Gordon Harvey
Fur Elise Level 7 LH fingering on repeated notes
Regarding LH fingering in Fur Elise Level 7: I recall a training session with Nancy Reese in which she advised against using the 3 2 1 fingering. But I don’t fully trust my memory and I don’t remember enough about why. I’m about to teach…
Teacher feels out of depth with gifted student
I have a student who is very naturally gifted with composing his own songs. His songs are good enough to be on mainstream radio and his father is recording his songs at the moment through a sound recordist to mix and produce it. My issue…
Differences in practice habits in group
A group of three students: The first one does everything I assign beautifully. The second one (the fastest learner of the three) only practices 1/2 of the assigned items, but beautifully. The third one does 1/3 of what I assign but not so beautifully because…
Order of introducing arrangements
In Arrangements 1, are we supposed to give students all of the arrangements for one piece before moving to the 1.1 arrangement of the next piece? I’m a bit lost on the order of introduction of these. I have all students who started with me…
Adult student can’t remember variations
I have an older middle-aged student who is having memory trouble with the variations. He keeps trying to write clues for himself and I’ve stopped him multiple times and told him to trust the method, and that it’s a memory builder. I’m good at seeing…
Fragmenting and Positioning
Can somebody tell me where I can read more on “fragmenting and positioning”. I tell my students it’s dividing the piece in small sections and that the position of the fingers help remember the sequence. But the fact that it is written in big letters…
What to do with student who has completed Level 18
What do you do once a student completes level 18? I have one who is closing in on that milestone and it’s both exciting and terrifying! We still have lots we can do in Jazz, Blues Improv, and Accompaniment, but what do you source for…
Retiring songs from playlist
I’m preparing to allow students to retire some pieces from their playlists. I’ve purchased TTMs through Level 9 so I’m familiar with the repertoire to that point. In the Development levels, are there any pieces that build on Foundation pieces? The Gaz and Fur Elise.…
Standing by studio policies in difficult situations
A family told me this past week that they are discontinuing, because their only remaining lesson mate recently decided to discontinue, and this family did not want to continue in a private situation. My policy is 30 days’ written notice, and they’d prepaid for this…
Using SHM audio files
Who makes active use of SM audio in teaching and/or assignments? I’ve been pretty weak on this and could use some ideas–not only what learning activities to do but how to routinize it, how to train students so they know how to regularly use the…