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…
Playing With Wolfgang: Becoming Vulnerable
“But what does it mean?,” I asked. I used to ask that a lot when I was little. I remember that time clearly though. My Dad and I were in…
When Tigger is Feeling Bouncy at Piano Lessons
As two grinning young people blasted through my door and ricocheted off the walls, I thought that, like Tigger, they were “feeling bouncy today.” So, what do you do when…
The Enterprising Pianist: The Magic of Spontaneous Creativity
Pianists are disciplined and focused people, and most of us spend a great deal of time planning for the ; Let’s face it, “stuff” ; As musicians, we work to…
Finding The Right Teacher As An Adult
For adults, finding the right teacher can feel overwhelming. Between juggling your family time, work, chores, and outside activities, there just aren’t a lot of extra minutes for researching and…
This Is Your Brain On Meter & Voicing
Have you ever been horrified to discover rhythmic or voicing errors in music you have known and performed for some time? It happens. A case in point for me is…
The Enterprising Pianist: The Pianist at 30,000 Feet
You’re reading this blog on a computer, or some other sort of personal electronic device, which is where most of us interact and exchange ideas these days. Maybe you’re at…
The Perils of Page Turning
This funny meme from Chris Foley at The Collaborative Piano Blog started me thinking about my own page turning experiences. Uncomfortable and hilarious situations have happened. Here are a few…