As a church musician, I am playing the piano in worship every single week. Several times a week. While worship should come from the heart first, music is such a wonderful ministry to be apart of for the many reasons. There’s something different about singing a prayer, or hearing a song that brings lyrics to mind. We dwell on it just a little longer.

I am constantly trying to give my students opportunities to use their abilities for the Lord, if they ever have the opportunity. Once a year, I schedule a “Sacred Music Recital” at our local retirement community. I am always encouraging students to prepare a piece for church worship through special instrumental piece. Whenever I can get them to see that music is such a beautiful gift from God I am beyond excited. It is such a thrill to be a blessing to other people while using the gift God gave you. Especially when it relates to serving God.

We recently had a missions emphasis at my church. It’s big deal to us. We support many missionaries as a part of our private missions program. We had two missionaries visit us this past Sunday, one a missionary to Ireland and another wanting to start a church right outside of Boston. Our music was centered on missions with the adult and children’s choir singing a special and an international lunch where everyone brings a dish from a different country. It is always an exciting time! Each week our church takes up an offering and usually myself or other instrumentalists will play a special piece during that time. It is wonderful to be able to participate in worship in this special way. I played my arrangement of the well known hymn “Send the Light”. I want to share the lyrics with you below.

 

There’s a call comes ringing o’er the restless wave,

Send the light, Send the Light,

There are souls to rescue, there are souls to save,

Send the Light, Send the Light

{Chorus}

Send the Light, the blessed gospel light,

Let it shine from shore to shore!

Send the Light, the blessed gospel light,

Let is shine forevermore!

 

We have heard the Macedonian call today,

Send the Light, Send the Light

And the golden offering at the cross we lay

Send the Light, Send the Light

{Chorus}

Let us pray that grace everywhere abound,

Send the Light, Send the Light

And the Christ-like spirit everywhere be found

Send the Light, Send the Light

 

Let us not grow weary in the work of love

Send the Light, Send the Light

Let us gather jewels for a crown above,

Send the Light, Send the Light

{Chorus}

 

The man who wrote this hymn is Chase. H. Gabriel. He was a self taught musician who wrote many hymns, songs and secular works. Send the Light was considered his first “successful” song. He was asked to write a missions song for Easter. A missionary heard it and took it with him on the the field. It quickly became popular and was published in 1891. It is considered “one of the best missionary hymns ever written.”

We do not know much about the back story behind this song but we gather from the lyrics it is based on Acts 16 when Paul had a vision of a “Macedonian man” pleading for help to spread the gospel. As I study Paul’s ministry and work, I am amazed of the impact it has on our current world.

Paul desperately wanted to reach the world with the gospel. He, Silas and Timothy were planning to go to Asia Minor (present day Turkey) but the Holy Spirit redirected them to the eastern coast of the Aegean Sea in a city called Troas. At this point, Paul was waiting on the Lord to tell him where to go. During the night, Paul had a dream of a man pleading with him to “Come over into Macedonia, and help us.” (vs. 10) The Bible says “immediately” Paul and his friends took up the journey to Macedonia which if you know your geography, Macedonia is what we now call Europe or more specifically Greece. They stopped in Philippi, a Roman colony, where we see recorded the first convert in this region, Lydia, the seller of purple. (Acts 16:14). This area is known today as the “gateway to Europe.” Up until that point, the spread of the gospel stopped at Asia’s borders but because Paul obeyed the “Macedonian call”, Europe and later the colonies of America have “the Light”.

There is more packed into this hymn that I could write about. Mr. Gabriel wrote a jewel. What makes this hymn so wonderful, as many other songs and hymns, is the fact that is based on God’s Word. There is truth to these words. We may not all have visions in the night telling us to go across the world and preach the gospel, but we have God’s revealed Word to guide and direct us. We have “heard the call ringing over the restless wave”. How? Because we are all missionaries commanded to be a light to the world. (Matthew 5:14) The Light we are commanded to share (Matt 28:19-20), is Jesus, the Son of God.

