Tag Archives: Piano

The journey of being a teacher

Posted on June 26, 2012 by

Teaching. Why do we do it? It’s not like it’s the easiest job in the world. It’s certainly one of the most emotionally draining careers with only pockets of reward. To invest so much energy into helping someone in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Lessons, News, Piano, Practicing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Adventures in Piano Lessons – A student gets a taste of the professional world

Posted on February 9, 2012 by

“Gah!” said Mandy*. “What’s the matter?” I asked. “I just don’t know what they want? One girl wants me to transpose the entire song down, the other girl wants me to transpose it up. There’s so much to learn and … Continue reading →

Posted in Lessons, News, Piano, Piano Recitals, Practicing, Reading Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Student “faints” during piano lessons

Posted on February 6, 2012 by

This week in piano lessons: Brad: “Can I faint?” Me: “What? (rolls eyes) Oh, go ahead.” Brad falls to the floor. “OK, and what did that accomplish?” Brad: “I’m going to faint again.” Brodie stands back up and falls to … Continue reading →

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These gosh darn kids don’t know what they want!

Posted on February 2, 2012 by

I have been trying to get this one kid, I’ll call him Ian, to at least not hate piano for the last year. Finally, after over a year of me trying to get Ian to practice and always asking him … Continue reading →

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Kids say the darndest things.

Posted on December 11, 2011 by

My friend Stephen (a piano teacher in Vancouver) often shares his funny adventures in teaching piano to children. Here’s one of them: “This day in piano teaching: Me: Now remember, what do you have to trust, this week? Her: My … Continue reading →

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Music Lesson Method Books – should you switch methods?

Posted on November 24, 2011 by

From my experience teaching piano lessons in Vancouver, Canada, I have learned that the right method book for a piano student can play a big role in the speed at which she learns. Not all methods are the same, just … Continue reading →

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Teaching piano by ear, and throwing out the rule book

Posted on November 21, 2011 by

  As a teacher, I’m constantly wracking my brains searching for new ideas on how to inspire my students to practice. And just because I’ve been teaching for the last 5 years, I’m always learning and running into new challenges … Continue reading →

Posted in Ear Training, Lessons, Music Theory, News, Piano, Practicing, Reading Music | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

How young is too young to start piano lessons?

Posted on November 8, 2011 by

How young is too young to start piano lessons? A common question asked by many parents. This article talks about the different learning curbs that face both a young child and a piano teacher. The answer is not so black … Continue reading →

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How to buy a piano for beginners

Posted on November 3, 2011 by

With so many different types of pianos to buy, how do you know which one to buy? This article gives an overview of the different types of pianos out there and aims to address the pros and cons with purchasing … Continue reading →

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