Category Archives: Studio News

2025 Fall Piano Lesson Registration

Posted by MaryO on

Thank you for your interest in the O’Connor Music Studio!

Available times are on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the day and after school for all ages and levels.  There may be other times available if requested.

After you register, you will get a confirmation email with the information you need to access the Parent/Student Portals. After logging in you may choose from the available lesson times or request something different.

If you are a transfer student, please have your most recent method book(s) and notebook available for the interview.

Prospective students must have a piano, organ or electric keyboard to use for daily practice. 

Roadtrip! students (ages 4-5) are scheduled for half-hour lessons with their parents present.

Beginning children (ages 6 to 9) are scheduled for half-hour lessons.

Youth (ages 10 and up) may be scheduled for half-hour lessons or forty-five minute lessons.

Adults are highly encouraged to take hour-long lessons but are always welcome to schedule half-hour lessons at first.

I look forward to meeting you!

Daily Listening Assignments 2025

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!

Happy Memorial Day!

Posted by MaryO on

memorial-day

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and was initiated to honor the soldiers for the Union and Confederate armies who died during the American Civil War.

Celebrations honoring Civil War heroes started the year after the war ended. The establishment of a public holiday was meant to unify the celebration as a national day of remembrance instead of a holiday celebrated separately by the Union and Confederate states. By the late 19th century, the holiday became known as Memorial Day and was expanded to include the deceased veterans of all the wars fought by American forces. In 1971, Memorial Day became a federal holiday.

The original national celebration of Decoration Day took place on 30 May 1868. When Memorial Day became a federal holiday, it was given the floating date of the last Monday in May.

The O’Connor Music Studio WILL be open!

 

 

New Book: Later Gator and the Time Travel Tunes

Posted by MaryO on

 

An Early Level 1 Piano Book For End-Of-Year Success

In Later Gator and the Time Travel Tunes, a lonely alligator stumbles upon a squeaky duck and suddenly finds himself zipping through time on a wild and hilarious adventure.

From dinosaur stomping grounds to medieval castles, ancient Egyptian pyramids to Viking voyages, your students will tag along with Gator while reinforcing key piano skills:

  • C 5-finger scales
  • Hands-together coordination
  • Staccato and legato articulation
  • Introductory left-hand accompaniments

This early level 1 piano book is designed to keep lessons exciting while targeting the exact skills students need at this crucial stage.

It’s a story-driven approach that turns essential early learning into an irresistible experience — exactly what students need when attention spans are pulled in a dozen directions.

As always, O’Connor Music Studio students are provided with all books at no charge as appropriate.  Later Gator and the Time Travel Tunes is also available on amazon.

Why Bi-weekly Lessons Don’t Work

Posted by MaryO on

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!

Piano Maestro Parent’s Guide

Posted by MaryO on

Piano Mania

 

It will be fun watching your child improve their piano skills all while having fun using Piano Maestro in lessons each week!

As your child’s teacher (or YOUR teacher!), I’m looking forward to seeing the progress they will make when they start using it at home each day. This guide will help you understand how this app will benefit your child and how to get it set up on your own iPad.

Overview
What is Piano Maestro?

Piano Maestro is the ultimate piano practice tool that will have students quickly playing their favorite classical, pop, rock, TV and video game songs and themes. It is available in the App Store and works on the iPad.

What skills does it improve?
• Note reading
• Sight reading
• Rhythm
• Inner pulse
• Confidence

What makes it so fun?
• Upbeat background tracks
• Stunning graphics
• Instant rewards and feedback
• Satisfaction of playing REAL music

It works with an acoustic piano?

Yes! Your child practices on your real acoustic or digital piano. Piano Maestro listens from the iPad’s built-in microphone. No wires needed.

I’m already paying for lessons. What value does this add?

Sometimes I wish I could be there with your child to encourage them to keep practicing daily. I’m sure it’s not always easy, as unforeseen challenges will arise.

Since our time each week is just too short, this app will give me eyes on the ground and it will keep them practicing longer and improving more quickly.

How will it be used in lessons?

I will spend a few minutes of each lesson helping your child master a couple of new songs all while having fun! I will also teach them how to use the practice options at home.

At the end of the lesson, we will choose Home Challenge assignments within the app that will show up in your account at home. I’ll get updates when progress is made.

Getting Started
Wow, this sounds awesome. Now, how do I get started?

1) Download Piano Maestro on your iPad from the AppStore
2) Create a JoyTunes account with a parent’s email, under which, you can have multiple profiles for each member of the family.
3) Create a profile for each family member (that means you too Mom and Dad!) inside the Parent/Teacher zone (top right-hand corner of the main screen)
4) Connect to your teacher, me! After creating a profile in the “profiles” tab of the parent/teacher zone, select the student’s profile and click “connect to teacher.” Once I approve the connection to your child, they will receive full access to all content for FREE! I will then also begin receiving weekly progress reports.
5) Start Playing – I will now start assigning you homework, meanwhile, get started on Journey Mode.

When you connect to the O’Connor Music Studio, Piano Maestro is free for as long as you study here.

Trunk or Treat!

Posted by MaryO on

Pender’s Annual Trunk or Treat is returning bigger and better than ever!

Get ready for some fall fun! Join us for the Pender Fall Festival  on October 19, from 2-4 pm in the church parking lot.

Here’s what’s in store:

Trunk or Treat – Wear your costumes and collect tons of candy!  (Hint – adults can dress up, too)
S’mores Station– Snack on ooey-gooey s’mores!
Karaoke Station – Show off your singing skills with your favorite tunes!
Estimation Station – Test your guessing skills and see how close you get!

Bring your family, friends, and all your fall vibes for an afternoon of fun! You won’t want to miss it!

This will be a lot of fun for everyone.