I feel myself sometimes pushing that call away and telling myself it’s someone else’s job. The significance of the gospel does not ring as true because I live in a somewhat “Christianized” society but there are so many people still living in darkness. My job is not diminished simply because I live in a “nation founded on the Christian faith”, it is heightened because the call beckons to every Christian able to physically speak of the love of Christ. This song has been a challenge to me as I play it and reflect on the words. It brings tears to my eyes when I realize there are hundreds of thousands of people that have still never heard about Christ or have and just need someone to help them understand how much He loves them. The gospel is still as relevant and needed to be spread as it was in Paul’s day. Maybe even more so.

As I teach my students to learn to use expression and feeling in their music, most often I come back to a scared piece because I know that it is more that a few black notes written on a staff. Music put to words of truth have so much more meaning and depth. Music has such a profound way of making the truth revealed more powerful. It fills us with emotion and understanding, it expresses the deepest feelings in our hearts and speaks to us in ways that an orator or speech never could. As I compare the impact of music and the impact of mission work, I pray it speaks to someone about the call on their life. Whether a christian needing to heed God’s command to “Go” or someone searching for the Answer to their questions. The Light you are looking for is Jesus. Look no further, because He is there.

 

Hello tired. discouraged parent,

 

If you clicked on this blog, you probably have been through this argument in your mind. It is a valid argument to have. Your child loathes his or her piano lessons. (or any music lesson for that matter) and you’re trying to decide if you should let him or her quit. Your child has shown interest in other activities, but music is a drudgery. I have seen it as a teacher and have listened to many a parents worry about what to do. I can only imagine the struggle it is to get them on the bench at home to practice.

I did not grow up having piano lessons. (surprise, surprise). No, I was mostly self-taught. I don’t say that in boast I say it in regret. It saddens me that I did not have that opportunity. Would my mom and dad have had a hard time getting me to practice? Probably not. I loved to practice because I loved music. There were many reasons why I loved it. For one, I was older. I didn’t necessarily see the value in practicing but I enjoyed it and because I was older, it was my decision to learn. No one was forcing me.

Now I realize that an 8 yr old is not going to have the same determination as a 12 year old. Another reason I believe it was easier for me was that there came a certain point where I used my gift regularly. I played in church. A lot. I was 16 and was the main church pianist as well as accompanying pianist. There were plenty of things I had yet to learn but the fact that I was challenged to use my ability was enough to keep me up on it.

Everyone’s story is different. Not everyone is like me. Some start when their young and still have no problem practicing. Some have a terrible time no matter what. I can say that every student hits a wall. Even the really good students. I hit discouraging pits many times in my college career studying to become a better musician. At times I felt like I would never dig myself out. Eventually, I did. If it wasn’t for my teachers I would have never found my way.

I’m writing my story to say that even accomplished musicians have struggles. So obviously, a learning musician is going to as well. The teachers and parents job is to guide and encourage them along the way. One of the main reason why students “quit” or begin to have disdain for their music lessons is one of the following reasons. 1)Their discouraged 2)They are distracted 3)They are bored.

All are very bad! It could be 2 out of 3 or even all 3 reasons! There may be more reasons but any student I have ever talked to it is usually one of these three. Knowing what to do in these situations can help tremendously.

If they become discouraged, obviously we try to encourage them. Parents often forget to do this. It is important that you show your support with words of praise. Show your enjoyment of their playing not “you need to work on that a little more”. They need to know what they are doing well on first. Be specific about what they did well on too. “You did a great job” sounds different from “Wow! You played that scale so smoothly!”

I have seen some students shut down after a recital usually because they compared themselves to someone else. I have to remind them, this is not about “so-and-so”, it’s about you and how much you want to learn. Our job is to get their focus off of everyone else and on the subject of “learning”. For my perfectionist students that are just so hard on themselves for not being…well perfect..I remind them they are a student and it is ok to mess up. That’s how we learn.

I want to focus on their progress not their skill. Every student has a different skill level not to be compared to the other. When I see a student trying, my response is “You did a great job practicing this week” or “Well done working on this harder section”. Some children are easily encouraged and others you might think I might as well be talking to a wall. But it’s just not true. They are listening. Regardless, it is still our job to encourage them.

