Category Archives: Students

Daily Listening Assignments

Posted by MaryO on

 

This summer, I’ve decided to add a new feature to piano lessons.  I know that many families travel during the summer months and it’s sometimes difficult to practice.

These daily assignments, June through August will help you and your students learn a bit more about the pieces they’re learning during the year – or maybe give ideas for something that they’d like to learn.

Each piece has a bit of composer info and several different interpretations, some of which are very humorous.  Some of the assignments appear in Piano Maestro so be sure to have that handy, if your student uses that.

Some days give hints that the assignment of the day may be played (or reviewed) at the next lesson so please be sure that your student takes note of that (no pun intended!)

Find them here, under Daily Listening Assignment starting June 1 at 9:00 am.

Have a safe and musical summer!

Today is National Buy a Musical Instrument Day

Posted by MaryO on

Piano 8

 

 

Each year on May 22 we observe National Buy a Musical Instrument Day.  The day is all about playing music.  If you are a musician, it might be time for a new instrument.  Maybe you can learn to play a second or third one.  If you have never played an instrument before, National Buy A Musical Instrument Day might be the motivation you need to start.

Naturally, here at the O’Connor Music Studio, a piano, keyboard with weighted keys (and 88 of them!) or organ is recommended but this day is for all types of instruments and is for people of all ages.  Grandpa can play his ukulele while the grandkids play the drums, trombone, and flute. Together they can all make terrific music!

Adapted from http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-buy-a-musical-instrument-day-may-22/

 

Summer Music Camp

Posted by MaryO on

 

Pender Music Camp, July 10-14, 12:30-3:30 pm (This is why MrsO doesn’t teach in the afternoon this week!)

The theme for this summer’s  Pender UMC music camp will be “Star Quest.”   We will be exploring music that expresses the goodness of God’s creation and tells of the truth of His word in the Bible.

Children will be rotating through handbell, Orff, drumming and craft classes.  In addition to these “out-of-this-world” classes, we will be preparing and presenting excerpts from the musical “Star Quest – The Search for the Stolen Scriptures.”

Join us this year as we blast off to fun and song!  For ages rising 2nd grade – rising 6th grade.

Registration is open now.

Click here to register or to sign up to Volunteer

New, in Piano Maestro

Posted by MaryO on

 

 

Students can show their appreciation for mom by learning to play an all-time classic just added for Mother’s Day – “I Just Called To Say I Love You” by Stevie Wonder! 💐

It can be found in the Library in the Holiday (Mother’s Day) and Pop & Rock categories in 3 versions:
– Easy
– Melody line
– 2 hand version

Enjoy!

 

Piano Gloves?

Posted by MaryO on
JoyTunes Piano Gloves

JoyTunes Piano Gloves

I thought this would surely interest all piano teachers and lovers out there – JoyTunes’ just came out with new piano teaching GLOVES!

Take a look in the clip and share it with all piano lovers everywhere.

The JoyTunes gloves, still in beta version, will turn you into Mozart in the blink of an eye! Don’t know how to play piano? These gloves will take you from 1 note to Beethoven in a flash. Our gloves allow your hands to auto magically bend and move to play any song your heart desires! Check out the video for more info.

Want to get your own pair of gloves? Purchase them here: http://www.joytunes.com/gloves

Piano Maestro – New Easter Song

Posted by MaryO on

pm-easter

 

 

There’s an “egg-citing” new song release in Piano Maestro so students can play more Easter themed songs!

“This Is Amazing Grace” by Phil Wickham has just been added! It can be found in the Holiday (Easter) category in the Library in three different versions – easy, melody line and a nice 2 hand version!

Enjoy!

Scales and Arpeggios

Posted by MaryO on

scales

PDF Article on Scales and Arpeggios

In music, a scale is any set of musical notes ordered by fundamental frequency or pitch.

An arpeggio (it. /arˈpeddʒo/) is a musical technique where notes in a chord are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than being played together like a chord. This word comes from the Italian word “arpeggiare”, which means “to play on a harp”. An alternative translation of this term is “broken chord”.

Make any scale or chord here

In the O’Connor Music Studio, we have started using some newer books with beginning students:  Piano Adventures Scale and Chord Book, Book 1 (5 finger) and 2 (Full scales).