I would hate to pigeon hole all "transfer" students in one way or another. It would be unfair, and unfortunately many piano teachers shy away from prospects who were immersed in learning environments where little progress was made over a period of years. Some reluctant piano instructors might say, "there's just too much work involved… Continue reading The Transfer Piano Student
Category: philosophy of eduction
Piano Lesson: Rina, 4, climbs the staircase, and then learns about happy and sad in music
The first video below showcases the partial content of today's lesson. Because I am a staunch believer in introducing black keys early on in the course of piano study, I explored mood affect in music and lowered the E of "Frere Jacques" to E FLAT. Rina was basically exposed to the "minor" mode without a… Continue reading Piano Lesson: Rina, 4, climbs the staircase, and then learns about happy and sad in music
The nitty gritty reasons why piano students drop out: Two staunchly different opinions
The current rage on the Internet surrounds a Facebook posting that claims a 95% dropout rate among piano students. The nitty gritty reasons cited by the poster are contained in what I view as a tirade against what he terms "standard lessons." He insists that the "music teaching industry" uses a "status quo method that… Continue reading The nitty gritty reasons why piano students drop out: Two staunchly different opinions
Rina, age 4, has her second piano lesson using “Tales of a Musical Journey” (videos in 6 parts)
I'm videotaping all of Rina's lessons as I travel with her through the "Magical Kingdom of Sounds" from Irina Gorin's Tales of a Musical Journey. Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0WNfp5QIDU Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYkLIYsMQcY Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph7zWYNqNkk Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK1EuaqWAVs Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfXHUEhnEsc Part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqDSmdRgFx4 RELATED: Rina's first piano lesson https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/08/04/piano-lessons-starting-rina-a-4-year-old-using-irina-gorins-tales-of-a-musical-journey-book-1-videos-in-parts/ Rina's THIRD Piano Lesson: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/08/18/rina-age-4-has-her-third-piano-lesson-using-irina-gorins-tales-of-a-musical-journey-videos-in-6-parts/
Piano Instruction: Learning from our colleagues (Videos)
Since we are very isolated as piano teachers, nurturing one-to-one relationships with our students for months and years at a time, we sometimes forget that there are other teaching universes beyond our own with repositories of ideas that may enrich the learning environment. One example, is the cosmos of Irina Gorin's studio in Indiana. I've… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Learning from our colleagues (Videos)
How long should a piano student stay with a piece?
As a teacher, I've often pondered this question, concluding that there are varying answers which depend on the advancement and motivation of individual students. Certainly no fixed formula addresses the length of time a pupil needs to fully realize his potential when practicing a given composition. By way of example, I have an adult student,… Continue reading How long should a piano student stay with a piece?