2019 New Year's Resolutions

At the start of a new year, I like to think about new goals. Here are some of mine:

Musically:

1. I’m going to try to new method book for young beginners ages 5-7. I’m excited about the new approach, the well-planned games, new music and working with a small group of children. It is called WunderKeys and I think it has a lot of potential. I worked with a small group of children during the fall of 2018 to explore what I thought about a group approach. Each day, I came away invigorated and happy. I loved seeing the smiles on the children’s faces when they made music together and when they understood the musical concepts. I will do more of these group classes during Winter and Spring Terms this year. If you have friends with young children, please pass this news along.

2. I plan to improve my organ skills. I joined a facebook group for church organists and choir directors recently and asked them what pieces they would recommend for someone like me. I received some great recommendations tailored to my skill level. I’m quite excited about it.

3. I would like to tap into the resources on IMSLP more this year. This is a website that collects scanned music that is no longer under copyright law and is available to the public. It is a vast treasure-trove!

4. I want to inspire my students to work hard, to love their music, to be more expressive, and to share their talents with others.

Personal:

1. Continue exercising and using MyFitnessPal. I love the wind on my face when I ride my bike (do you all know about the Arlington Loop?). I love being able to backpack and hike. I know that taking care of myself makes these things possible.

2. I have a great interest in Spanish and have been working conscientiously and daily for about 4 years to improve my language abilities. So, this year, I would like to continue my tradition of reading a book in Spanish, expand the topics I can discuss, and take more opportunities to talk with the Spanish speakers in our community.

Parents, please chat with your children and make some goals for the new year. Maybe you could choose from the following suggestions:

1. Decide on a time you can practice consistently at least 5 days a week. Write this on a calendar that you use or put a sign on the piano.

2. Increase the amount of time you practice by a little bit. (You should be practicing at least the length of your lesson each day——practicing more will yield more progress! )

3. Go to a concert at the Kennedy Center (or somewhere else) where a pianist is performing. (You can get discounts through Goldstar)

4. Prepare a few pieces and perform them for grandparents in person or via facetime or skype

5. Write a composition if you haven’t done it before. There is a composition contest coming up with a registration deadline of March 7, 2019.

6. Learn a Sonata or a sonatina

7. Learn a duet with a friend

8. Help a sibling or friend learn something about the piano (beginner: black keys vs white keys, or a basic rhythm, intermediate: teach them a chord or a scale, advanced: teach some music theory such as circle of 5ths or key signatures)

9. Accompany a friend who plays a different instrument (violin, cello, flute, clarinet for example).

10. Practice 3 hours more than you usually practice for 1 week and see what a difference it will make in your lesson.

Piano Memories from age 14

Virginia Buhn, my piano teacher

I reviewed some personal journals this evening and found some gems that I thought would be fun to share. These entries were from when I was 14 years old, a freshman in high school. They are just some example of a piano student’s life: parent’s influence, recitals (the good and the bad), collaborating with siblings, and my very first piano students.

Age 14

Mom has been encouraging me to keep up with my practicing so, she cut out 43 red quarter notes out of construction paper and pinned them to my bedroom curtains.  In order to get them taken off, I have to practice 1 hour a day for 43 consecutive days! I started for the 2nd time today. If I miss a day, even the 42nd day, then all the notes have to go back on my curtains.  It’s quite a bit of work but I’ll be glad when they’re down!.

I went to bed quite late last night and woke up at about 5:10 a.m.  It doesn’t seem very hard for me to wake up that early now. I guess because I know that if I don’t, I won’t be able to practice as much.  I am finding it very hard to practice a full hour, but I guess that 45 minutes is a lot better than nothing.

Then tonight was our piano recital.  I did just terrible. My piece wasn’t very secure on memory and it really showed when I played it.  But mom said that she didn’t think anyone else noticed. I hope not. I won the memory contest for grades 9-12.  Mrs. Buhn gave me a poster that said, “Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast.”

I had my piano lesson today.  Mrs. Buhn kind of got mad at me because I hadn’t learned a piece the right way.  I had better try harder I guess.

Then, right after work, I went to my piano lesson.  It didn’t go too bad. I’ve learned a piece that I’m going to play at our evening for sharing.  It’s really showy and I love playing it.

