Chronicles of Piano Teaching - May 9, 2024

Rushing

Playing too fast is one of the biggest issues new students have. I think this stems from the fast pace of life. From timed tests to deadlines to instant messaging and instant food, we do everything on turbo setting. Life can feel like a race. But music should never, ever be a race.

I used to be a chronic rusher. Dave says I still am sometimes, and he's probably right. But mastering a musical instrument requires slowness. A slow, patient, methodical approach to learning a new piece begets both accuracy and feeling. One of the most moving pieces of all time is also one of the slowest (Adagio for Strings by Barber). I cannot listen to this piece without bawling. On the contrary, so many fast performances sound like showing off to me; they are just notes devoid of soul.

Years ago I was recording an album of my compositions. I was playing too fast and just not getting the accuracy I needed. The recording engineer told me to play like I was drunk. The suggestion worked. It's hard to go back and listen to that album because I hear my immaturity as a musician and my need to show off. The pieces are just too fast. If I had just played 25% slower, it would have had 100% more feeling.

How do I get students to slow down? I can't really tell my young students to play like they're drunk, so I tell them that this song is like the lazy river ride at the water-park, not the waterslide. (They GET that).

Funny Kids

It's really cute when your student uses the phraseology of a bygone era. I was reminding a third-grade student to connect the left-hand notes throughout and she said, "Yeah, I think I got the memo." ; ) I realize this may give away my age, but I remember paper memos that were circulated via office mailboxes. (Yes, I had a few office jobs). But how does she know about those?

End with Encouragement

There's a time and a place for correction and discipline, but every lesson should end with encouragement. Compliment whatever you can, even when it's hard. Even if everything sounded terrible, thank them for their conscientious effort and focus during the lesson. Thank them for having the courage to show up and not cancel.

The Fun of Sonatinas (Sonatina in A Minor by Benda)

My student has been working on this classical piece, and it’s been stuck in my head on repeat. I figured I’d dive in and enjoy it for a spell. It was a lot of fun to take time out and practice it myself. Unfortunately, my grand piano hadn't arrived from Virginia yet, and I had to make due with the Korg keyboard. (Apologies for the finger tapping you hear in this recording!)

Sonatinas make up an important part of classical piano literature. They are meaty compositions that offer a lot to chew on; and they're fun! For the advancing intermediate student, they offer technical challenges like rapid scale runs and alberti bass patterns in the left hand. They call for a variety of touches (staccatto, legato) and they demand very specific and detailed dynamics. Sonatinas are a good avenue for teachers to introduce phrase shaping and discuss form more in depth. And they are an important bridge between beginning and advanced repertoire.

Classical is just one of the genres I teach. You can’t go wrong with classical. It’s dramatic, exciting, complex, and fun. To study classical is to live a life rich in beauty.

FREE TRIAL ONLINE PIANO LESSON! We've come a LONG way since 2020! Chec...

I really want to spread the word about our FREE TRIAL ONLINE PIANO LESSON!  Are you itching to deconstruct the mysteries of the piano?  At our new home outside Las Vegas, NV, my husband and I have developed a state-of-the-art instruction studio!  I can help launch you into the piano stratosphere from anywhere in the world.  You won't even have to leave home.  Not convinced that online instruction can rival in-person?  Consider this....

• I took 50% of my piano students with me when I moved from the east coast to the west coast.
• They trusted the quality of my instruction enough to stay with me in our online format.
• We can switch cameras and devices at the push of a button, creating an engaging learning experience.
• We utilize tools such as video switchers, sound effects, Stream Deck, multiple camera views, and a virtual MIDI light-up keyboard.  
• We use other visual aids such as the white board, virtual flash cards, and an overhead web-cam to look down on my hands.
• We can live-edit your sheet music with many colors.

So take just four minutes of your time to WATCH THE VIDEO and get a taste of how our online instruction is awesome.  

Call or text 571-439-0136 to schedule your first free trial lesson!  Or e-mail me at jennifer@piano2go.com.

Summer Piano Deal: 6-Lesson Trial for Loudoun County, VA

Back by popular demand, our 6-lesson summer trial is back!  Are you hesitant to commit to a long term of lessons but want to see if piano is for you?  Purchase 6 summer lessons for the price of 5, scheduled around your vacations and availability.  And the best part?  You don't have to drive.  I come to you!

Areas serviced:  Purcellville, Hamilton, Round Hill, Leesburg, Ashburn, Lovettsville, Point of Rocks (Tuesdays only).  

