Requirements & "Bad" Students are Worth It

What students or their parents require of me:  

Often it's that I am classically trained, along with teaching ability which I've trained in as well, though it's for you to judge whether I have good rapport with your child. I teach according to your preferences and goals, but do have methods and teaching material which I think are effective in making lifelong successful musicians, both professional and amateur, and would be happy to discuss my ideas.*

What I Require of my Students: 

 All I require is practice and a fair amount of respect.  I don't require great love of music or enthusiasm in practicing, because a lack of those can be overcome. :) Everybody can love music and love practicing (oh yes, like achieving anything, it's a hard but rewarding road). I'm not saying I'm able to conquer any student's dislike of learning piano. I'm only saying, I can teach them.  And maybe, with time and persistence, that hatred can turn to love.

It did for me.

My beloved piano teacher, Dave Clark, always said his most fulfilling teaching moments were when difficult students seemed to turn a new page. He described how many students would crawl along, and then, seemingly out of the blue, it was like the scales fell from their eyes and their musical ability finally came out. Oh, it's a hard wait for a teacher, but the reward is great.  It's worth it.

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great & noble.  The world is moved along not by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker."
Helen Keller (1880-1968)

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." --Thomas A. Edison

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore..." Statue of Liberty Inscription

"It is better to give than to receive." Bible


*The Three Ways to Play Piano

A Pinterest Board

I love finding neat resources from other musicians and especially music teachers.  Recently, I put this pinterest board on my "save now, read later" list, and today finally looked at it.  Lynnette has a lot of other great music boards, so I'll have lots of fun when I get to my "read later" list!

There are some great free sheet music links here:

http://www.pinterest.com/lynnetteemme/sheet-music/

Greek Music Reconstruction

Some of the few earliest notated music pieces mankind has preserved are Greek.  Fascinating archeological and musicological project, as we try to cipher what those squiggles and jots mean.  Read article here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24611454

 The Classical Greeks wrote the earliest expositions on the science of sound,  which I never miss an opportunity to expound on to my students or chance passers by. :)  As best as I can, despite my sparse knowledge of this science, I explain why some notes sound great together while others are difficult on the ears, like an out of tune instrument (voice!).  The reality of consonance (stable) and dissonance (unstable) in sounds comes out of the way our world is, how it was designed, I believe.  It is elemental to understanding music composition and forms the basis of our theories about music and the emotions it conveys. 

Flash Mob Motherload

I think I also have an obsession with flashmobs! See this post:   My Obsession (Flashmobs)   Many are musical, so enjoy, my friends!

P.S. Don't miss the ones posted in the comments section! 

P.P.S. Here's one of my favorites (because I think I already posted Handel's Messiah somewhere else!) :

Scales and Great Performers

I find great fodder for blogging in the trenches of piano teaching.  Today's subject is entirely ordinary - but it makes for extraordinary musicians.  And instead of just pasting my rather dry links to exercise charts, let me relate the inimitable way my best piano teacher, Dave Clark, describes the world's greatest musicians:

1) they know their scales
2) they know more than one instrument
3) they dress funny.

Now on to the dry stuff: I needed to find printable scales for a student to practice from.  Using a book for this is a sure way to kill the binding, so a few pages printed is worth the effort: 


Major Scales Chart 
(except Ab, go here for that one)

Natural Minor Scales Chart


Go here to view images of keyboards to see which keys to play
in either major or minor scales.

The liberating, terrifying realities of deliberate practice (and the 6 best deliberate practice books)

I highly recommend that older music students read one of these books.  But for starters, just read the  article:



The liberating, terrifying realities of deliberate practice (and the 6 best deliberate practice books)

 Of course honing practice skills would benefit anyone in any field (it's just practical ;)  ! 

Helpful Program for Studio Management

There are a number of applications and programs available to help teachers to manage their studios.  Moosic Studio was recommended at today's meeting  of the Fairfax Loudoun Music Fellowship.  I've been sent another recommendation, way back in my email inbox somewhere!  Since I've never taught more than 15 students at a time, I haven't needed this time saver. 

I think there might be free programs as well(another word for application, but application generally denotes for cell phone/ iPad use only.). 

The teachers that met today also were highly interested in a seminar about helpful apps during lessons.  I should look into that more! Two out of the 15 teachers there use their iPad in lesson regularly.

Holst's The Planets

 Article :  Majesty in Motion: Gustav Holst’s The Planets

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this expose on The Planets, a symphonic work with which I was only just familiar.  I first heard the theme of Jupiter sung by world famous child soprano Charlotte Church in the song, "I Vow to Thee, my Country" and later found the tune used for the hymn, "O God Beyond All Praising" in the Trinity Hymnal.   The tune is magnificent and enjoyably singable.  

 

Great Resource of Thoughtful Articles

http://www.theimaginativeconservative.org/category/culture

These articles explore musical culture with great whim and expertise.  I will feature my favorites at different times on this blog.  

Slightly Insulting Wagner

http://www.classicfm.com/discover/music/inspiring-composer-quotes/johann-sebastian-bach/