Celebrating 6 Years of Blogging!

February 28 marked the six-year anniversary of Color In My Piano!  As previously announced, we are celebrating with a 20% off sale in my digital shop using the promo code 20OFF2015. The sale expires on Friday, March 20, 2015.

I know some of you have been following my blog since its inception, but many of you are new.  It seems appropriate to share a brief history of my blog as part of our blogiversary celebration.

The First Year:

• It was on February 28, 2009 that I first conceived of this blog and wrote my first post: a welcome and brief statement of purpose.  I found my inspiration largely from Natalie Wickham’s Music Matters Blog and Susan Paradis’ Piano Teacher Resources.  At this point in my life, I was running a successful piano studio of about 20 students out of my parent’s home, and finishing up my Bachelor’s degree in piano performance at Hope College.  I graduated in May of 2009.
• On July 9, 2009, I decided that I was enjoying blogging enough to go full swing: I came up with the title “Color In My Piano,” bought my own domain name and a year’s worth of web hosting, and gave the site a whole new look.
• Have you ever wondered about the story behind the name “Color In My Piano?”  The phrase was coined when, during my senior year at Hope College, I was required to write an essay which reflected upon my life so far and summed up my current worldview.  Not surprisingly, much of paper focused on my beliefs about music and the role of the piano/teaching in my life.  In my life, I strive to keep my music-making and teaching from feeling like merely a job or a requirement.  I strive to keep “color in my piano” for both my students and myself.
• Over the summer, my husband and I moved so we could attend graduate school the next year. In August of 2009, I started my Master’s degree in Piano Pedagogy at Central Michigan University.
• As of February 28, 2010 (the 1 year anniversary), Color In My Piano had a total of 18,371 views and about 50 email subscribers. The record number of page views in one day was 425 on February 11, 2010.

The Second Year:

• I continued to work on my Master’s degree and teach between 5-10 students each week.  My responsibilities as a Graduate Assistant required me to teach college level Class Piano courses to music majors and collaborate with vocalists and instrumentalists.
• As of February 28, 2011 (the 2 year anniversary), Color In My Piano had a total 169,274 views, 177 email subscribers, and 172 readers who “liked” us on Facebook.  The record number of views in one day was 1,192 on January 11, 2011.

The Third Year:

• In May of 2011, I graduated with a Master of Music in Piano Pedagogy.  Over the summer, my husband and I moved to Ohio (where he started another Master’s degree in Creative Writing), where I started my studio again from scratch.  I bought a piano and we started renting a charming little house with a dining room that works perfectly as my studio.  I taught between 10-13 students each week.
• As of February 28, 2012 (the 3 year anniversary), Color In My Piano had a total of 573,423 views, 310 email subscribers, and 465 readers who “liked” us on Facebook.  The record number of views in one day was 2,576 on February 27, 2012.

The Fourth Year:

• My studio grew to 25 students.  Sometimes I miss being in the academic environment of college — but most of the time I am thrilled to be “living the dream” and running my own piano studio!  🙂
• Color In My Piano added a Shop to sell resources such as my music history lapbooking curriculum.
• As of February 28, 2013, Color In My Piano had a total of 1,462,464 views, nearly 800 email subscribers, and 988 Facebook “likers.”  The record number of views in one day was 4,411 on September 4, 2012.

The Fifth Year:

• My studio grew to 35 students, which I consider “full”!   My husband, Paul, finished his Master’s degree and was hired as the Public Relations & Communications Coordinator at a science museum for kids.
• As of February 28, 2014, Color In My Piano has had a total of 2,565,316 views, over 1500 email subscribers, and 1794 Facebook “likers.”  The record number of views in one day was 5,096 on August 27, 2013.

The Sixth Year:

• My husband and I bought our first house, which meant moving 20 minutes away to Perrysburg, Ohio.  My new studio room needed some updating, but I love how it turned out. I lost a handful of students during the move, but quickly gained new students from the Perrysburg area.
• This year, I started a new endeavor: offering online courses for piano teachers. It’s been a huge investment of time and energy, but unbelievably rewarding and fun!
• As of February 28, 2015, Color In My Piano has had a total of about 3,682,178 views, nearly 2000 email subscribers, and 2853 Facebook “likers.”  The record number of views in one day was 6,765 on January 14, 2015.

Despite these increasing numbers, I still think of my blog as a journal of my ordinary adventures as a piano teacher. I say this every year, but please know that I am so grateful for the new contacts and friends I’ve gained as a result of my blog, and for the constant inspiration I’ve gained through blogging and interacting with all of you. Thanks for all your support, dear readers, and for making this blog such a fun place to hang out!  Here’s to an exciting SIX years together and to hopefully many years more!