To register, fill out the form at http://www.piano2go.com/sign-up

Summer Piano Lesson Deal/ Piano Camp/ Summer Music Camp by Piano 2 Go:  Serving Loudoun County, Virginia (VA)  

Jazz Jam-Along No. 2 in Eb Blues/ Eb Dorian

Here is my next jazz jam-along, composed about 15 years ago (for real).  It has some pretty far-out 13th chords, suspensions, 11ths, etc.  I just never recorded it until now (thanks for recording this last week, Mike Pugh​).  This is not a stand-alone piece and is meant to be paired with another solo instrument like sax, trumpet, piano, jazz organ, clarinet, jazz guitar - whatever!  Have the other instrument improvise along in Eb Blues or Eb Dorian.  If you teach little kids, tell them to improvise with the black keys and it works!  Enjoy!

Summer Trial of Piano Lessons: A Huge Success!

Summer Trial for Purcellville and Loudoun Area Piano Students:  www.piano2go.com

Our Popular Summer Trial is a Smashing Success!

It's high time for me to review the success of our 6-lesson summer trial program.  So far this summer, we've enrolled 10 students in our summer trial (1 60 minute student, 1 45-minute student, and 8 half-hour students), all of whom found Piano 2 Go's summer program on Google. Also over the summer, we lost a family of 4 students in July who moved out of the area, 5 students in June who were away too much over the summer or simply don't attend through the summer, and two families who deducted a family member from their enrollment.  That's a loss of 11 students, or roughly 22% of my class roster at the time.  I also expect 5 - 10 hours of student absences a week, due to students traveling or attending summer camps.  I know from experience to expect this every year, but what does a piano studio owner do with the extra time on her hands?  The summer trial is a great way to turn the vacancies and vacation cancellations into opportunities for new customers.  New customers get to experience my dependability and assess teacher-student compatibility before signing on to a longer-term relationship.  The program is also discounted (1 free lesson and I waive the travel fee) so families love the value!

Lessons can take the format of summer camp if desired, and we can do fun projects such as learning top-40 pop songs, doing 12-bar blues duets and jazz jams with the teacher, and supplementing with rhythm games and hand drum accompaniment.  I can even tote my Roland speaker along and teach kids improvisation while accompanied by YouTube backing tracks.

So what happens in the fall?  I will be able to place most of those who are available for low-demand times right away (pre-3pm and weekends) and those needing prime-time slots (3pm - 7pm) are usually be happy to wait a few months for a regular slot.  In the meantime, I e-mail my weekly cancellations every Sunday, and students on the wait list can pop into those times until a regular, recurring time slot is available.  This system has been working beautifully for the summer months, and families are happy to select from the weekly cancellation list.  In fact, there hasn't been one week my summer trial students haven't found a cancelled time that works for them each week.  I've even been able to offer several trial students a regular, recurring time.  

So I'd say our summer trial program has been a huge success!  I've been having a great time getting to know new students this summer and look forward to incorporating as many new faces as possible into the fall schedule.  Next year, the only thing I plan to do a bit differently is to offer a 4-lesson trial as well, for those who join up later in the summer.  So bookmark our website (www.piano2go.com) and look ahead for our 2018 summer trial programs!  

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For more information on Piano 2 Go's mobile lesson service or summer trial program, visit our website at www.piano2go.com!

Piano Lesson Activities for the Youngest Beginner (Ages 4.5 - 6)

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't feel comfortable teaching students under the age of seven when I first started teaching piano.  College professors warned piano majors not to take any students under seven, so I didn't at first. But the demand for lessons at this age was so high, I became determined to find a way to teach this age group!  Now I have a pretty good system down and have developed many of my own teaching techniques to warm up the young beginner to the challenge of playing the piano.

Here's what I've learned about the 4.5 to 6-year old beginner.

Teachers must start VERY, VERY basic...more basic than parents might imagine!  The teacher must assume that the child knows NOTHING:

• The student does not know how to read
• The student does not know his left from right hand (yes, this is usually true at this age)
• The student does not know his finger numbers
• The student does not know the ABCs of the piano keys
• The student will probably not be steady at first and will race/ slow down tempos
• The student may not be able to match his/her voice very well to piano pitches
• The student does not have as much control over the tiny muscles of the fingers as an older student does.  Fine motor skills are not as developed.

So what can the young beginner do?  We as teachers have to select lesson material/activities around what these students can do.  The young beginner can...

• Sing/ chant poems and repetitive songs (pitch will improve with frequent singing with the teacher)
• "Copy-cat" rhythmic patterns
• Incorporate movement into songs  
• Learn very basic, repetitive black-key songs by rote until reading process is established
• Visually identify groups of two and three black keys on the piano
• Be taught hand position and the basics of piano technique
• Color and use manipulatives

So in case you're wondering what I do at those first lessons with a 4.5 - 6 year old, this video will offer an idea.  Of course, it all depends on the student, and some come in knowing more than others.

