I finally started my Christmas shopping this past weekend, and this morning I sightread some Christmas duets with a piano teacher friend of mine. ๐ Now I’m really starting to feel in the Christmas spirit!
This December, I’m planning a studio Christmas Party for my students. I’ve never done anything like this before, but I am excited about it. My goal is to plan some music games, make some desserts with cheese and crackers, and hold an informal recital portion too. Each student will play one or two Christmas pieces for each other. I’m hoping to include some piano duets too, and I will probably play a Christmas arrangement myself at the end. Another idea I had was to have each student research the history of their carol and verbally introduce their piece.
I’m so excited for the Christmas season!
Photo Credit: allison.hare | CC 2.0
As piano teachers, it’s definitely not too early to be talking about Christmas! ๐ My students started their Christmas pieces at the beginning of the month. A Christmas party sounds like an awesome idea! You must be doing well getting your studio going if you’re already able to plan a party! That’s great!
My last class of the year every December is always a “Holiday Group Class”-we pretty much do what you’re going to be doing- it serves as a social ger-t-together and an informal performance opportunity. I offer two times- the students choose which works best in their busy pre-holiday week schedule. The mix of ages provides a chance for the younger ones to here the older ones play. About 10-15 attend each “party” and it lasts an hour and 15 minutes- long enough to be entertaining, but not too long to become a drag if a lot of quiet students are all in the same group.
I get the students to bring the goodies – I just provide the drinks (pop). Things are less stressful that way.
I agree with LaDona – I let the students bring cookies, and I provide drinks, plates, napkins, cups, etc. Last year, we played Christmas carols at a retirement home, but this year it’s a Christmas party like yours. It’s always a big hit in my studio to share our Christmas carols!
If you’re looking for something to play yourself or to give to an older student, be sure to checkout the giveaway at my blog for a free digital copy of Michael Dulin’s Christmas At Our House. http://lowepianostudio.blogspot.com/2011/11/review-and-giveaway-christmas-at-our.html
Here’s some more fun things to do with a group:
1) You sing & sign (Solfege/Kodaly) Christmas carols and have the students guess the correct song title. (Sometimes it is sad to realize how many carols/songs they DON’T know. Perhaps we as a society don’t get together enough to sing carols anymore…)
2) I have played Christmas carol bingo with my students. I play the carol, the kids have to guess the name of the song and relate it to the pictures on the bingo squares. For example, there’s a square with a picture of a knight with holes in his armour – O Holy Night; a picture of the Old Faithful geyser – O Come All Ye Faithful; a balance scale in a feed trough – Away in a Manger, etc.
3) There is a Grinch Dr. Seuss game called “Sing Your Heart Out” by “I Can Do That Games”. I get 3 or 4 students to play this game at a time. It has an audio activated release button on the Grinch’s sleigh, so that when you sing into the mic the sleigh at the top of the mountain track is released and slides down to dump all the stolen presents back on the floor. You have to sing loudly to make the sleigh run. Too fun!
Hope this gives someone some other ideas.
Carrie
I’ve done this the last couple of years with my students. Parents/Family Members are invited along and we have some carol singing (which gives me an opportunity to play without playing a solo item) before the children each perform their given Christmas piece. Then we get on to the ‘fun bit’ – eating the party food! It’s a really good opportunity for all the pupils to meet other young musicians and to get to know one another (I don’t have the facilities to run group lessons as yet) as well as the parents. They trade tips and tricks for encouraging practice and are even talking about getting together as a group to come for some ‘parent music lessons’ so they can better help their children learn. At the end – I get each child a small gift (musically themed of course) which they can use to further their musical learning. Sometimes it can be games or puzzle books. This year i’ve also managed to get a few mini wipe clean music boards for my budding composers!
Thank you for sharing with us your lovely blog. I get into Christmas mood back in October. I started playing Christmas carols sheet music since then.
It is a wonderful time of the year!
In the past, I prep my piano students with Christmas music in September and they would be ready with Christmas songs by November’s recital. I used to do a Christmas recital in December but found out that is too busy a season to host recital.
I was wondering is your christmas piano party just with your students or also with their parents? I would like to have a piano christmas party, but not really include the parents. My house is not that big.
THanks in advance ๐
Last year, I included the parents. This year, since I have more students, I do not have room to do that — so I am planning a students-only party/recital. ๐
Nice idea, I’m thinking about having a piano Christmas party this year too!