Curriculum
Assessing Experience; Lesson Content Ideas
I have a student who will be starting with 8 years experience, not a great reader, usually reads just enough to figure out a piece and then just plays it from memory. I need to know how to excel an advanced student. Does one still…
- Last updated 10 years ago
- arrangements, group lessons, lesson ideas, lesson planning, prior experience
Advanced Student in Groups
I have just had a call from an adult student with 10 years traditional background as a child, who, since seeing more advanced students playing at the my first recent piano concert, she is eager to get ahead and move faster with the program, feeling…
- Last updated 10 years ago
- accompaniment, adult students, advanced students, arrangements, comp and improv, composition, group lessons, previous experience, traditional background
Learning Classics The Simply Music Way
Recently I was looking for a copy of Für Elise online when I can across “Asturias (Leyenda) by Isaac Albeniz. It is the Prelude to his Cantos de Espana Op. 232 No.1. (Spanish Songs) I was totally unfamiliar with this piece before seeing it online.…
- Last updated 10 years ago
- classical music, controlling the events, learning clues, learning tools, strategies
Introducing Christmas Pieces
My students are all entering their fourth week of lessons, and some are learning Jackson Blues or Honey Dew this week. Several of the adults and older teens have asked whether they will be able to learn any Christmas music. I can see that would…
- Last updated 10 years ago
- Christmas songs, introducing new pieces, Music for Christmas and the New Year
Workshop Questions
I have two five year old special needs boys. One, C ,was exposed to drugs in Utero and probably has developmental issues but has not been diagnosed yet. J, the other boy has Williams Syndrome. They are very different from one another. C is very…
- Last updated 3 years ago
- 4-song workshop, formatting workshops, organizing workshops, special needs, Williams syndrome, workshop, Workshops
Wrist Position – Technique
I have a student whose grandmother has the whole family concerned about the position wrists are held while playing. While I have often reminded students to lower shoulders, or alter the wrist position to try to increase their comfort, I haven’t really noticed anything obvious…
- Last updated 10 years ago
- how to play, technique, traditional lessons, what to play, wrist position
Vocalization of Rhythms
In response to the following question: I am finding that my students have a knowledge of singles, doubles and quads in their traditional form of Ta, Te-te and tigger-tigger (or any variation of these). The schools seem to teach this in their music classes. I…
- Last updated 10 years ago
- Neil Moore, rhythm, traditional, vocalizing
My 9 year-old ‘Advanced’ Student
I have an advanced student who is 9 years old and has been playing for about 4-5 years in a traditional method. Reading is fair, but he has been playing by ear for years, and his overall ability and absorption rate is staggering. I’m starting…
- Last updated 6 years ago
- Accompaniment, advanced student, arrangements, prior experience, traditional lessons, transitioning students
Parent is pushing reading
I have read through the teachers’ library on the topic of “Transitioning Traditional Students.” I have a parent who still wants to know more details on the note reading aspect of the SM program. I am only through Foundation Level one and do not have…
- Last updated 6 years ago
- parent pushing reading, prior reading experience, reading notes, traditional students, transitioning traditional students
Young Students Dropping Out
This week, after one month of lessons, two 7-year-old students dropped out. The one mother was very upset. She started by saying “We have some terrible news”. She even filled out the evaluation sheet even though the little girl only knew one song. It was…
- Last updated 6 years ago
- coaches, dropping out, practice, retention, rhythm, special needs, student retention, young students