Russia (or whatever country we are visiting) tonight." And then go back and tell them what they did in the country. They have discussions at the dinner table about what they've learned. Some homeschooling moms are using this as a teaching experience by asking questions after the sessions to reinforce what was learned that day. Some of the children even say they wish it was longer. That is one request I don't think I have energy for!

Next week is the last week. Stay tuned...

Adventures in Music Listening - Russia

2008-08-15T18:50:00.000-04:00

We had a great time learning about Russia on Tuesday. My friend, Karen, and Mary, the Librarian, let us borrow their items from Russia for display.

The children learned part of the Troika dance. That was a lot of fun, especially with the five-year olds who were still wondering what a Troika was.

They listened to a story about Ivan and his frog bride while they colored their sleighs. We played Caraway, Caraway with the Flight of the Bumblebee as our time keeper. That was the hit of the day.

The children are very excited about the classes and seem to be enjoying the snacks from the countries too. We had crackers and cheese for Russia as I couldn't find any dark bread. Their password for the day was "paca" which means "goodbye".

Adventures in Music Listening - Africa

2008-08-05T21:02:00.000-04:00

The first session of the series Adventures in Music Listening was today at the Lakewood Memorial Library. There were 14 five to seven year olds in the first class, 10 eight to ten year olds in the second class, 3 in each of the evening classes. They had to tell me their password, which was "Jambo". Jambo means "hello" in Swahili. We listened to African music, looked at pictures of animals and houses. We had a wonderful display of things from Africa, thanks to the Shoops. We met them on Saturday at the Breakfast Club and they offered to let me use their things from their trip. There was a dress and top, kitchen items, a pencil drawing of a mom and baby that was awesome, an inlaid wooden tray. Mary, the library director, also brought in things from when she lived in Africa and she sang them a song about mom working in the kitchen. We either colored or played talking drums. I think the best part was the lion and impala game. They seemed to have a lot of fun. I know I did.

Playing with African toys.

Coloring talking drums.

Getting a snack of bananas and walnuts.

Waiting for snack.

Looking at pictures of the colorful houses.

More coloring pictures.

Learning about talking drums.

Learning Jambo Bwama

Thanks to Shoops for all the wonderful items on display.