Memorization has a lot of benefits for students, but sometimes it can be a lot of work! As with everything in life, some students find memorization easy, and some may struggle with it. Every student is different! Students may find these 3 memorization tips to be helpful: Tip 1: Make sure practice time is efficient…
Why should piano students memorize their music? In the pianists’ world, playing from memory is a traditional expectation. Some students find memorization to come naturally to them while others may find it to be more of a challenge. But will students really benefit from taking the time to memorize their pieces? I think so! Here are…
We all need some encouragement for our hearts every now and then. There’s something about music that speaks to our hearts. Music has proven to be a wonderful outlet for those whose hearts need a little boost. For me, playing the piano and finding song lyrics I identify with has always been healing. My parents…
When I began studying the piano at age 11, I made the decision to learn how to play because I enjoyed it not because of its benefits. Now as an adult I am able to look back and see how studying an instrument really shaped who I am as a person. Here are just a…
We’ve already explored some classical keyboard works for beginners that illustrate some elements of music. Let’s now take a look at some iconic composers and pieces from different periods in music history: Baroque, Classical, Romantic and 20th Century. Baroque, 1600-1750 We cannot explore the Baroque period of music without talking about Johann Sebastian Bach’s Well-Tempered…
It’s the 4th of July! The day that we celebrate America’s birth and independence with family, friends, fireworks and food. Have you ever considered adding musical books to your patriotic birthday celebration? What better way to celebrate than with some great books that have a music connection! Here are 3 books for you and your…
It’s time for another Rockin’ Playlist: Beginner Classical Part 2! If you haven’t already, be sure to check out part one here. Otherwise, time for some listening! Three Preludes for Piano, Prelude 2 – George Gershwin Starting at 1:45 in this video, you hear the second of Gershwin’s Three Preludes for Piano. The melody begins…
It’s never too early to begin listening to classical piano works of the great composers! In fact, listening is essential to developing technique. The best way to get the body to respond to producing specific musical ideas is to have a clear mental picture of the idea in the first place. That requires listening! So,…
Let’s face it, technology is essential to life, and kids spend a LOT of their time using it! Because of this, I love integrating technology into music education, and I have some favorite websites that I recommend! Although these websites may not be specific to piano lessons (we will get to those in another post!),…
Practicing takes practice – it’s true! Practicing also must be taught. The unspoken question for beginning piano students is “How do I practice?” Here are some easy tips to help! 1. Schedule consistent daily practice times. First of all, practicing needs to be daily and consistent. For some students, this may mean one chunk of…