Teachers: Don't Let the Tiger Parents Kill Your Joy!

Teachers:  Don't Let the Tiger Parents Kill Your Joy!

by Jennifer Warren-Baker

(Copyright 2015, all rights reserved.  Please share and link to this article, but for permission to reprint this article on another site or publication, please e-mail info@musicbyjennifer.net.)

www.freethepiano.com

Teaching in a Hyper-Competitive Parenting Culture

In December of 2013, I closed a three-teacher piano studio.  It was a move that I hoped would allow me to focus more on my own children and  less on the headache of running a business.  Unfortunately, I was in a place of hurt when I closed the studio.  With emotional scars from a few well-meaning, but confrontational Northern Virginia parents, I simply could not abide with grace any longer.  A certain segment of Northern Virginia parents are notoriously pushy and over-involved.  Sometimes, this can extend to an attitude of self-righteous arrogance ("I know better how to teach piano to a special child like mine better than you [the expert]").  With the advent of texting and e-mail, an endless flow of communications from parents at all hours can sap a teacher's energy and enthusiasm.  Even as a private piano teacher, I found this barrage of parent communication to be exhausting.  So is parent over-involvement simply an isolated occurrence in our competitive Northern Virginia climate?  Perhaps a little background on the environment I live in will shed light on why I nearly cracked as a Northern Virginia piano teacher.

The Washington, DC metro area where I live and teach is the most highly educated region in the United States (47% have a college degree, as opposed to 29% nationally) .  In my county (Loudoun County, VA), the educational level is even higher, with more than 58% of residents possessing at least a Bachelor's degree.  My county also boasts the highest per-household income in the United States, at $117,000 per year.  Most of my clients have masters degrees or law degrees, and they expect their children to follow a similar path.  These families have the funds to put into music lessons, SAT prep classes, tutoring, full-time daycare, ballet, travel soccer, and even expensive home school co-ops.  I'm not sure if this is good or bad, because many children are then over-scheduled and over-loaded with structure, all under the well-intentioned guise of "great opportunities."  In my impression, parents seem to compete with each other to have their child in more activities and sports.  For children, the pressure to achieve becomes present in every dimension of their lives, and childhoods are often devoid of freedom and playtime.

An Unfair Burden

Many students are expected to excel in virtually everything they are signed up for.  They are often coaxed into lessons reluctantly because their parents want them to be culturally savvy, smart, self-disciplined, and classically trained.  A popularly-held notion is that piano and other activities will "keep kids busy and out of trouble." Other parents tell me "I want my kid to have this."  Wait a minute:  did you ask your kid if s/he wants this?  As a nine-year old girl, I begged for lessons because I wanted to master the piano.  I have heard similar stories from many fellow musicians.

Teachers in our region frequently get the blame for a student's failure to achieve because, of course, "John is very smart," just like his parents.  It must be your teaching, because my child IS talented.  A "B+" on a test often warrants an e-mail to the teacher for being unfair ("My Suzy will not get into UVA with a B+ in an AP class")!  These are experiences shared by my colleagues in local schools.  I bring this up because, almost always, the parents who take issue with a policy and attack me verbally are the pushy parents with the all-honors kids involved in EVERYTHING.  They not only have high aspirations for their children, but also for their teachers.  They expect -- even the piano teacher -- to usher their child to star status, despite the unfair burden they have placed on their child to excel in a ridiculous number of activities.  Here are two examples:

Case 1:  Pre-Olympic Tiger-Mom.  I once dealt with a mom who coddled and micro-managed her pre-Olympic high-school athlete.  As if 7 days of intensive athletic training and all-honors classes weren't enough, she insisted that he take piano lessons with me.  It seemed as if this student could not manage his materials or his practice time without his mother organizing and managing him.  As the athletic training increased from 5 to 7 days per week, she began to point the finger at me.  Why wasn't he progressing with his piano?  I must be the reason he wasn't progressing.  She never imagined that it might have to do with the fact that her child was in intensive sports training 7 days a week and in oppressive course-load.  The thought never occurred to her that he was overwhelmed and unable to practice.  So she asked me to intensify his repertoire and curriculum, even specifying composers and exercises to work on.  Eventually this student left my studio, and I was relieved.

