Category Archives: Students

Finding The Right Teacher For Your Music-Loving Kid: Deceptive Cadence

Posted by MaryO on
NOT Mrs. O'Connor!

NOT Mrs. O’Connor!

See if a prospective teacher allows a trial lesson to test how the personalities mesh. And be sure to ask lots of questions. What’s the teacher’s background as a musician and as an instructor? What kinds of teaching materials and music does she use? How much practice time is expected for students, and does that vary by the student’s age? Does the teacher have access to student ensembles? What kinds of performance opportunities will he provide? Will the teacher allow the student to record the lesson? This can be a terrific practice aid, especially when it comes to remembering how something is supposed to sound. Does she teach any music theory or composition? What are the expectations for students and for their parents?

A good teacher can be a friendly, encouraging and inspiring presence — even when a student hits rough patches. He will point out the student’s weaknesses without being harsh or dismissive, suggest innovative ways to overcome challenges, and create engaging ways to tackle even rote activities like playing scales or honing fine motor skills. The instructor’s age and experience might or might not be a deciding factor; for example, I’m consistently impressed by the range of tricks my own child’s very youthful private teacher has up her sleeve to turn what could easily be drudgery into fun. Not to mention the huge helpings of good humor and patience she brings to her tiny charges!

Read more at Finding The Right Teacher For Your Music-Loving Kid : Deceptive Cadence : NPR.

Note values

Posted by MaryO on

FaeriesAireandDeathWaltz1

 

I have copies of the above sheet music in the music studio, if anyone wants to play this!

 

Having trouble counting various note values?

In music notation, a note value indicates the relative duration of a note, using the color or shape of the note head, the presence or absence of a stem, and the presence or absence of flags/beams/hooks/tails.

A rest indicates a silence of an equivalent duration.

 

Read the article at  Note values.

J.S. Bach’s Ornament Table

Posted by MaryO on

The following ornament table is a transcription of the one appearing in the Clavier-Büchlein vor Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, written by Johann Sebastian Bach for the keyboard instruction of his eldest son.

A scan of the original manuscript appears at Dave’s J.S. Bach Page.

The German title translates as “Explanation of various signs, showing how to play certain ornaments correctly.”{1} Bach gives the sign for each ornament on the upper of the paired staves, while the lower shows its execution directly beneath.

(This blog has) simply modernized the clefs in my transcription, since Bach’s manuscript uses soprano clefs, as several composers continued to do throughout the 18th century in place of the treble clef now used in all keyboard music.

After the transcription graphic showing the table, there appear clickable buttons which are keyed to AU sound files; you can click on any of the ornaments and hear a sound file play its execution.

 

ornaments

Read the original blog post with the ornament table and listening files at J.S. Bach’s Ornament Table.

The Studio Painting is Done!

Posted by MaryO on

photo 1photo 2

 

 

Now, it’s time to start putting the furniture back where it goes, although I think I’m leaving the piano more in the center of the room for now.  It shows the piano off better and I’ll have a place to put the digital keyboard against the wall and closer to the piano.

After a lot of thought, the organs will stay in their respective places next to each other but the music for them will be moving nearer to them.

Then putting all the other books away.  I have an iPad app which is a database that adds items by taking pictures of their barcodes.  Hopefully, this will help organize some of my books.

It won’t be done by Monday but it will be done enough for teaching purposes!

 

 

Practising the Piano – The Myth of the Instant Fix

Posted by MaryO on

When they make a mistake they hack away at it until it finally yields, and simply move on. What they have actually practised is getting it wrong three or four times in a row and right on the fifth attempt. What, then, are the chances of getting it right the first time in the context of the flow of the piece?

via Practising the Piano – The Myth of the Instant Fix.

NO Piano Lessons Monday July 14!

Posted by MaryO on

The studio is just about cleared out and most things moved to the center of the room so that the painters can start painting Tuesday morning.

I had planned on teaching Monday, but with everything moved, it is far too difficult (but not impossible!) to get to the piano.

Painting is supposed to take only two days so it should be done on Wednesday (or Thursday!) and completely dry before the next lessons.

Thanks for your understanding and keep practicing! Next lesson, the studio will be a pretty blue color 🙂

Thanks,

 

maryOivoryandroses

Summer Schedules!

Posted by MaryO on

It’s hard to believe but summer is nearly upon us.  FCPS students are getting out later this year due to snow days, so the regular school year piano lessons are going a bit longer, as well.

Here’s the basic schedule from now through the start of fall lessons.  Please remember that students must take at least 6 summer lessons to hold a current school year lesson time for the fall.

The last day of school is  June 25, so there are no lessons week of June 23 (school age students only.  Adults continue, as always)

No lessons 4th of July weekend – July 3-5

No lessons after noon the week of July 7-11 (Pender UMC Music Camp)

No lessons August 15-Sept 2

 

Lessons (11 adult lessons, 10 school age students offered):

June 2 9, 16, 23 (except FCPS students – last week of school), 30
July 7 (mornings only), 14, 21, 28
Aug 4, 11

Sept 8, the fall semester begins

 

If you need to reschedule, please call, email or FaceBook me and with at least 24-hours notice. There are some open spots available on the schedule.  You can view them here: https://ocms.youcanbook.me/.   Those times are “more like guidelines.  I will contact you to confirm any changes.  As always, the PW is “piano”.

 

happy_summer