The Size of the Problem
Students come in with baggage from their week. Ok, sometimes from their lives. Some of them are overwhelmed, some guilty, others defiant. Occasionally they get in a preemptive strike. Here's one…
PA Shorts: Soulful Stuff
A young student and I have been practicing and improvising with 5 finger and chord patterns in all keys. This week we began to explore the minor keys and delighting in how…
Piano Maker’s Corner: How I Became A Piano Technician In Rwanda
Repairing pianos wasn’t something I saw coming. I first arrived in Rwanda in 2007. I was a volunteer with VSO, which is the British equivalent of Peace Corps. My role…
Cartwheels, Piano Style
“Oh! It’s like a cartwheel with my fingers,” she said. Oh, yes she did. We have been working on learning our penta-scales and chord patterns in all keys. She has…
PA Shorts: Grassroots Piano
As part of running this here blog, I try to keep up with the world of piano and pianists. One way I do this is via, you guessed it, Google…
Piano Maker’s Corner: Once In A Lifetime
The Steingraeber Factory, complete with a statue of Wagner, who's house is just across the street I don't use the term "once in a lifetime" very much. Because quite honestly,…
Vintage PA: Leaving People Better Than You Found Them
It's easy to teach when everything is going well, when families support each other, when children are perfectly behaved, when students are healthy. It's a lot tougher when parents are…
Memory: Brain vs. Body
I'd like to weigh in on this memory thing. I've read some pretty caustic posts over the years, mostly bemoaning the loss of discipline in piano study as evidenced by…