We Don’t Need No Stinking Board Games
“We don’t play board games in my studio.” I’ve been told this many times over the years. The reasons have varied. Piano learning is serious business. I don’t have time…
Welcome & A Tiny Rant
I think Anne Lamott is my soul sister. My sister of another mother. Of course, she doesn’t know this. Her writing is earthy, funny, and cuts right to the chase.…
Playing With Wolfgang: Wolf In The Dark
Today's Playing With Wolfgang was written by Ellen Shallcross. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving! I grew up in a musical household. My dad was always listening to classical recordings, my mom taught…
Playing With Wolfgang: Syncing Schubert
As an undergraduate, I spent a semester discovering Schubert’s Impromptu’s. I was drawn particularly to the one in Ab. I loved the cascading figures and the drama of the central…
PA Shorts: What A Mess!
I mostly like surprises. I love it when students come in with their own ways of looking at things and their own ways of working out problems. I'm not so…
Playing With Wolfgang: Jesus Loves Me in Japanese
I remember clearly the day clearly. It was a big deal for us kids. We were going to surprise the whole congregation. We could barely sit still through the beginning…
Vintage PA: Jocularity! Jocularity!
Stuff happens. Life throws you curveballs just to see if you are paying attention. Music Life Lessons 101. We don’t always have the optimum conditions for practice, rehearsal or performance but…
Long Distance Collaboration
So, for the past few years I’ve been collaborating with this guy I met on the internet. It’s true! When I said this to a group of teachers a few…