September 9 Mrs. Buhn has given me the opportunity to teach piano lessons and I am really excited about my new endeavor.  She’s going to help me and has my first pupil.

September 10 My piano student’s mother called this afternoon.  I am going to meet with her tomorrow after school.  I am super excited though kind of nervous. September 11 Katherine wasn’t able to come today so she is planning on coming tomorrow.

September 12 I met my piano student today.  She doesn’t know hardly anything about music so I will have to start from the very, very beginning.  I am really excited!

September 15 I gave my first real piano lesson today.  I thought it went really well and Kathryn seems quite excited about learning to play the piano.

December 2 Carmen and I went to Mrs. Buhn’s to work on our concertos.  Carmen and I are going to give a duo piano recital. I can’t wait. It will really be fun.

January 10 Our family celebrated my birthday today.  They put up streamers and balloons, we played games and had birthday cake along with the meal of haystacks that I had chosen.  I received a book “How to teach piano successfully”, a velour shirt, and a letter tablet, some lifesavers and 16 kisses each from Andra and Caryn.  January 11, 1981 Well, I’ve had a great birthday.  It was so fun and thrilling to hear the Oregon Symphony Orchestra with Lilli Kraus and to be able to meet her personally.

Fall Festival--Celebrating Contemporary Music

We are in the final month of preparation for Fall Festival now. I enjoy doing this festival each year because it gets all of my students off to a great start in the fall. Whenever there is a recital or an event that they are working toward, they work harder and concentrate more. At the September class lesson, they shared their music with each other (memory wasn’t required). At the upcoming October class lesson, they will share the same pieces, memorized this time, and much more refined, ready for festival and recital.

The focus of Fall Festival is to introduce students to contemporary sounds. I will review of few in this blog post and provide links for some examples. Maybe you can look and see which categories are present in your music. Often contemporary composers will use more than one of these categories in their compositions. These characteristics are very distinct from other eras of composition.

Melody

1. Melodies are fragmented, irregular, or disjunctive.

2. Significant parts of the piece, or even the whole piece, lack melody.

3. The melody is constructed by chance or serial technique. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bkQa2Rowvw

4. The melody is built from non-traditional scales such as modes, a scale with “blue” notes, etc. Some examples of Taylor Swift music with different modes: Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixUpXB2zJ8M

   Harmony

   1. Chords are unrelated to a major-minor system—clusters, altered chords, quartal or quintal harmony. Here’s an example of quartal harmony (uses 4th’s) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2loKj2-SU4

   2. The composer makes simultaneous use of two chords or keys (bitonality).

   3. The piece is not in any definable key (atonality).

   4. Unresolved dissonance is common. (Henry, Bradley, Katie, Ellie, Qing Shuang, Jack, Myla)

   Rhythm

   1. The piece or large parts of it contain no bar lines.

   2. The meter is irregular, such as 5/4. (Sloane) Here’s an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPRtRoH4zcA. See if you can count along (9/8: count 2,3,2,2)

   3. There are frequent meter or tempo changes. (Sam, Zaria)

   4. Cross rhythms (polyrhythms)—5 against 4, 7 against 8, etc.—are prominent.

   5. Jazz rhythms prevail. (Walker, Adam, Peter, Quinn)

   Other considerations

   1. Non-traditional notation.

   2. Knocking, tapping or plucking some part of the instrument not traditionally used in this way. (Lawrence)

   3. Use of prepared piano. Only do this with permission from the owner of the piano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgph8aPmRJs

   4. Use of extreme range on the instrument.

Practicing!

During a recent class lesson, my students had a lively discussion about what was most effective in making progress at the piano. This discussion was based on a study by Noa Kageyama (source below).

I gave them five cards with one idea on each one. They had to decide which two would make the biggest difference in their becoming a great piano player?

1. Practicing longer

2. More repetitions

3. Increasing the number of times played correctly

4. % of times part is played correctly

5. How many times a part is played incorrectly

According to the study, practicing longer didn’t lead to higher rankings. The students caught on pretty quickly that one could be efficient and accomplish the same amount in less time if they were smart about their practice.

Getting more repetitions had no impact on a pianist’s ranking either. We decided that just doing it over and over could become mindless if you don’t have a specific goal in place. Plus, if you’re not concentrating, you might just be repeating mistakes, which leads to the next point:

The more times a part was played incorrectly, the worse their ranking tended to be. Clearly, repeating mistakes is a big mistake!

