PIANO

You'll have to excuse my tardiness.  I've been meaning to post this for a while and am just now getting around to it...

A couple of weeks ago I had two of the best lessons I've had all semester with my two Thursday girls.  Awesome is literally the word.  I've had both of these girls for two years... wow:  two years now.  I'm getting old...

My first girl on Thursday afternoons is in eighth grade this year and she's struggled with hand tremors the entire time I've had her as a student.  Her mom told me when we started that she's had them since she was a little girl and the pediatrician had told them they would eventually go away.  And they did in a lot of things, but piano was still lagging, because it requires such fine motor skills and focused coordination.  They've gotten better with time and practice, but recently there has been a marked difference.  Since March, I'd been determined to get them under control after the judge at Federation had made a comment on her score sheet about uneven runs.  So we worked.  We focused a lot on scales and how to work on them:  dotted, backwards dotted, 5-finger scales in contrary motion to practice the LH thumb turn, scale sprints.  And we talked about what goes through her brain when she's working on scales.  I strongly encouraged her to focus during her technical exercises and not just think about homework or what's for dinner.  It's so easy to check out while working on technique... of all people, I know this.

But then during her lesson several weeks ago, she played them with the most control I've ever seen her play them.  There were a few blips... instances where she lost focus, or made a fingering slip, or wasn't thinking about what was next.  But overall, it was pretty amazing to watch.  We talked afterward about how she'd been practicing and what she'd been thinking about.  Long story short?  She'd learned how to literally focus the tremors out.  I find that incredible.  I was so proud of her.  I knew she could do it.  And to be honest, I hadn't really known for sure what would work for her.  I knew where I wanted her to be and I knew what had worked for me in straightening out some of my scalar technique.  I also knew that the fifty billion different ways I gave her to practice her scales would help.  But they were a means to an end (still are!)... the end being learning how to focus and think clearly during an activity that is otherwise difficult, dry, and boring.  Because I mean, who likes practicing scales?  Well, besides my former professor...

My other Thursday girl has made leaps and bounds of progress this semester too, and it really came out in her lesson a few weeks ago.  This year she has struggled in general with anxiety a little and from what I can tell, exhaustion at times too.  Together, I think it has made piano (both performing and practice) difficult in ways that it didn't use to be for her.

But then, she decided to drop tennis.  And her scrapbooking club ended.  And basketball ended.  And all of a sudden, the only activities she was participating in were piano and Girls on the Run (and maybe Girl Scouts?).  Lessons for the last month have been truly delightful because she's been practicing more and therefore, enjoying it.  She is more prepared for our upcoming recital than ever before.  And even though she played through a panic attack last semester and I was so proud of her for working through that insanely difficult thing at such a young age, I really think this is going to be a different kind of positive experience for her.  The other night we were going over recital pieces, one of which will be "Little Bunny Foo Foo," complete with narration and a POOF chord at the end.  I fully expect it to be one of the highlights of the program :)

And as we were ending her lesson that night, she told me that she'd been practicing at school during her music time.  Um, extra practice time?  Yes please!  And then she told me she'd come up with an acronym for piano, based on the things she'd been learning / realizing recently.  If this doesn't kill you with cuteness and profundity, I don't know what will... kids say the most incredible things.

P... prepared
I... independent
A... awesome (lol)
N... (k)nowledge (again... lol)
O... open to new songs (or, for Katie:  Oh snap... that is hilarious and amazing)

Seriously?  I am so. incredibly. lucky :)

the truth about piano lessons

Excellent article concerning the truth about piano lessons.  Find it HERE.

recital date change and etc

Meant to send out an email about this earlier in the week but things have gotten busy and so I didn't get it out as promptly as I would've wished...

A couple of dates / times have changed in our performance schedule this semester.  After realizing that Girls on the Run was going to take out half the girls in the studio on the morning of May 12, I called Steinway and was able to change the date of the recital to hopefully a time that can accommodate more people.  Most performance classes will stay the same, although I was able to change a couple, which are noted.  The big thing is the change of recital date.  So here's what we're looking at for the semester:

Performance Class, Sat Feb. 25 @ Steinway, 6:30 - 7:30 pm (same as before)
Performance Class, Sat Mar. 3 @ Steinway, 10:30 - 11:30 am (same as before)
Federation, Sun Mar. 4 @ SCC Time TBA (same as before)
Performance Class, Fri Mar. 30 @ Steinway, 4 - 5 pm (CHANGED -- April 1 class is now cancelled)
Performance Class, Fri Apr 20 @ Steinway, 5 - 6 pm (same as before)
Dress Rehearsal, Fri May 4 @ Steinway, 4 - 5 pm (CHANGED -- now one hour earlier)
Recital, Wednesday May 16 @ Steinway, 7 pm (CHANGED)

Hopefully this helps.  I tried to pick a night that would avoid most school programs and hopefully most sports will be done or at least practice on a different night than Wednesday.  The good news is that while on the phone with the lady from Steinway, I was able to schedule everything for next fall and we are completely back to normal -- everything on Saturday mornings next semester.  Woohoo!

