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One of the most frequently asked question I receive when parents learn that I am a piano teacher is, “What age do most kids start piano lessons?”. I can recite off the tip of my tongue the test answer I memorized back in college, “the average age begging piano student is 7 years old.” Read more “Budding Musicians”
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“When you read you begin with ‘A-B-C’. When you sing you begin with Do-Re-Mi”. The lyrics from The Sound of Music flowed out of my family’s 36 inch TV as I twirled in my overall dress and pink ruffled shirt with a blonde wispy pony tail flopping into my face. Being granted the rare permission of watching a movie in the daytime, I was delighted to re-watch Julie Andrews instructing and loving the Von Trapp family. Something about a young woman finding herself and redeeming the heart of a family through music captivated my attention.
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“I don’t care what my hand looks like, I just want to play the notes and make beautiful music!” How many times have I heard students bemoan this phrase or have even thought it myself? When it takes all of your focused energy to just hit the right keys at the right time, worrying about how you touch them seems exorbitant. After you’ve spent hours in physical therapy or Urgent Care, because of piano related injuries things start to make more sense. It’s not just about what you play, it’s how you play.
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Being the youngest of three girls in my family, I was dropped off one afternoon at a family friend’s house when I was about four years old while my sisters went to their important activities. Our friends had five children, but Natalie was only a few years older that I was. She amused me with dolls and games, but during the last hour of my visit was when I was captivated.
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It’s that time of year again. Graduations galore, vacation plans, award ceremonies, and oh yea, let’s throw in a recital as well. The kid’s brains are already sticky melted puddles like their colorful popsicles on the sidewalk, but now the biggest musical achievement of the year depends on them. Read more “Battles and Butterflies”
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There’s nothing more precious than little Children. When I was 10 years old, I was able to assist in the early elementary Sunday School class. It was such a privilege and so much fun that I instantly fell in love with young children specifically ages 3-6. Read more “The Little Ones”
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As I began my teaching adventure when I was 16 years old, I wanted to obtain more students of various ages and learning styles, and that is when I was introduced to teaching junior high school students. I put an ad in a local home-school newsletter, and to my surprise the very next day got a response. Read more “Teaching Twelve-Year-Olds”
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“I got you a piano student!” my mom enthusiastically announced to me one night at dinner. I was shocked, terrified, curious all at the same time. What did I know about teaching piano? Sure I had taken lessons for several years and could read music, but that didn’t mean I could teach it. Read more “Page by Page”
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I love that quote. The week before my senior recital I found it during “stress out moment” in the practice rooms. Plunking away at that same section of music that I had spent hours (and hours upon hours, possibly even DAYS!) practicing, I got frustrated of pouring my mind, body, and everything into something that seemed impossible… and terrifying! Read more “More Than Music”