When they are distracted, we have to find out what that distraction is. I mentioned before students compare themselves to other people. Maybe a 10 year boy has a hard time because he compares himself to the 8 year old who is more “accomplished”. This is always a tough situation. It could be that they would rather play soccer, or do karate. Maybe they think that they won’t ever be good enough in piano but could be in sports. (By the way, this is totally typical of boys!) I’m just going to be excruciatingly blunt here, they are children. (If it is a teenager, same applies!) They do not know what is best for them. They will not be playing soccer when they are 60+ years old. (most likely not!) And while sports is a great thing that I believe every kid should have a chance to be apart of, it is not a lifelong skill whereas learning to play a musical instrument is. Sorry, I know I’m a little biased. But I have a story to tell concerning this point that I will leave for the end.

Again, pinpoint the distraction, whatever it is. It could be something as important as homework. It may be that they are extremely busy that week and can’t fit their practice in that week. Life is about managing your time. They have to learn how to do this. They have to figure it out. They need their parents help, not just to remind them of their priorities but to enforce an expectation. When they fail, let them fail. But don’t let the failure be the expectation. A few weeks of bad practice will not completely devastate their musical education. Quitting will. If they can learn how to focus when distracted, it will help them immensely in life.

And finally, when they are bored, challenge them. Boy oh boy this happens often. I have seen a student make a complete 180 when I tell him or her, “If you can get through these next few pieces, you will be done with this level of books.” Their eyes widen and I see immediately they’ve taken on my challenge. Incentive programs are great for this. There is nothing wrong with rewarding them. It doesn’t have to be a toy from Toys R Us, in fact, it doesn’t have to be much. Most times, when the reward is self gratification, appreciation or visibility, it is enough. I challenge all my students to work on their scales but when I started putting up boards of each level and listing each name as they worked through their level, the visibility they received from others seeing their name up on the board but enough to get them to learn their scales even faster.

It is not always the same for each student. I have some students that could care less about incentives. They may still struggle with making music their own. That is ok. I believe if we keep doing these things, encouraging,  helping them focus and challenging them, eventually they will get it. Maybe it will take longer, but it is important to understand they will get it someday.

Something to keep in mind is that they are still learning. We all are really. We as teachers and parents are learning more about them while they learn more about life and the hurdles they have to overcome. Another great thing to do is review with them what they HAVE already learned. Sometimes we push, push, push. Then we take a step back and realize, wow they have learned a lot the last year or so. I like to remind students of how far they have come. They then feel proud of themselves and say “I want to do the next thing”.

Parents have to see the value that music lessons will have. Over time. It’s doesn’t happen over night. Quitting is never the answer. When we tell them it’s their choice, we are saying, “When life gets hard, you can just give up.” We would never say those words but making music optional does often increase the probability of failure. And later on regret.

I worked under a successful manager for 5 years at a mortgage company. I was going part time to teach piano students at a college. When he found out what I was doing he said “I took piano lessons when I was a kid.” My first inclination was to think cool, he knows how to play! Unfortunately, he told me he started around 8 years old but quit when he was 11 or so. I asked him why. He said that he was starting to get into sports and boyish things and decided he didn’t like it anymore. So his parents let him quit. I asked him if he wishes he had continued and he said “oh yeah! If I could go back, I would’ve continued. I wish I could remember how to play but it was so long ago.” At one point, he did enjoy it and then he got distracted or discouraged or both, and decided it wasn’t worth it. A man in his late 30s told me he regretted a decision he made when he was 11 years old. Imagine that. Quitting is not the answer.

I wanted to quit many times in school. I was working nearly a full time job, with a full credit load and the amount I had to practice for my private lessons was insane considering the amount of homework I had. Usually 7-8 hours per week. I literally did not have a life. Naps? Psh, not when I had to be at work by 1:00pm. Each semester the amount of free hours I had seemed to vanish. But I did it knowing it was required. I hit a few walls but I figured out how to climb over them. It made me a better person. My orchestra instructor asked us one time in class “Why do you take lessons?” Most students response was “to get better at that particular instrument.” He simply shook his head no and said “It’s for discipline.”

