Tag: piano teaching

Resources

50 Piano Classics Album

Joy Morin

EMI Classics send me an email informing me about a special promotion going on right now.  They are currently offering an album of 50 classical piano pieces for just $0.99 (USD) on Amazon.com.  The artists include Martha Argerich, Andre Watts, Alexis Weissenberg, and many others!

I just downloaded the album and am looking forward to using it to introduce my students to the classics.  I like using various classical pieces with my preschool aged students and with my homeschool music class, for various movement and listening activities.

Check out this deal now by clicking here.

Studio Business

Updated: Record of Attendance & Payment Printable

Joy Morin

Just a quick post today to those of you’ve who’ve asked if I planned to update the dates of the Record of Attendance & Payment printable for 2012-13.  The answer is YES, and here it is!  Visit the Printables > Studio Business page and scroll down to the R’s.

The “Student Information Form” has also been updated.  Previously, it said “2011-2012,” and I’ve decided to remove the years so that I won’t have to re-upload it here each year.

Hope you are all having a great week!

P.S.: Don’t forget to check out the responses about our current Forum Q&A about keeping teenager students motivated!

Motivation, Practicing, Teaching Piano

Forum Q&A | Keeping Teenagers Engaged

Joy Morin

Our last Q&A Forum topic was about organization.  I loved reading your ideas — thank you all for your responses!

I had a great topic idea from a reader (thanks, Amy!) who asked:

How do you keep teenagers engaged?  As we know, sometimes they are taking lessons only because their parents want them to.  Or, sometimes they are over-scheduled.

Please take a moment to share your thoughts in the comments below — we would love to hear your ideas!

Photo Credit: easylocum

Games

Game Materials Organization

Joy Morin

Yesterday, I posted a new Forum Q&A post about organization.  If you are the kind of teacher who enjoys using games and props during lessons, it’s not easy to find a system for storing and organizing everything!  I’m always on the look-out for better ways to stay organized.

Here’s a picture of my current system:

Continue reading “Game Materials Organization” →

Questions

Forum Q&A | Organization for Games/Props

Joy Morin

Our last Forum Q&A topic was about end-of-the-year tasks for piano teachers.  I enjoyed reading your comments, as always!

Today, our new topic is all about organization.  I wanna know:

How do you keep your game materials and props organized?  Do you have a shelf, drawer, basket, folders, etc.?  Are you able to find what you need when you need it?  🙂

Leave a comment below describing your system.  Maybe we can get a turn-out as good as the giveaway last week…100+ replies would be awesome!  🙂  If you have your own blog, feel free to post a photo of your organizational system there and then leave a comment here with a link.

I’ll post my picture tomorrow.  Here’s my photo!  🙂

Composition, Music Camps, Music History

“So, You Want To Be A Composer?” Camp – Now Available!

Joy Morin

Hooray, the “So, You Want To Be A Composer?” camp has just been added to the Color In My Piano Shop!

Now, it’s time for me to focus on my next camp: “Music History Blast From The Past.”  Want a sneak peak?  Okay, if you insist:  🙂

Composition, Music Camps

Music Camp Freebie from “So, You Want To Be A Composer?”

Joy Morin

Good morning!  The “So, You Want To Be A Composer?” camp is ready to be listed in the Color In My Piano shop……but I’m just waiting to hear back from one more student to get permission to share their composition in the lesson plan as an example.  I will post it as soon as I hear from them!  UPDATE: The lessons plans are posted now!  

For today though, I thought I would share a peek at a composition by one of my other students, and also share a FREEBIE from the camp lessons plans!  Read on.

During camp, we spent a lot of time discussing how composers make music SOUND like the title or the subject they are describing.  This student appropriately chose a minor key for his dragon piece.  I helped him very little, other than approving his first few measures and then encouraging him to add a B section.  Not bad for a first composition, is it?!  🙂  Once he had it worked out on the piano, we together figured out how to notate the piece.  Later, I transcribed his piece into Finale, printed it out, and then asked him to add an illustration.

As promised, I’d like to share a freebie from “So, You Want To Be A Composer?” camp….. a pdf containing TEN different sizes of staff paper!  I hope you can put it to good use.  🙂  Visit the Printables > Other Resources page and scroll down to the S’s for “Sheet Music A-J.”

  Staff Paper - A-J (180.5 KiB, 22,242 hits)

Giveaways, Motivation, Practicing

July 2012 Giveaway: Shhh…Your Piano Teacher Thinks This Is Practice

Joy Morin

Andrea & Trevor Dow of Teach Piano Today have recently created a resource called, “Shhh…Your Piano Teacher Thinks This Is Practice.”  She kindly sent me a copy to review, so I’m going to tell you about it — and give you a chance to win your own copy!

First, here is Andrea’s description of the pdf book:

The book contains 88 activities that are absolutely, positively, most definitely NOT BORING! and are designed to get students excited about spending time on the piano at home. They act as a companion to a piano students’ regular practice, and have been created to to be used with any level and any age for 88 days! Also, when teachers receive Shhhh… Your Piano Teacher Thinks This Is Practice they also receive a license to reproduce unlimited copies, as long as it is for use within their personal studio.

Each page of the book has a practice activity designed to encourage repetition during practice (without the student realizing it) and help them think about their piece in a different way (like asking them to find all the C’s in their piece, or practice the rhythm of the LH).  Some of the activities also encourage students to share their music, by asking students to play a piece for a family member.   Continue reading “July 2012 Giveaway: Shhh…Your Piano Teacher Thinks This Is Practice” →

Composition, Music Camps, Printables

So, You Want To Be A Composer? – 2012 Summer Camp Details

Joy Morin

Last week, I held my second summer music camp for my piano students!  It was called, “So, You Want To Be A Composer?”  I am so excited to share with you some details about our camp.  We had a really great week!

Here’s where all the magic happened:

Continue reading “So, You Want To Be A Composer? – 2012 Summer Camp Details” →

Teacher Feature

Teacher Feature: Jeff Wille

Joy Morin

We are long overdue for another Teacher Feature!  (Learn more about Teacher Feature posts here).

A big thank you to Jeff Willes for being willing to share with us today.  Meet Jeff Wille from the JW Music Studio in Texas!

Please tell us about your piano and/or teaching background:

I started playing piano when I was 9 and took lessons for about 5 years which were primarily classically based.  After that I developed an interest in rock music and started to learn the guitar from a teacher that was classically trained but was in a rock band.  I took lessons from him for about 2 years or so and then after that I just spent hours and hours listening and learning on my own.  I then became involved in 2 bands, one as a keyboard player in an oldies band and then one as a lead guitar player in a classic rock band.  I’ve been teaching now for about 2 and a half years.  Continue reading “Teacher Feature: Jeff Wille” →