Looking in the Mirror
Last week, I was given the gift of seeing myself and my teaching from without on two different occasions. Firstly, Matthew Odell was at the college to do a workshop…
PA Shorts: Competition With A Twist
Last Saturday, I had the privilege of adjudicating for a piano competition about a 90 minute drive from here. The format was pretty much what you would expect: four divisions…
Amateur Exploration
Last Sunday, on the way back from our family reunion, I was listening to an episode of The Splendid Table wherein Lynne Rossetto Kasper interviewed Nigella Lawson. In her introduction,…
The Ikea Effect & Teachability
I felt a jolt of electricity when I heard the NPR story, Why You Love That Ikea Table, Even If It’s Crooked. In the first place, I could happily…
What’s Up With This Memory Thing?
“What's up with this memory thing?”, asked one of my new transfer students. We talked about different levels of knowing and understanding and the fact that committing something to memory…
Middle Parts & Orphans
“I’ve played piano for over 30 years and nobody has ever told me to start in the middle of a measure,” said one of my adult students last week. She…
PA Shorts: Thanks For The Great Year!
I want to thank all you readers for perusing this blog and for putting up with and even encouraging my ramblings. I thought I'd list the top posts from 2012…
PA Shorts: Merry 12 Days
Here are a few gems to help your days stay merry & bright. Thanks for reading and for your support and encouragement. I know pianists are always busy during the…