I don’t think my list covers all students/children, nor does my list of remedies, but it speaks for the majority of students I think. Parent, decide that music lessons are an important part of life and will help your child in the long run. Don’t let them quit.

 

 

We had such a wonderful week at the “Carnival of the Animals” Music Camp. Students enjoyed learning about Mr. Saint-Saens symphony Carnival of the Animals, while also learning the history of that time period, geography surrounding the area it was written, the animals for each movement and so much more.

I usually create and plan my own curriculum for camps or group classes but because I decided to split my camps between the younger children and the older children (or those that have had piano lessons before), I purchased this curriculum on musicmattersblog.com. Natalie Weber did a fantastic job on this curriculum with design and the organization aspect of it. I highly recommend!

The first thing I did after purchasing the curriculum, after studying it of course, is go to Staples to estimate the cost of binding the student workbook. Surprisingly, it was not too badly priced considering I needed a bulk amount. I am so glad they turned out well and the students can keep them and they will hold up really well!

For the gift, I wanted something that would have a practical use. I have done t-shirts in the past and really enjoy them, but this year I wanted something a little different. Instead of t-shirts, I purchased these canvas bags and had them embroidered by a very talented business lady in my church. She custom designed them for me and they turned out beautiful! I loved that the students could not only use them for the week but for their piano books in the future.

 

Set up was very easy, as it was held at my church. I used this awesome blue tooth speaker  that Natalie recommended along with youtube to play on the pieces. I also had a projector and iPad to project images or vocabulary definitions on the screen. It made everything so easy!

Students enjoyed coloring the different animals and writing the different rhythms down notated in the curriculum. They absolutely loved listening to the different rhythms and sounds each movement produced. We talked about  imagery and how music creates pictures in our minds about God’s creation around us. The main idea of this camp was that every part of our study, whether it be history, science or music, centered around one idea: that God is the Creator of it and knowing those subjects helps us understand more about Him.

As you can see from the top picture of the group, students are holding up an opened page in their workbooks. This is their composition. (except for Aeyla, she is holding up her piece that she practiced that week. silly girl.) Each learned how to compose their own motive and create a melody from it. Each student participated whether they knew how to play piano or not. It was so awesome to see their creative minds enjoying making music. I had almost all of them that could play through their composition at our “mini-recital” at the end of the last day. I did not get everyone’s picture but they all did a really great job!

My only regret was not getting more pictures. Here is the art project we did together. I failed to get pictures of their artwork but here is one of my own. My awesome husband cut all of these squares of wood and sanded them for me. The students loved this project. It was the highlight of the week! They chose which animal silhouette they wanted to do and after nailing all the nails in to create the shape they selected their colored string and made designs of their animals. Super fun!

I say it was a week, but it was really only 4 days. I had to cram a little bit to cover everything. Even still, there was so much we had to rush through. We had a blast though. I enjoyed it myself and the students seemed to love it. I will post about the younger kids music camp soon!

 

On June 2nd, we had a wonderful Spring Recital with the theme “Superhero and Princesses”. I have to say this has been the most fun recital to prep for. I wanted something both the boys and girls could enjoy. Something they could really really love to play. And they did a great job! All of them.

The food was amazing. I am very blessed with wonderful parents who are willing to chip in. Of course, I couldn’t have done any of this without the wonderful Gabby, another parent who has done more of her fair share of “giving her talents”.

My absolute favorite part of the Spring Recital are the Awards. To see the students faces light up when they are honored for the achievements is amazing! Recital are such great learning experiences for so many reasons. They learn how to face challenges, how to work hard for something, and they realize how many family and friends are supporting them. I love to see their proud smiles when their done performing their piece. Many long hard weeks of practice went into each piece and I am continually amazing at each students improvement every year.

