Wonderful Student Comments

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"

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

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

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

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!

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

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!