Category Archives: Beginners/Elementary Level

Listening and Communicating in 4-Handed Piano Music

By joy (admin) | Published: 27 April 2010
A colleague of mine and I are planning to learn some four-handed piano music this summer, and perhaps do a whole recital together of just four-handed music in the fall semester.  So I’ve been digging around on YouTube, looking for repertoire ideas.  And I have couple of cool videos to share with you today: What [...]
Also posted in Advanced Level, By Student's Level, Ideas, Improving as a Teacher, Intermediate Level, Motivation, Recitals / Performances, Repertoire/Method Books, Studio Class / Group Lessons, Topics in Teaching Piano, What I'm Up To | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Decorate Your Studio Idea: Bach Invention Manuscripts

By joy (admin) | Published: 26 April 2010
I just discovered these manuscript copies of Bach’s 2-part inventions over at the IMSLP’s Petrucci Music Library.  I always find free pdfs of music scores that I need on their site, but I never realized that they also have pdfs of some hand-written manuscript copies to download as well!  Although this is not Bach’s handwriting, [...]
Also posted in By Student's Level, Composition, Ideas, Intermediate Level, Resources / Links, Topics in Teaching Piano | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Just Added: Navigating at the Keyboard Worksheet

By joy (admin) | Published: 22 April 2010
A new free worksheet has just been added to the Printables page: Navigating at the Keyboard. This worksheet is for young beginners who have only just recently been exposed to piano.  This worksheet is designed to help them become familiar with the layout of the keyboard so that they can locate and identify the keys [...]
Also posted in By Student's Level, Topics in Teaching Piano, music theory, printables, worksheets | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Great Resources for Teachers with Beginner Staff-Readers

By joy (admin) | Published: 20 April 2010
Susan Paradis from the Piano Teacher Resources blog has written has excellent review of the The Perfect Start for Piano by Kevin & Julia Olson, a series of books intended for reinforcing note-reading on the staff for beginners and elementary level students.  They look great – I love that fact that they are designed to [...]
Also posted in By Student's Level, Repertoire/Method Books, Resources / Links, Topics in Teaching Piano | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Preparing for Student Recitals: Recording!

By joy (admin) | Published: 16 April 2010
Many of us teachers are probably currently preparing our student for spring recitals, so today I thought it might be beneficial to discuss a way of preparing for performances: recording your students playing their pieces, and then listening to the playback together. Benefits of Recording The student practices performing. Playing for a recording device can [...]
Also posted in Advanced Level, By Student's Level, For During the Lesson, Ideas, Improving as a Teacher, Intermediate Level, Interpretation, Recitals / Performances, Studio Class / Group Lessons, Technology, Topics in Teaching Piano, practicing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Just Added: Reference Sheet for Reading Music

By joy (admin) | Published: 12 April 2010
This free printable is a handy reference sheet to give out to students who are just learning to read musical notation from the staff. What it contains: notes and their values, eighth through whole. rests and their values, eighth through whole. word mnemonics for figuring out the letter names of notes on the staff: Treble [...]
Also posted in By Student's Level, Other Resources, music theory, printables | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Just Added: Write In The Barlines #2

By joy (admin) | Published: 5 April 2010
That’s right, a new free printable worksheet has just been added to the Printables >Worksheets page: Write In the Barlines #2 This worksheet is for use after using the Write In the Barlines #1 worksheet.  This time, students must draw the barlines through both staves of the grand staff instead of through just one staff.  This [...]
Also posted in By Student's Level, For During the Lesson, Group Keyboard, Ideas, Intermediate Level, Studio Class / Group Lessons, Topics in Teaching Piano, music theory, printables, worksheets | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Play forte – but NOT accented…

By joy (admin) | Published: 2 April 2010
You know, learning to play an instrument is all about making breakthroughs.  There are so many things to consider and train yourself to do.  It’s a complicated process!  You are never done learning.  There’s always room for improvement. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been realizing that when I play forte on the piano — [...]
Also posted in Advanced Level, By Student's Level, For During the Lesson, Ideas, Improving as a Teacher, Intermediate Level, Interpretation, Posture at the Piano, Topics in Teaching Piano | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Group Piano Class Ideas

By joy (admin) | Published: 30 March 2010
I recently came across this great video/podcast on Mario Ajero’s YouTube channel: an interview with pianist and piano pedagogue Dr. Julie Knerr.  Both Maria Ajero and Julie Knerr are graduates from University of Oklahoma’s widely recognized piano pedagogy program.  In this video, Dr. Knerr shares some of her game ideas for her group piano classes [...]
Also posted in By Student's Level, For During the Lesson, Games, Group Keyboard, Ideas, Improvisation, Intermediate Level, Motivation, Resources / Links, Rhythm, Studio Class / Group Lessons, Topics in Teaching Piano, music theory, piano camps | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Just Added: Write In The Barlines Worksheet #1

By joy (admin) | Published: 29 March 2010
That’s right, a new free printable worksheet has just been added to the Printables > Worksheets page: Write In the Barlines #1 This worksheet is an one I created a few years ago, and I thought I’d share it here for any of you to use!  My students LOVE taking home “extra credit” worksheets (outside [...]
Also posted in By Student's Level, For During the Lesson, Group Keyboard, Ideas, Intermediate Level, Studio Class / Group Lessons, Topics in Teaching Piano, music theory, printables, worksheets | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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