Case 2: Indian Math Pressure.  My mom teaches in a public elementary school in our county, and there is a high contingent of Indian children in her classroom.  She says that ALL of all of her fourth-grade Indian students receive extra math tutoring at Kumon after school.  These students, she says, are always above grade level in math.  Of my current piano students and friends' children, many hire private tutors.  One recently shared that his son's math tutor was totally worth the $150 per hour price-tag.  (Gasp/ Choke/ Spit)  R E A L L Y????  While I'll admit that I've signed my son up for tutoring twice, I would never pay that price.  Are our children really going to die if they aren't math super-stars?  Can we possibly allow our children to stumble a bit and find their own way through failure and recovery?  And the bigger question:  can one BUY a child's success?


The Last Straw

So in 2013, a couple of these highly educated, tiger parents chose to attack me when I enforced a policy that they didn't like.  I didn't do anything other than-- nicely, in my estimation -- enforce a policy.  But what I got in return was shocking.  I received long e-mails full of insults and threats from people who had given me glowing reviews just weeks before.  It was as if these people couldn't tolerate a difference of opinion from theirs, and my reinforcement of a policy presented to them when they enrolled their children.  And even though they loved what I was doing with their children, they decided that a battle of wills with the teacher was more important than the musical joy I was bringing to their child's life.  They could do no wrong, and their children could do no wrong.  I was the wrong one, simply for standing up for what I thought to be sensible policies.

So instead of believing in the quality and goodness of the gift I had to share, I let a couple of impassioned killjoys deflate my spirit.  The bottom line -- I allowed a few unmannerly people (who were possibly just angry at where their life was at that time) to determine my fate.  Did I have some other competing stress factors, you might ask?  Yes, of course.  I was/am the mom of a teenager and two younger children.  At the time, I was also playing at a hotel three nights per week, a church once a week, and at various Washington venues for weddings and events.  I was doing the best I could with the gifts God generously gave me to share with others.  I wasn't perfect, but truth be told -- in my fifteen years in business for myself, I had never experienced such vehement hostility from a couple of embittered customers.  So I figured maybe this was a sign that I should take a break.

Remembering Why We Teach

After a six-month hiatus from teaching, a few of my creatively gifted students begged me to resume their lessons.  I hesitated, but took them back.  I didn't want to revisit the painful past of belligerent and demanding clients, so I tried to be alert for red flags when dealing with new customers.  I tried to trust in my sense of purpose and service.  I let my inner knowing be a lantern to my path.  Gradually, a few more came on board.  Thankfully, I have had no major disputes in the past year.  And I am glad to be back in teaching.

Just this week, I was reminded of why I do this.  I arrived at a brother/sister lesson.  The two had only been taking lessons for a few weeks.  And they proceeded to play a duet I had assigned them.  I watched the one count off the other, and they began in perfect synchronicity.  As I marveled at their focused minds and seamless teamwork, I couldn't hold back my beaming smile.  I was smiling because of THEIR accomplishments, not my own.  I had given them the joy of music-making, and that made me happy.  It wasn't about me and my talent.  It wasn't about accolades, applause, or praise from others for MY accomplishments. It was about me passing on my Godly gifts, which had also been infused in them.

Yes, but of course.  That's a no-brainer, right?  It is better to give than receive.  Everyone knows that, right?

Well, unfortunately, this secret formula for happiness eludes many citizens of our individual-focused culture.  Americans are, in general, less about community and more about the cult of individualism. "American Idol" promotes the idea of being placed on a pedestal and idolized by the masses.  We see super-star idolatry as a goal in professional sports and performing arts.  The idea that personal success and achievement brings happiness trickles down to children's activities, from Tae Kwon Do to music competitions.  We are pushed to seek awards, rewards, praise, and even the best-paying job.  There is very little focus in our culture on deriving happiness from giving to others, but that is the magic sweet spot, in my opinion.

Recapturing the Joy of Teaching

I left their lesson in a state of dizzy joy.  I realized that they couldn't do anything close to this a few weeks ago.  And I realized that they wouldn't be so steady, and listening to each other so well, and playing with curved fingers, if it weren't for my input and loving diligence.  Their joy and hard work was evident.  The happiness they experienced at the piano was unmistakable as they smiled and giggled at the end.

I knew then that I was still supposed to be teaching, because joy does not lie.  But what made my week complete was this note from the mom of two sisters I teach:
 
"[The girls] played together tonight…I cannot tell you the joy I felt watching these sisters interact on the piano…truly special!"

Again, the word "joy." So in the future, if I encounter what I ascertain to be hostile, venomous super-parents who wish to crush my enthusiasm for teaching, I will simply issue a refund, and a "have a nice day." Because the ones who appreciate me far, far outnumber the ones who want to go into battle. And I won't let any sourpusses steal my joy and take me away from the teaching that others need and appreciate!
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(Copyright 2015, all rights reserved.  Please share and link to this article, but for permission to reprint this article on another site or publication, please e-mail info@musicbyjennifer.net)