 

Enjoy some memories captured of the evening! (Thanks to Courtney, another one of my awesome parents)

 

 

Teaching children has been one of my passions since I decided to pursue teaching as a career. There is really nothing like seeing a child  make music. There is nothing like seeing them grow and learn. There is really nothing like being taught by that child how to be a better teacher. While teaching children is most definitely beneficial to both parties, teaching adults is another animal, yet just as rewarding.

I have had the privilege to teach quite a few beginner, intermediate, and advanced adult piano students. By far the most challenging of these has been the beginner adult. (a clip of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony should be played right about now). As challenging as it can be, it is, I think, far more rewarding than it is challenging. It is a humbling experience for the adult who is fully competent at many things except for this skill they are trying to learn. As a teacher, I spend more time trying to convince them “yes, you can do this” than actually teaching them the concepts behind playing the piano. Why is this?

Adult students understand more than we realize but the actual “doing” part is difficult. One of my students told me they found it was easier to read the notes than to play them. The process that happens with first seeing the note to transferring that information to the brain to their fingers is usually the biggest hurdle for adults to overcome. The reality is that adult students will not be able to learn something overnight. But can they learn and play? Absolutely yes. And most adults will question whether it is worth it. Again, it absolutely is.

As a teacher there are 3 things to overcome with adult students.

1. I’m not talented enough.

I can’t even count how many people, not just students, have said this to me. This misconception that you have to be talented to play an instrument is false. Obviously we all have strengths and weaknesses but just because a skill has been developed in someone for a number of years does not mean they are “more” talented than the average person. It is just not true. Sure, we are not all Beethoven or the next American Idol contestant but anyone can learn something new. It requires work, not talent.

2. I am too old.

My current adult student is 52 and she has amazed me with her determination to learn just because she wants to learn. She has not let her age or life stage stand in the way. Like most adults, they may be insecure about starting to learn an instrument. They will most likely compare themselves to someone who has been playing for years but it is possible at an older age to learn. I found quite a few gentleman here learned to play instruments proficiently at an older age.

3. I don’t have the time.

Adults do have more responsibility than children. I have taught a mother of 3 and college age adults and both led busy, busy lifestyles. Whether from work, school or family, everyone is busy. Of course, we all have a hard time finding the time to do “one more thing” but as the saying goes…you make time. Of course, it depends on the person and the life stage they are in. Two hours of practice each week could replace the time wasted on Facebook!

 

Find a purpose and stick with it!

I have always tried to bring students back to a purpose. Often, the purpose of learning the piano as an adult is to PROVE to themselves that they CAN do it. This is not a bad purpose, but focusing on it can lead to frustration. The purpose I try to bring adult students back to is to first enjoy what they are doing. It is then when they will grow in their ability and knowledge which is a clear definition of learning.

Learning is a touchy word. We learned to read in Kindergarten, we learned our multiplication tables in 5th grade, we learned Chemistry in high school. We graduate, go to college, start a career and learn our new job. We automatically think “Welp, I’m done learning!”. That’s where we have to grow. We CAN learn something and we end up growing from it. Then we start to create this inspiring thing called music. And let me tell you, just like there is nothing like seeing a child smile after accomplishing a difficult piece, there is nothing like seeing an adult smile with pride and say “I can’t believe I just did that!”. They have learned to create music.

Thomas Edison, one of the most brilliant men who lived, said “If we all did the things we are really capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves”

I have learned a few things in my short teaching career. Both what to do and what not to do to get adult students to a point of learning, growing and creating.

Be patient

Like I said, don’t expect to being able to play a Mozart Sonatina by next week. It takes a great deal of time to reach that level of skill. Don’t lower your expectations but DO be patient with yourself. Give yourself time.

Be proud

When we reach the adult age we’ve been taught to not show any sense of self gratification. We tend to play down what we’ve accomplished whether it’s a job promotion or major accomplishment. There is nothing wrong with being proud about musical achievement. Why do kids keep going when they don’t want to? Because they soon learn that the feeling of accomplishment is a better feeling than that piece of candy or prize they get each week for practicing. Be proud of what you have accomplished.

