I secretly wonder how many teachers have let our own practicing go; once-stunning performance skills get rusty while we hone our teaching skills. It’s not that we rest on our laurels, but that we get busy or forget to make the time. Our relationship with music is like any relationship. It can start to feel... Continue Reading →
Energize the first three minutes of your piano lessons with warm-ups that encourage great posture, focus the mind (yours and your student's) and set the mood for learning. Perhaps in your studio you have students who don't need reminders to sit with good posture or relax tension in their shoulders, arms or hands, or to... Continue Reading →
What does a sleepy turtle have to do with the piano thumb? Or pizza dough, or a baseball diamond or the Millennium Falcon’s boarding ramp? Actually, all of these can help develop magnificent piano thumbs in our students! The thumb is the pillar of the piano hand. It’s not enough to have curved fingers or... Continue Reading →
How did Diana Krall influence "Jazz! Goes the Weasel"? In today's post you're going to find out! Today's focus is on the origins of the music, both the traditional tune and the stylistic inspiration. If you are teaching Jazz! Goes the Weasel to a young piano student, use this post as a resource and pass... Continue Reading →
It’s an exciting day when your piano beginner has learned enough concepts to play (and read!) music that sounds sophisticated. "Jazz! Goes the Weasel" is a fun, quirky piece with break-out moments of pure jazzy joy. It has a perfect balance of music that is simple and attainable and music that challenges. This article is... Continue Reading →