Interestingly, the number of times they played a part correctly in practice also had no bearing on their ranking. We decided that if they play a part correctly 100 times, they aren’t in a position of improving themselves. One has to work on the hard and tricky parts and master those parts to get better. (Playing your recital pieces over and over for the entire practice time isn’t effective practicing).

The percentage of correct practice trials did seem to matter. The greater the proportion of correct trials in their practice session, the higher their ranking tended to be. So, if you play a tricky part 5 times, but only 1 times correctly, you are still making a lot of mistakes. But, as you improve from day to day, maybe you play the section 5 times and you get 4 our of 5 correct. Then the next day, it is stable at 5 out of 5 for a 100% mastery of the section.

Noa Kageyama’s study noted 8 practicing tips that the top performers ALL did. I will list them and encourage you to incorporate these in your practicing:

• Play with hands together early in practice

• Add dynamics and phrasing early on

• Have thoughtful practice. You can be silent while you study the music.

• Don’t play errors. Stop prior to making and error and study the spot

• Address errors immediately.

• Identify the precise location and source of the error. Rehearse it and correct it.

  (If you study your lesson assignment page, I usually write down specific spots to master during the week!)

• Vary the tempo. Practice slowly, medium, and at performance tempo when you are able. When you come to tricky sections, methodically work slowly until you have learned it and then bring it up to tempo.

• Target passages (not the entire piece) were repeated until the error was corrected and the passage was stabilized, as evidenced by the error’s absence in subsequent trials.

  The students also shared some great ideas with each other from their own practicing habits.

• One student wrote goals for the practice session on a yellow sticky note.

• Another student put check marks on the lesson assignment book to show that he had practiced a certain assignment.

• Some students talked about prioritizing what was the most important thing to accomplish. For example, if a memory deadline date is approaching, that is an assignment that has to be completed on time.

• The older class talked about how it was nice to have something to look forward to after a practice session such as being able to play basketball outside or to have a treat.

• Others mentioned that taking a little break in the middle of the practice session helped them to stay alert and accomplish more.

Finally, we drew cards from a bowl that had various practicing ideas for trouble spots and discussed or demonstrated them. We will continue doing this at lessons.

Sources:

1. Practicing the Piano by Nancy O’Neill Breth

2. (https://bulletproofmusician.com/8-things-top-practicers-do-differently/).

3. Students in my piano studio

Students Accomplishments-------------- (always in progress)

2020 Bach/Baroque Recital Participants.

2019 Bach/Baroque Recital

Everyone played music from the Baroque period. Minuets, Marches, Inventions, Sinfonias, Suites, Preludes and Fugues!

I am so proud of students when they work hard and accomplish their goals! 

Great job!!!

In 2009, a Bowen Boyack, a 7 year old student wrote a piece which was orchestrated and performed by the McLean Symphony.  His composition was chosen through the Alma Grayce Miller Composition Contest hosted by NVMTA.  The recording is live from the night of the performance and begins with a delightful interview between Bowen and the Symphony director, Mr. Dingwall Fleary.  The music starts at 2:35. Enjoy!

Here a little bit more about Bowen.  At this point, he had demonstrated perfect pitch and had a remarkable memory for tunes.  He was intrigued by musical patterns and sequences and was thrilled to have his creation orchestrated.  He had no pets of his own at the time, but often played with imaginary pet friends.   

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Thoughts on Recitals

May 2018 Recital

Sharing

Recitals come around two or three times each year.  I always look forward to recital preparation because students really focus on getting their pieces ready to share with others.  I enjoy the practicing and the details of making pieces beautiful and the progress I see in my students.  I also enjoy recitals because of the opportunity to share.  Not everyone can play the piano, but many people enjoy listening.  For this reason, I like to do my recitals at retirement homes or nursing homes.  The residents really enjoy seeing the children (or adults who perform) and I think it brings joy to their lives.  Music should be shared!

Some students arrive early or stay a little later after the recital to talk with residents.  I know that it just delights the grandmas and grandpas to greet the children and congratulate them on their performances.  Sometimes they will share their experiences with music.  One lady used to sing a little Christmas song for us as she recalled her early choir years.  