Be willing to mess up

We don’t like to mess up. We really, really don’t like it when we are not good at something RIGHT AWAY. It’s kind of embarrassing! I get it! The most important thing about learning to play any instrument is to accept the fact that YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES! Mistakes are apart of learning. If you are a perfectionist, that’s great, but don’t let perfection drive you insane. It would be impossible to learn without messing up every now and then.

 

All these points could actually be applied to young students as well! I would say this post is from a teacher’s perspective but it is also for that adult out there who is thinking “maybe I can learn to do that….”. We may learn through different modes but each of us has to be patient with ourselves, learn the right balance for being proud of our accomplishments and being humble enough to make mistakes. Once we do these things we can grow and then begin to create our music!

I am so thankful I found this from another piano teacher’s blog about the inevitable “Snow Days” we teachers have to find the time to make up! The idea is to combine those students into one group class. We had so much fun! My first Snow Day Party was a success!

First we played  the game BUSTED found from a fellow piano teacher here.

 

Next we played a few note reading games….

 

and some listening games.

I had the students color a musical frog with dynamics to match the colors they use (found here) and had them listen to a few pieces by Beethoven. In between pieces I asked questions like “What did you think about the dynamics of this piece?” or “What is the mood of this piece?”

Finally, I served them popcorn for a snack and had each student play their favorite piece while the others listened. Once each student finished I asked each of them to give the performer a compliment on what they did well on their piece. I was very impressed with some of their answers. The whole point was to get them to listen to music more critically and cultivate confidence about their performances!

 

I can’t wait until another Snow Day Class!

I have been playing in church since I was 16 years old. I would have started earlier had it not been for my self-consciousness. Either way, I was able to get a lot of experience through those years and developed a strong sentiment for hymn arrangements. So much so I have arranged quite a few myself.

Of course, classical music is imperative with musical learning. Someone once said that “We make rules so we can break them” and that is true of classical repertoire. The famous mastermind behind all those masterpieces invented the structure and “rules” of music. We have based our theory on their musical ideas. If you have ever heard medieval music before the classical era came into existence, you’ll know there was nowhere near the structure and harmonious sounds in those songs. In fact, they were not even transcribed. They learned by rote because there was no form, no rules. That’s when these famous “old guys”, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Clementi and many others that perfected their art and invented the classical sound. By doing so it has allowed us to build from their foundation. We are still playing their works today, as we should!

As a christian, I believe sacred music is some of the most beautiful music of all. It is simple compared to a Mozart Sonatina or Chopin’s Etude but it has unexplainable meaning and depth. The simple harmony of “Amazing Grace” or “It is Well with My Soul” bring to our minds the words we all know and love. The stories behind the men and woman that have composed these songs are incredible. The melody, the harmony, the words and the stories touch our hearts in different ways. Some speak simple truths such as “Trust and Obey” while some have thoughtful, convicting words like “Come Thou Fount”. I have so many favorites I could give as examples. So how could we make this useful in musical education?

As a teacher, I have tried to give a well-rounded musical experience. I wouldn’t necessarily encourage ALL musical repertoire but an occasional Pop/Jazz/Ragtime piece is good for anyone! It shows appreciation for all music. I focus on the classical, but as students work through their method books I try to incorporate something not in their books every 2-3 months. Supplemental music is what we call it.

I start with the FUN PIECE. I have had kids choose a song of their choice. I don’t even care what it is! It is something fun for them to do. I have had one student pick Star Wars, another teenage student picked a modern day pop piano arrangement (I’m not exactly sure what to call it!). As long as it is something they enjoy–go for it! Along with their fun piece, we will pick a sacred piece. It can be of their choosing or I will assign it to them. What is nice about the curriculum I use is they make the same Hymn book to go along with their level. If a student is not in a the same curriculum I will let them pick something from my stash and spend at least 5 minutes on it in every other lesson. Here is the process we usually go through.

1. Choose a hymn/scared piece
2. Teach the background story/reflect on the context of the time it was written.
3. Learn the arrangement
4. Find opportunities to perform!

Just a few tips…..

