Category: Faber Piano Adventures

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Bias against Black Notes stopped me in my tracks!

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I would have been leg pressing at the gym but for my detour to Nancy Williams's Facebook Page. Here's what I found: "Those bloody sharps and flats--those endless calamities of the personal past. Bah! I disown them from the rest of my life, in which I mean to rest." From "Grass" by Mary Oliver. My… Continue reading Bias against Black Notes stopped me in my tracks!

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Composing activity during a piano lesson: Claudia, age 8, surprises me with her new creation (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTcRB02EVHU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF5sg3LsTe0 Eight-year old Claudia surprised me today when she brought a melody she had composed. Her new book, Faber Adventures, Lesson Book One inspired her to create a piece beginning with notes on the first four lines of the treble staff. Together, we explored the first phrase of her music, worked on fingering, rhythm… Continue reading Composing activity during a piano lesson: Claudia, age 8, surprises me with her new creation (Video)

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Piano Lesson: Fritz, Age 7, performs his composed piece, “FINDING GOLD” (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFObHOAwNV0 Over a period of three weeks, seven year old Fritz, who'd been taking piano lessons for about 7 months, composed a piece that he titled, "Finding Gold." The student has been using Faber Primer Piano Adventures, with my inserted modifications. He warmed up this past Monday with Lesson Book p. 24, C-D-E-F-G March transposed… Continue reading Piano Lesson: Fritz, Age 7, performs his composed piece, “FINDING GOLD” (Video)

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Individualizing Piano Study: How to avoid Method Book dependency

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Over decades of teaching, I've come to the conclusion that each student needs a custom designed long-term lesson plan. Method books only go so far. Often they stratify the learning process, keeping students in an interminably drawn out, regressive C Major universe. For the most part, flats and sharps with Letter Name identifications are regarded… Continue reading Individualizing Piano Study: How to avoid Method Book dependency