Category Archives: motivation

A Follow-up on Recording Students Before Performances

By joy (admin) | Published: 19 April 2010

I don’t know about you, but I have some students who are participating in a spring performance coming up soon!  Last week, I recorded my student Jean playing her recital piece during her lesson (click to read more about recording students as preparation for performances).  Then we spent some time listening and discussing the recording. [...]

Also posted in private lessons, recitals / performances, settings:, technology, what I'm up to | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Group Piano Class Ideas

By joy (admin) | Published: 30 March 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EbQDrLwkxo&feature=PlayList&p=F4AF6DA098C0399F&index=0&playnext=1″>this

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 [...]

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3 Benefits of Incorporating Improvisation | Part 6 of the series

By joy (admin) | Published: 11 February 2010

We’ve arrived at the end of the series on incorporating improvisation!  We’ve already discussed the obstacles, history, and value of improvisation.  And in the last few posts, we discussed at length a practical, 4-part method for incorporating improvisation into the piano lesson.  Today’s consideration is the last of the series: what are the major benefits [...]

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30 Theme Ideas for Music Studio Events

By joy (admin) | Published: 4 February 2010

Here’s a list of 30 theme ideas for music studio events!  Themes can be used as the studio theme for the school year, or for summer music camps, or for studio recitals.  If used for the studio theme for the whole year, there are a number of ways the theme can be incorporated: the incentive [...]

Also posted in group classes, improving as a teacher, incentive programs, inspiration, music camps, music history, recitals / performances, settings: | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What Motivates Musicians and Music Students? – Part 2

By joy (admin) | Published: 12 November 2009

This post is Part 2 of the two-part series: What Motivates Musicians and Music Students?  Here’s a quick recap and then the conclusion of the series: This goal [creating students who can convey musical meaning] in itself is an intrinsic motivator, for even the youngest of students can appreciate the value of musical meaning and [...]

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What Motivates Musicians and Music Students? – Part 1

By joy (admin) | Published: 10 November 2009

I found an interesting post over at the Third-Stream Music Education blog.  It includes a link to a fascinating video of Dan Pink’s presentation about motivation in the business world (be sure to watch the whole thing!).  The post at the Third-Stream Music Ed blog makes some interesting connections between ways of motivating employees and ways of [...]

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Using Adjectives to Capture the Imagination

By joy (admin) | Published: 6 November 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzjkBwZtxp4″>this

One of the ideas I’ve been exploring extensively throughout the research I’m doing for my paper for college (the one about improvisation) is making music musical.  This seems so obvious, but really, what would music be without musicality?  Check out this video, of a robot playing the violin. Speaking of which, have you ever had [...]

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3 Ways to Motivate Busy Students

By joy (admin) | Published: 4 September 2009

I believe students today are busier than ever before.  They are involved in everything you can imagine — art, karate, gymnastics, swimming, sports teams, church activities, 4-H, and more.  And this is all on top of their regular homework assignments from school.  Sometimes the student gets stretched too thin, and something needs to go.  Other [...]

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Music + Imagination

By joy (admin) | Published: 29 May 2009

I often have students’ parents and grandparents tell me that they wish they had kept taking piano lessons.  I use this to encourage my current students, and tell them that it’s a gift to be able to sit down at an instrument and create music — a gift that can provide great pleasure to oneself [...]

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Print your own certificates

By joy (admin) | Published: 29 April 2009

Looking for a quick and affordable way to recognize your students for their accomplishments? Here’s a link to a site called www.dyetub.com that offers free, printable certificates, to give to your students. All you have to do is choose the design you like, enter your information, and print! There are a number of themes and [...]

Also posted in by student's level, recitals / performances, resources / links, settings: | 1 Comment

A Little Music Humor for your studio door

By joy (admin) | Published: 28 April 2009

Here’s a link to a site where you can print some crazy musical scores. Somebody sure had a sense of humor. This would be a great gift to send home with your students on April Fools Day. :]

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An Inspiring Reminder…

By joy (admin) | Published: 13 April 2009

The following is a something that has been recently circulating via email forwarding (thanks Dr. Le!).  I thought it make some excellent points, reminding us of our ultimate goal as musicians.  Hope you find it as inspiring as I did!  (Sorry for its length — but let me tell you, it’s definitely worth taking the [...]

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