As always, let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

See you in lesson.

music brains

Fascinating article published by Vanderbilt University that was posted by my mentor here in St. Louis yesterday, as well as an old friend from the music school.

Click HERE to read it.

Confirms what we always knew to be true:  musicians' brains really are different! :)

Nov reminders

Hello everyone!  Thanksgiving is soon upon us!  November is flying by!  Soon we'll be decking the halls and drinking gallons of hot chocolate (if we haven't already haha)...

Wanted to let you know that even though next week is a make-up week for most students (aka no lessons), there WILL be performance class NEXT Saturday, Nov 26 @ Steinway from 10:30 - 11:30 am.  Students are encouraged to come to either this class or the dress rehearsal on Tuesday, Dec 6 from 4-5 pm (or both!) in preparation for the upcoming recital.  Students should plan to play their recital pieces for these last two classes.  Final decisions for recital rep should be made no later than Wed, Nov 23.  We'll also review our understanding of the Baroque and Classical eras and talk about the Romantic some as time allows during these final classes.

Please don't hesitate to encourage your student to play their recital pieces for family and friends as much as possible over the Thanksgiving holiday... a good way to ward off that pesky turkey coma, I always say :)

Thanks so much!  See you in lesson.

Spring 2012 Schedule

What a planning nightmare this next spring is proving to be!  There are a couple of new things this semester that we’re going to try as a studio, but rest assured, we won’t go crazy.  For one thing, spring is my busiest time of year, with competitions and festivals for the choirs I accompany, Lent, Easter, and then Graduation.  Once February 1 hits, there’s no rest for me until June.

A couple of things to warn you about:

-         Steinway Gallery is really, really, really booked up this spring.  I tried so, so hard to get performance class times that were conducive to family schedules but some of them are just downright inconvenient.  We could maybe go back to the choir room at Central Pres but I would have to work something out with the music director… I kind of feel like I owe him something (like singing in the choir) for allowing us to use the space and quite frankly, I really don’t have the time to commit to that this spring.

-         We are going to do a festival.  We’re going to just try it and see how it goes.  The National Federation of Music Clubs has a really good group of teachers here in St. Louis that my teaching mentor has ushered me into.  I think it would be really good for the kids to have this experience.  If you aren’t familiar with Federation, you can think of it as a competition, but it’s really not.  The kids only “compete” against their own merits and since we’re starting out with a clean slate, they have nowhere to go but up.  Plus, they get the experience of preparing and memorizing pieces, playing them for a judge, and getting feedback from someone else.  It’s scary enough to make them work hard but nothing they can’t handle without proper coaching and a little encouragement.  They’ll be working on pieces that are right at their level, but taking it to the next step by memorizing them and playing for someone else.  All of the teachers in the Federation group want the kids to succeed and want it to be a positive experience for them.  Believe me when I say I will do everything I can to make sure my students are adequately prepared and that the entire experience is as successful as humanly possible.

-         We’re going to go to the Symphony.  I want to attempt this at least once or twice.  The St. Louis Symphony has an awesome palette of concerts on the docket this spring.  It would be good for the kids to have the experience of going at least once, especially if they’ve never been before.  My undergraduate advisor always used to say that music doesn’t exist in a vacuum and neither do we.  So it’s important to get out of the living room and experience it in a live setting, especially when you get to see it done by the pros.

-         And last but not least, I want us to do a little reading.  There’s a book I read during my undergrad that was phenomenal (“The Talent Code” by Daniel Coyle).  It completely changed my life as well as my philosophy of teaching…  so much so that I think it’s worth being read and discussed by the studio parents at some point this semester.  I think you can pick up the hardcover on Amazon for about $15.  And there’s always the library.