Choosing pieces

Of course, recitals are a big deal in the life of music students.  They take preparation.  I usually like to choose music with beginners and intermediate students several months before the recital.  Advanced students often require more time for their preparation.  Choosing pieces usually means that I will give students 2-3 options.  I want them to have a say in what they will be spending a lot of time on and I want them to be excited about the choices.  So, I'll play the pieces (or excerpts from the pieces) for them and we choose together.  Since they usually play two pieces, I look for contrast, for the requirements of the event coming up, something that will challenge them but still be within their ability to master by the deadline.  With two to three recitals a year, they get a lot of variety in their music.  We prepare contemporary music, baroque music, classical or romantic music, and sometimes thematic music (colors, world geography, music from various decades, sonatinas/sonatas etc.).

Preparing recital pieces

When pieces are chosen with plenty of time to prepare, we can work on small sections each week. I've found that when students follow these dates, their pieces are ready for the recital and they play confidently and well.  When they are prepared, they feel much less anxiety about performing.   The performance practices before the recital help them  know what areas need extra attention and they can attend to those before the big day.

I usually set target dates for the student similar to these:

3-4 months before recital:  Choose repertoire for recital (more advanced students require more time depending on the length and difficulty of the piece)

2 months before recital: Play entire piece with ease

1 month before recital: Memory Deadline

1-2 weeks before the recital: Perform the piece 10x by memory before the recital for friends

Performance date

Memories

Performers remember the pieces they prepare for recitals best.  They remember their recital experiences----all aspects including the good and the bad.  I'll never forget a recital when I was a teenager where I totally forget how to end the piece.  I think I repeated a section a couple of times all the while wondering how in the world I was going to finish the performance.  Somehow, it happened.  I survived.  Sometimes those things happen.  

Recently a couple of students moved to another city. They will be continuing their studies with another teacher.  Because I keep (and treasure) my recital programs, I was able to give the new teacher a list of all the repertoire they had prepared over the years.  I think it will be invaluable to the new teacher to see what they have done.  It was very fun for me to reminisce about the students and the pieces we had worked so hard on.

I always invite my adult students to perform in the recitals.  Some do, some don't.  Either way is fine, I just want to give them the opportunity if they wish.  Sometimes, I'll invite my adult students to prepare pieces to share just among themselves (and not for any guests).  This gives them a goal and a purpose for really polishing a piece and then an opportunity to share it in a friendly (and sympathetic) environment.

Every once in a while, I jump in and prepare a piece for a recital as well.  I enjoy doing that a lot.  And I hope that it sets a good example to my students of life-long learning and a desire to share beautiful music.

Welcome to the new website!

I'm excited to share this new website, created by my son, William.  

If you are hoping to join the studio, please contact me! 

If you are already part of the studio, I look forward to posting pictures and recordings of my students.  It should be easy to find calendar items and I am accepting tuition payments online as well.

Here's everything you need to know about the website.

Create your own account

On the top navigation, you'll see the sign in button.  Each family should create an account to keep a record of your payments to the studio.  You will see every payment that you've placed for lessons, festivals, or book deposits.  You can add your address and payment information for a faster checkout. The credit card is securely encrypted and only available to you.

Blog

I will be updating this regularly.  You can look forward to practicing tips, motivational ideas, recommendations for listening experiences and perhaps some upcoming concert information. I'm hoping that some of you will share your experiences with me as well to help other parents in the studio. Also, I would like to share recordings of my students in this area. Please complete the waiver for photos at this link: Here

Student/Parent Area

A password will be provided to student families for the student/parent area.  You will be able to make secure payments for tuition and other fees in this area and also see the detailed studio calendar for each term.

Tuition payment 

Once in the student/parent area, press "pay tuition" button to go to payment gateway.  

• To pay for lessons, select the first box. Private lessons, class lessons, and recital payments are bundled together.  
• Scroll down to select the day of your lesson (previously arranged with René), the length of the lesson and the current term.
• Press add to cart.
• If paying for multiple students in a family,  or you need to add a book deposit or festival fee, you can repeat the process for the other(s) and press "add to cart" again. 

The tuition amount is based the day of your lesson and the number of lessons in a term.  

Festival Payments

Festival payments should be made at the same time as tuition. To pay for multiple festivals during the same term, select the first one and add it to the cart.  Then repeat the process for other festivals during that term.