Printables, Studio Business

Make Business Cards for Your Music Studio

Joy Morin

Having business cards on hand is a convenient and professional way to give your contact information to potential students and their parents.  Here’s a simple, clean template for making your own business cards for your music studio!

Printables > Studio Business > Business Cards Template for Music Teachers

This template is a Microsoft Word (.doc) file, containing a page of 10 business cards, which you can edit to fill in with your name and contact information.  Then all you have to do is print them onto card-stock or other professional-looking paper and cut them apart.  Have fun!

Announcements, improving as a teacher

Top 3 Obstacles when Teaching Improvisation | Part 2 of the series

Joy Morin

Okay, so I’ve been promising to talk about the findings from my research paper about improvisation.  While I don’t plan to post the entire 20+ pages as is, I do plan to post the information over a few posts, bit by bit, so it’s easier to read.  The first bit here (below) establishes the problem (i.e., the reason for writing a paper about improvisation).

Teaching improvisation is challenging for many teachers.  As I was reading books and journal articles about improvisation for my research paper, 3 common obstacles surfaced.  These are obstacles that music educators (not just piano teachers) encounter when trying to incorporate improvisation into their curriculum: Continue reading “Top 3 Obstacles when Teaching Improvisation | Part 2 of the series” →

Announcements

My Current Repertoire Choices…

Joy Morin

Since the end of the semester is near, my piano professor and I are thinking ahead to repertoire for next semester.  I really enjoyed learning a few movements from Prokofiev’s Visions Fugitives this semester, and was thinking it would be great to learn some more 20th century music!

I found this lovely gem by Poulenc (Novellette No. 1 in CM):  

I also love this pairing of Kabalevsky Preludes (Op. 38, No. 8 and 16):

I also would love to learn a couple of the Barber Excursions Op. 20:

I can’t decide!  They are all such beautiful pieces.  Any votes?

Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Joy Morin

“Education in music is most sovereign, because more than anything else, rhythm and harmony find their way into the secret places of the soul.”

– Plato

Every Wednesday brings Words of Wisdom here at the Color in my Piano blog…in the form of a musical quote or joke, intended to bring inspiration or humor to the middle of your week.   Have suggestions?  Send an email off toadmin[at]colorinmypiano.com.

Resources

Easy Improv Activity @ Music Matters Blog

Joy Morin

I apologize for the lack of posts recently — this week is the last week of classes at college, and next week is final exams.  It’s a busy time of the semester!  I will try to get back on track soon. 

I wanted to send you over for a look at Natalie’s description of an improvisation activity she enjoys doing with her students.  (As you may recall, I am particularly interested in improvisation lately, because it is the topic of the paper I’ve been working on all semester. I hope to share more of my findings soon, perhaps over Christmas break.)   This improvisation activity sounds simple enough to adapt for all ages.  I look forward to trying it with my students soon.

repertoire / methods, Resources

Best Free Sheet Music Sites

Joy Morin

Picture 3You can never have too much free music!  Head on over to musictechtips.wordpress.com and check out this post:  11 Best Free Sheet Music Sites.  It is an excellent list of sites that contain free pdfs of sheet music.  A word of caution: not all free sheet music online is copyright free.  Always be careful to observe copyright restrictions, if any.