PA Shorts: Student vs. Teacher
Last week: I was shocked when of one of my teen students developed an alarming tendency towards passive aggression. Is she suffering from middleschoolitis? Is she bored? Is she a…
PA Shorts: Sound Images
It’s that time of year again—time for the college fall recital. We always try to do something unique and different (put on a show) so that the audience is glad…
PA Shorts: Gems
This week I came across two absolute gems that I feel compelled to share. The first is a quote from Terri Gross' interview with Tom Waits on Monday's edition of…
PA Shorts: Trick or Treat!
Some pianistic trick-or-treating in honor of the day. Enjoy! Halloween Puzzler Night on Bald Mountain: Andrey Dubov Pictures at an Exhibition Pt. 1. The Gnome & The Old Castle :…
Lately, Some Things Have Made Me Smile
Hearing Emily tell me a passage of fingering in her Chopin Waltz was Stupid, tell me why, and give a crackerjack way to fix it. Listening to some awesome Beethoven from…
Ahhh… Parents, Parents, Parents: Redux
I recently came across a blog post by Dustin Sanders in which he responds to an article on : Why Your Children Shouldn't Take Formal Music Lessons (be sure and read the…
Bike Shifters and Octaves
My Townie came with a Shimano twist gearshift integrated into the right handgrip. This configuration caused my right hand to be supinated at an awkward angle (who thought that was…
Six Onions & 10,000 Hours: Redux
Recently, I came across a post on the blog Musical Resources which discussed the 10,000 hour principle as it applies to music, music teaching, and musical talent, a podcast from Music is…