• Focus on the piece for short periods of time during the lesson that way it doesn’t take away from their regular repertoire.
• Make sure the student knows this piece has to be left until everything else assigned has been practiced.
• If a student really loves it, sometimes it’s good to do this first before anything else in the lesson. If you can hook them with something they love, they will more than likely be willing to work on the stuff they don’t want to!

Once the arrangement has been perfected with expression and delivery, if the student has an opportunity to perform this piece for a gathering or church service, I try to push them to do that! There is nothing more rewarding that performing not just for a crowd so they can applaud your skill but to perform a piece that brings the audience closer to God. Whether believers or not, the audience will recognize an individual that does not seek their own glory in a performance but rather humbly offers their talent and gifts to praise Him.

These opportunities build upon each other and teach a student that music lessons are more valuable than just being able to enjoy it for one’s self or for others. It truly is a gift from God that we have the ability to play, sing and make music. Once students have realized this, I believe it makes teaching them so much easier. I don’t have a problem getting a student to practice or to learn their scales for the week! Incorporating hymns into my teaching has had a way of keeping music in perspective. Why are we taking so much time to learn how to do this? Because there is a greater purpose that is more meaningful when you are doing it for the Lord.

Hello Parents,

I wanted to bring your attention to the incentive program we just started. I’m sure some of you have heard about it from your kids!

There will be 9 events and ten weeks to complete them. (It says 10 events on the front but that is a typo!) Some of these events are games/apps that you can purchase through iTunes. I understand some people do not have Apple products and cannot download the games so if that is the case, I will help the student. I believe only one of the apps cost $2.99 which is Flashnote Derby but for the game, it’s pretty well worth it. It makes note flashcards fun for kids so it is something we will possibly use in the future.  The events that have an * are the ones required to download an app.

The events that are not applications are as follows: Creative Composer, Finger Power, Practice, Performance and Sight Reader. I will list the details below for more explanation.

Creative Composer- I have staff paper that I will give them once they decide to take on this event. I can also help them with this one. This is a one time event.

Finger Power-I will get them a list of the scales, chords and/or arpeggios assigned. Some students will only have 5-finger scales and some will have all three. This depends on the level of the student. The student is required to play through assigned scales/chords/arpeggios once every week for 10 weeks. Since we are a week into the program, we can let this slide.

Practice– Students are already required to practice a certain amount each week. Whether it be 30 minutes 5xs per week or practice their pieces 3xs through.. Whatever I have assigned to the individual student, if they can do this consistently 10 weeks in a row they will complete this event easily. I will have them mark off each week number until they reach number ten.

Performance- This is to help students initiate some type of performance opportunity. Whether it be in church or at a family gathering or maybe at a nursing home/senior residence center. I will be providing the Recital in December but students need to find another means to complete this event. So get creative and brainstorm ideas to give your kids an opportunity to perform. This is a one time event.

Sight Reader- I have explained to each student that sight reading is “playing a piece for the first time”. For some late primary to intermediate students I will assign pieces that we’ve not gone through during the lesson. These pieces would count. For beginner students, I will mark these off with them as they practice their “sight read” pieces during their lessons. When they reach 10 pieces, they finish the event! I will be looking for opportunities to help them win! 😉

My only rules are that they cannot do more than one event during the week with the exception of the continuous events like Practice, Finger Power and Sight Reader. For instance, they cannot do two games in one week and say they did them both. I would rather spread it out a little.

Once they finish each event, have them tell me in their lesson and if it is a game/app tab I will take it from their ring to keep record. I already have a few students that have completed their first events! Encourage them to choose and do something each week! The program ends the week of December 5th and they will be awarded at the recital on December 16th.

Everybody can win in this program. It is really is just a matter of how hard the student wants to work. I am encouraging all of them to Go for the GOLD. As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you!

~Kristy

Don’t let the title scare you!!

I am not going to get too deep here. This was an assignment for one of my pedagogy classes in college and I thought it would be helpful (or should I say needful) to re-write. Eventually, I will post it on my website but I figured I would make it available on the blog first. I’ve done my best to make as many bullet points as possible (I love bullet points!) to make it easier to read. Enjoy! I hope it gives some insight and possibly tips for other teachers!