Studio Semester Schedule / Logistics / Overview

-         Semester runs from January 9 – May 18, 2012

-         19 weeks total, instead of 18 like Fall 2011

-         16 weeks of lessons, 2 make-ups, and a Plus 1 Week (aka a free lesson or a free make-up week… you decide which one you need more)

-         Tuition is the same as last semester, either up front or divided into five installments, due at the first lesson of each month.  Federation participation will be an additional $23 per solo entry.

-         Make-up weeks are March 5-9 (I go on tour with Lutheran High Mar 8-11) and May 14-18 (week after Recital), and Plus 1 week is April 2-6 (Holy Week)

-         Federation participants need to come to TWO performance classes before March 4; All other students are expected to come to THREE performance classes before the recital.  Students who participate in both Federation and the Recital are encouraged to come to FOUR performance classes throughout the semester (two before Federation and two before Recital).  Although not an absolute requirement for participation in both, it is strongly encouraged.

Performance Class / Recital Schedule

-         Performance Class:  Sat, Feb 4 from 5:30 – 6:30 pm @ Steinway Gallery

-         Performance Class:  Sat, Feb 25 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm @ Steinway Gallery

-         Performance Class:  Sat, March 3 from 10:30 – 11:30 am @ Steinway Gallery

-         St. Louis Area National Federation of Music Clubs Festival:  Sun, March 4, Time TBA (afternoon) @ St. Charles Community College

-         Performance Class:  Sun, April 1 from 3 – 4 pm @ Steinway Gallery

-         Performance Class:  Friday, April 20 from 5 – 6 pm @ Steinway Gallery

-         Performance Class:  Friday, May 4 from 5 – 6 pm @ Steinway Gallery

-         Recital:  Saturday, May 12, 9:30 am @ Steinway Gallery

… seriously, I’m so sorry.  I was on the phone with the administrative assistant for a long time trying to figure it all out.  I think other teachers must’ve booked the hall a year ago.

St. Louis Symphony Concert Dates

-         Mozart’s Magic Flute [Family Concert]:  Sunday, January 15 at 3 pm

-         Leon Fleischer plays Ravel’s Piano Concerto for Left Hand Alone:  Sunday, April 15 at 3 pm

-         Beethoven Symphony No. 5 / Stephen Hough plays Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3:  Sunday, May 6 at 3 pm

All concerts are at Powell Hall.  The Mozart is a family concert (tickets will be much cheaper, roughly $7-15) as opposed to the others, which are part of their regular concert season (approx $20/ticket or $10 with valid student ID, each ID able to purchase up to 4 tickets).  There are a number of other fantastic concerts I am unable to attend, which you might want to look into as well on your own, like the 5 Browns… five pianos on stage.  I encourage you to check out the schedule on their website:  www.slso.org.

Book Discussion:  Date and Time TBA.  We can talk more about this later, when I find out who wants to participate.  Highly, highly recommended reading though.

tuition, perf class, and next semester

A Happy Halloween morning to you!  And Happy Reformation Day to my fellow Reformed friends! :)  AND Happy World Series to everyone!!!  Woo-hoooo!!!!  Don't know about you, but I was on a high from that all. weekend. long.  It was awesome.  Pretty sure I needed a time-out last night because I was crabby from so much excitement haha.

A couple of things to start your week:  Just a friendly reminder that tuition is due in lesson this week for November.  Amazing to me that we're getting close to the end already.  We'll start discussing recital rep within the next couple of weeks as we head into the final stretch.  A reminder that we will NOT have lessons the week of Thanksgiving, except for make-ups.  And we will officially be done with the semester after the recital is over Sunday, Dec 11.  We will NOT have lessons the week after the recital either, except for make-ups.  I've been keeping track of make-ups so if you have doubts about that, let me know and I can give you an update.

Also a reminder that performance class is NEXT Saturday, November 12 at 10:30 at the Steinway Gallery.  We'll pick pieces for class this week or next week in lesson.  Some of the pieces we start picking for the final 2-3 performance classes will probably also be recital pieces eventually.  You can encourage your students to think back over the last two and a half months and decide which pieces have been their favorites / best efforts to start preparing for recital.

I'm hoping to have worked out next semester's schedule soon.  I should just go ahead and put a deadline of next Monday on it so that I don't squirrel around anymore... but hey, we won the World Series, right?  Gotta take time to enjoy that.  Anyway I will try to get next semester's schedule out to you by next Monday so that we can all start lining up dates and have a framework in mind.  There's a lot going on next semester which I will tell you about when I send out the schedule.  Get ready for big fun though :)

I think that's it for now.  Have a safe and happy Halloween!  See you in lesson!