Phrasing in Color
I love answering questions! In a earlier post, One Musical Leaf Falling I talked about using color to depict phrasing. This post is a follow up to answer a super question…
Resolutions: Salvage & Recycle 2
It happens to all of us. We set goals and start out with such good intentions. Then, the world gets in the way and, little by little, we lose our…
Playing With Wolfgang: Do Or Do Not
I stomped in the house, blew past my Mom and slammed my bedroom door behind me. Actually it might have been the first time I had ever done such a…
Vintage PA: It Sounded Better At Home
"The really exciting part," said Eeyore in his most melancholy voice, "is that when I left it this morning it was there, and when I came back it wasn't.” We…
Vintage PA: Ogres Are Like Onions
In the middle of a lesson a few weeks ago, I found myself saying, “Musical works are like onions.” There was no laugh or questioning look. My student simply sat…
Vintage PA: 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 one week. She…
Great Job!
Being specific with our praise phraseology isn't anything new. Social media is full of articles on parenting language. It helps if we as teachers also think carefully about our language. The student…
PA Shorts: Fortune Cookie Advice
Happy, happy Holidays to all you piano addicts and many, many thanks to each of you for reading and supporting the blog. On our recent trip to Las Vegas, we went…