April 5: Today’s Music History

today

. 1724 ~ Giovanni Jacopo Casanova de Seingalt, Italian violinist During his life he was also a seminarian, a secretary to a cardinal, a Venetian ensign, an abbe, a gambler, an alchemist, a spy, a lover, adventurer, and a librarian.

. 1784 ~ Ludwig Spohr, German violinist, composer and conductor

. 1839 ~ Stanislaw Pilinski, French pianist and composer

. 1869 ~ Albert Roussel, French composer

. 1908 ~ Herbert von Karajan, Austrian conductor

. 1922 ~ Gale Storm (Josephine Cottle), Singer

. 1925 ~ Stan Levey, Musician, composer, drummer in a band with Charlie Parker

. 1928 ~ Tony Williams, Singer with The Platters

. 1932 ~ Billy Bland, Singer

. 1934 ~ Stanley Turrentine, Jazz musician – tenor sax

. 1940 ~ Tommy Cash, Songwriter, Johnny Cash’s brother

. 1946 ~ Vincent Youmans passed away.  He was an American Broadway composer and Broadway producer.

. 1958 ~ Johnny Mathis’ album, Johnny’s Greatest Hits, on Columbia Records, made it to the pop music charts for the first time. The LP remained on the charts for a record 490 weeks (nearly 9~1/2 years!) The record began its stay at number one (three weeks) on June 9, 1958. Mathis studied opera from age 13 and earned a track and field scholarship at San Francisco State College. He was invited to Olympic try-outs and chose a singing career instead. He was originally a jazz-style singer when Columbia switched Mathis to singing pop ballads. Johnny would chart over 60 albums in 30 years.

. 1982 ~ After eight years of publication to the radio and recording industry, Record World magazine ceased publication and filed for bankruptcy protection.

. 1985 ~ Broadcasters banded together to play the single, We Are the World, at 10:50 a.m. E.S.T. Stations in the United States were joined by hundreds of others around the world in a sign of unification for the African relief cause. Even Muzak made the song only the second vocal selection it has ever played in elevators and offices since its inception.

. 2018 ~ Cecil Taylor, jazz pianist died.

Why Bi-weekly Lessons Don’t Work

Every now and then, I get asked if I offer bi-weekly lessons. Theoretically, it makes sense that if you take a piano lesson every other week, you have half the number of trips into the studio, you have double the amount of time to practice, and you can save some money, right?

WRONG.

Aside from the fact that it is a scheduling nightmare for the teacher and studio, I’d like to outline a few reasons why (in most cases) bi-weekly lessons do not work.

1) **Playful Piano Planning!** 🎹✨
Okay, picture this: Your piano lesson gets zapped by life’s little hiccups – a sneeze fest, a car with an attitude, surprise overtime, the school bus doesn’t show up, or a snow-in. Our studio is all about the makeup magic, but hey, not everyone’s as cool with rescheduling. Miss a beat with last-minute changes and you could be on a piano-less streak for a whole month!

2) **Dodge the Oops-Did-It-Again Dilemma** 🎶😅
Usually, MrsO is there to catch those sneaky wrong notes before they move in and get cozy in your practice. Skip a week, and you might find those wrong notes have thrown a two-week house party in your head. Breaking up that party? Twice as tricky!

3) **The Practice Time Warp** ⏳🔄
Got two weeks until the next lesson? Time to double down on practice, right? But somehow, time turns sneaky, and suddenly it’s a mad dash to remember what you’re even supposed to be playing right before you’re back on the bench. Binge-practicing is like cramming for a test – and trust me, it’s not a chart-topper.

4) **Keep the Piano Momentum Rolling** 🚀🎹
Weekly lessons are like a rhythm – learn, practice, show off, repeat! Cut that down to bi-weekly, and you’re halving your chances to hit those high notes of progress over a year. Who wants to slow-mo their piano prowess?

5) **Stay Tuned In!** 📅🎼
When piano lessons are a regular event, they’re like your favorite weekly show – you can’t wait for the next episode. Stretch it out, and the storyline starts to get fuzzy. Keep the tempo up, and stay keyed into your music mission.

6) **No More Calendar Chaos!** 📆🎉
Juggling bi-weekly lessons can turn your schedule into a game of musical chairs, where everyone’s scrambling for a seat. Studios might do the time-tango, fitting in other students to fill the gaps, but it’s a dance best avoided if you want to keep the beat.

7) **Plan Like a Piano Prodigy** 📝🎶
Riding the bi-weekly wave? Get your planner game strong. Stay in sync with MrsO and don’t let any holidays or special days sneak up on you.

Teachers, on their part, turn into maestros of lesson planning, ensuring every note and nuance is clear for the two-week solo ahead. They’ll balance the scales perfectly so you won’t be yawning or yelping in practice frustration.

**And If You’re Still All for Bi-Weekly:** 🌟👇
– Master the art of organization. Sync those calendars with your studio like a pro.
– Treat practice like your favorite habit. Daily doses, no matter the next lesson date.
– Scribble down the wisdom your teacher drops – and drop into practice pronto. OR, check your lesson notes in your Practice Portal.
– Post-lesson practice is your golden hour. What you play today, you slay tomorrow!

So, whether it’s a bi-weekly fiesta or a weekly wonder, keep those keys singing and the fun flinging!