Timeless Harmony Studio’s Teaching Philosophy

When you think of Music Education, do you think about music class? Or do you think about the music teacher or band director you had when you were in grade school? I believe most would associate their “education” to a person or a time in their life. Because of this, music lessons are so very influencial and could possibly be one of the most important opportunities parents could offer their children. When you really think about it, music is apart of our every day life from the time we were learning our ABC’s to adulthood. It is apart of our worship, our national pride, our commute to work or school and most importantly, our education. This is why my studio’s purpose is to instill in my students a love for music and teach them the skills they need to be the best musicians they can be.

My goals for my students are:

1) To instill a love for music

When speaking about a love for music, it not simply an enjoyment or pleasure but a deep appreciation for something that has been passed down to us from previous generations. That love for music will eventually develop into a desire to create music. My hope as a teacher is not just to show and coach them, but for them make music of their own.

2) To Cultivate a teachable spirit and challenge them to do their best

It is then that each student will be able to obtain the skills to become proficient. It will train them to have good work ethic and even when difficult, not to give up. After they have learned how to “learn” so to speak, they can move onto the next goal.

3) To Obtain the skills to become proficient to be able to teach others

As a teacher, I have a great responsibility to transfer the knowledge I have about music and make it attainable for them to understand. It is my hope that they will one day do the same for someone else. Ultimately my highest goal would be for them to teach others one day.

What makes me different from other teachers?

After understanding the goals I have for each of my students, one must also understand the perspective I teach from in order to understand why my teaching is unique

• Influences with my Christian worldview.

I believe music was created by the Creator and therefore, every talent or skill we learn, the glory we may seem to have for a time should really be given to the One who created it. My christian worldview often sets me apart from most music teachers. Sadly, I have been to many recitals where intellect and proficiency is still empty because honor was given to the performer rather than the One who allows our minds and bodies to learn and perform. I believe there is true joy in knowing that music is a special gift and we simply get to unwrap it when we learn about it. This is apart of what makes my teaching influential.

• Motivates with positivity and encouragement.

Words of encouragement and praise are not uncommon to hear in my studio as I try to make a point to tell each student not only did they complete their assignments sufficiently but I have noticed their effort and appreciate their hard work. I include weekly prizes for practicing and offer incentive programs where students are challenged to work hard, stay dedicated and have courage. Recitals and other performance opportunities are used to help students see progress and give them a chance to share music with others.

• Develops a relationship with the student and includes parental support.

Perfection is not the goal in my studio, however, having the best attitude is and will enable to students to do their best. Every student has a different learning modality (or mode of learning through visual, aural or kinesthetic approaches) with which I can teach or coach them to achieve the highest educational goal possible. I focus on developing a relationship or “repoire” with the student in order to make them most comfortable. By keeping this commradtory and friendship connection with them, I hope to make it the best experience possible for them. All of these methods cannot be successful without the parents support. I encourage and welcome all parents to be apart of the process. A parent’s involvement is greatly appreciated!

Studio Methods

Practically speaking, the curriculum used for all students (except advanced students) is Faber’s Piano Adventures which lays a solid foundation of musical concepts and builds to a proficient level. Among developing the skills to play and create music, other subjects such as theory, improvisation, history and composing all play important parts in a well rounded musical education. I implement all of these avenues to help students understand music as a whole. Music education is not limited to the piano but I encourage students to begin piano as their first instrument as it lays a solid foundation for all instruments. All methods are kept fun and light hearted with games and treats to make things interesting!

In closing..

Music is fun and a joy to teach. It has many education benefits such as developing critical thinking, mechanical and motor skills. It has even proven to help many children with special needs. Without even considering the educational benefits, I believe the benefit of adding creativity, fostering a disciplined work ethic and being aware of the personal accomplishments and victories can all be life-altering for children (and adults too). I will conclude with Plato’s quote “Music is a more potent instrument than any other for education.”

Well said Plato…Well said. Thanks for reading y’all!