When Being a Contrary Pianist is a Good Thing
Do you have contrary elementary level students? I do. I encourage them. It’s not what you think. Contrary motion at the piano trains the ear to perceive 2 voices moving…
Does Metronome Practice Work for Everyone?
I love to answer readers’ questions! A few years back, I wrote an article for Grand Piano Passion, When Your Piano Teacher Doesn’t Fit. Recently a reader reached out through them…
Helping Adult Students Move On Part 1
The fall semester of lessons has begun here in Arizona. This year, I have quite a number of adult students in my studio. I love teaching grownups. Some are completely…
The Anti-Masterclass: Refresh
Antimatter: Any substance that, when combined with an equal amount of matter, results in the complete and direct conversion of all substance to energy. ()Anti-Masterclass: Any masterclass that, when combined…
Vintage PA: My Dog Ate My Minuet
The first time I ever worked on a Bach dance movement I felt like I had encountered an alien landscape. I had grown up on Bach chorales but somehow those…
Vintage PA: Time is Time & Some Cats
In my last post, I talked about how time is a frustration point for me. Thanks to all of you who reassured me that I am not alone in this.…
Frustrations
A pianist is a person for whom playing piano is more difficult than for other people. (Apologies to Thomas Mann) Everyone has their own responses to frustration. Personally, I need…
Vintage PA: Yodeling Puff The Magic Dragon
It started with a performance of a method book piece with the word Yodel in the title. “It sounds weird,” said my young student, “and I don’t understand why that…