Recitals & Events
Apprenticeship Workshop
I wanted to share something I did in my studio this semester. I held an Apprenticeship Workshop class for upper level piano, bass, and guitar students of mine. It was designed to teach them how to play in or form their own bands. We met…
Piano Ensembles
Has anyone tried doing piano ensembles within your own studio? I have come across Susan Staples Bell Music, in which she composes music and then has a group of students work together. It sounds like fun but wondering how far through would the student need…
Playing Through Mistakes
Funny sometimes the things that we need to teach/share with our students. This week we talked about performing without ‘giving away’ the fact that you had a stumble. After the conversation, one of my students played “Sit by My Side” with some imperfections BUT didn’t…
Students on Professionally Recorded CD
To add value to my studio, I try to do as many activities as I can. I take my students to a recording studio every year. They record their music and cut a CD to take home. It is such a blast And my parents…
Piano Party Ideas
I’ve been teaching for 2 years now and I realized one of the most common searches I do on the intranet is for games and ideas for my twice yearly Piano Parties (aka Really fun recitals). I’ve come up with some new ones and I…
Cathy Hirata’s Halloween Recital
twas halloween eve and all though my house ran teeny little kids, even a mouse! (sorry…..it was the best I could come up with!) they ran to the piano and played with glee each 2 songs, very strange indeed not what I taught, but each…
Judging a ‘Talent’ Quest
I have been a judge in the St Luke’s Talent Quest for the last three years. The last two years I was judge for the finalists,but today I was judge for the finalist auditions. Well, the vocal talent is unbelievable and most were children. But…
Teacher Playing with Music at Recital
At my end of year recital, for the first time I will be playing and one of my choices is Silent Night Blues by Neil Moore and my own composition Bush Christmas. I enjoy playing and hope that feeling is felt by others. Do you…
My Recent Recital
Last night I had some of my students performing at an end-of-the-school-year piano concert. Ages were 1st graders thru 9th grade. What fun! We had duets on the piano, piano and solo singers, accompanying audience sing-a-longs, original arrangements, etc. One little girl played 2 of…
Students Playing at Retirement Homes
I mentioned in another post that my students have the opportunity once a month to play at a retirement center. We go to the same one each month. I just wanted to share last week’s experience playing there. I only had about 12 students sign…
