Student of the Month - January

Congratulations to Stephanie for being chosen as the January Student of the Month.  What a great way to start 2015.  Stephanie recently brought her American Doll to piano lessons and showed me how she teaches her to play piano.  It was fun!

Here's her interview with me this week.

What do you like to do for fun? Stephanie likes to play piano and dance.

What’s your favorite toy? Ashley, my American Doll and her toy piano. Stephanie gives Ashley a lesson and then practices her own pieces. She gives Ashley what she is supposed to do and then Stephanie practices piano.

What do you hate to do? I don't like to play basketball with my brother, Andrew, because he has me do strange things.

What’s the best part of piano lessons? Stephanie loves to learn and make progress at piano.

What's the worst part of piano lessons? She really doesn't like it when she messes up and has to start over again.

What music are you listening to (that’s not piano lesson)? One Direction, Taylor Swift, R5, Vamp, Radio Disney
Can you relate?

Private Eye Workshop #3 - Famous Pianist Episode

12 students crowded into my home studio on Sunday as we solved the mystery of the musical instrument.  It was the oboe!  And, we started a new mystery of the famous pianist.  We watched videos of Van Cliburn and Victor Borge.

The workshop helped us learn how to be better performers and we critiqued everyone on their approach to the piano.

Their bows.

Their ability to play loud and soft.

And whether they listened to the music in their heads before playing.  I'm hoping it sticks with them for a lifetime!

We ended with cookies and pop.

Student of the Month - December

Congratulations Alex! You have been chosen as Student of the Month for December.  Alex has been taking piano lessons since October 2013.  Here's her interview:

What do you like to do for fun?  Play with friends, especially tag.

What's your favorite toy?  Frozen dolls, Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Cristoff in castle.

What do you hate to do? be interupted by my brother, Ben.

What’s the best part of piano lessons? playing games and doing races.

What's the worst part of piano lessons? Nothing!

What music are you listening to (that’s not piano lesson)? Let It Go, all Frozen music.

Now you know a little bit about Alex, our December Student of the Month.

Cindy's Piano Studio Presents Twas the Night Before Christmas - a Silent Movie with Piano Accompaniment

On Saturday, December 6, 2014, Cindy's Piano Studio presented a unique experience for piano recital attendees.  The program began as usual with students playing Christmas music from the Nutcracker and familar Christmas carols.

Next came a video presentation of the Dawes sisters.  They played Fall Fun as a duet while several pictures of the girls were displayed on the big screen.

A brief intermission followed in which the audience helped themselves to flavored  popcorn and soda which was consumed during the silent movie which followed.

Students played Christmas carols as the silent movie, Twas the Night Before Christmas played on the big screen.  The movie was produced in 1905 and was fun to watch as well as listen to.

November's Student of the Month

Congratulations to Gloria for being chosen as November's Student of the Month. Gloria began piano lessons at Cindy's Piano in 2014; however, she has had two other teachers before me.  I hope to be her last. (big smile) 

Gloria plays very musically and enjoys piano lessons.  I interviewed her this week for our blog.

What do you like to do for fun?  Read.  She likes to read everything.

What’s your favorite toy? Not surprising but it's a book!  She also likes to sing and swing, even in winter.

What do you hate to do?  Get up in the morning.

What’s the best part of piano lessons? Gloria just likes to play piano.  She like playing songs at lessons and then again at home.

What's the worst part of piano lessons?  There is no bad part.  Yea!

What music are you listening to (that’s not piano lesson related)?  Christian pop artist, Jamie Grace One Song at a Time album.  "Just hand me my guitar and I'll play you a tune. One song at a time. doo doo doo doo".  Substitute piano for guitar and you've got Gloria!

So now you know a little more about Gloria, November's Student of the Month.

Private Eye Workshop #1

We had fun on Sunday! One mystery has been solved so far.  We started by listing all the Christmas songs they knew.  Then they deciphered the code to find the mystery word based on the false clue they were given during lessons.  What was the mystery word?  music.  The students then performed for each other and watched the silent movie for our upcoming Christmas program....Twas the Night Before Christmas.  We talked about what songs would be good for the movie accompaniment as we ate snacks of cookies and soda.

Student of the Month - October

Congratulations to Lillian!  She was chosen as October's Student of the Month.  She had a great chance of being picked as her name was in the hat seven times!

Here's Lillian's interview for this month's blog.

What do you like to do for fun?  Lillian likes to dress up for tea parties at her friend's house!

What is your favorite toy?  She likes to play with her Barbie and doll houses.

What do you hate to do?  Raking leaves.  Me too, Lillian!!

What's the best part of piano lessons?  Learning how to do something new.

What's the worst part of piano lessons?  Finishing a song and knowing I'll never play it again.  We explained to her that she can always go back and play her pieces just for fun.  I LOVE this answer!

What music do you listen to that is not piano music?  Taylor Swift.

Now you know a little more about Lillian.