Ok, so you’re looking for a piano teacher. You’ve found a some options, but how do you know when you’ve found the right one? In a one-on-one setting like piano lessons, the personal connection with the instructor can make or break your learning experience. How can you tell if a potential piano teacher will be a good match for you?
Read MoreOur studio recently completed a silent movie project inspired by the brilliant Nicola Cantan over at Colourful Keys and the Vibrant Music Teaching Library. Over the course of about 3 weeks, students created and recorded a piano soundtrack for an old Popeye cartoon with the sound removed. After watching the full cartoon, each child was assigned a 2-8 second scene from the cartoon, and we worked together at their lesson and during their home practice to compose music that fit with their scene. In the process, we explored theory concepts, compositional techniques, and built musicianship skills. But shh, don’t tell the kids all of that! As far as they are concerned, we just had a lot of fun!
Read MoreWhat do we do in an online piano lesson? And how do I keep online piano lessons fun, engaging, and musically productive?
Read MoreDoes this sound familiar? You ask a child to try a new section of their piano piece, and they freeze up, or get silly and wiggly, or worse, say no outright. You scold them for not following directions or for not paying attention, or perhaps you assume they don’t understand what to do and need remedial work. Before you know it, you’re caught up in a power struggle, you’re both frustrated, and any actual learning of the new piece has gone completely out the window.
What to do instead?
Read More
After hearing other teachers rave about Tonara, an innovative practice app designed for music teachers, I decided to take the plunge and test it out this year. We’re about six weeks in to the semester now and I’m loving the results.
If you’re a music teacher considering switching over, here’s a quick rundown of my experience thus far.
Read More