But, let me tell you a few inside thoughts on this conference and then you can read a personal invitation from Sam Holland.  I was told about this conference by Richard Rejino several years ago, but I got the impression that it was more for teachers with students who were also performing at the conference.  However, I have since personally corresponded with Sam Holland (of SMU and NCKP) and have discovered that this IS a wonderful conference for all teachers and IS NOT  your typical conference this year!

If you are tired of conferences where you just move from lecture to lecture, trying to absorb the ideas and information, only to leave the conference feeling as though you might never apply any of what you learn, then you must read this little letter from Sam about how this conference will be different.  This is a conference where YOU can participate, where YOU can ask questions, and where YOU can be a part of the great ideas presented.  Included will be some mini-sessions similar to the TED talks…”ideas worth sharing” that will inspire you in new ways!

I’ll tell you more about my presentation in the days to come.  Do let me know if you are coming as I’d love to meet you!  Read more from Sam here:

Dear Friends,

Some of you may have received this message by email. If you did, you can skip this long post. But, if you’re a piano teacher and you didn’t get an email, this is your FB invitation to join us July 10-13 for the SMU Institute for Piano Teachers 2012. We have designed the new IPT to give you all the energy and inspiration of a BIG event while preserving the intimate, family feeling of a local workshop that you, as an NPTI attendee, have enjoyed for years.

Our goal is to make these three-and-a-half days different from any piano teacher workshop you have experienced before in the best way possible. We want you to experience more joy and success in every lesson. We want to help enhance your ability to earn a living at the craft you love. We want to help you get ahead and stay ahead of the curve in a fast-changing culture. We want you to leave refreshed, inspired, and ready to take on a new year.

A workshop with a difference . . .

How is SMU-IPT different from workshops for piano teachers you have attended before?

In the traditional workshop, most of the talent and information is on stage and you are in the audience. As a participant, you are expected to sit quietly and receive whatever is being offered. If you’ve been following the Meadows School for the last several years, you’ve noticed the slogan ‘Start a Movement.’ IPT 2012 applies that slogan to piano pedagogy. Get involved. Take a risk. We expect you to ask questions. We expect you to propose solutions. The driving motif of SMU-IPT is participation — YOUR participation.

Our research, conversations, and intuition all tell us that today’s piano teachers are looking for three things—inspiration, practical knowledge, and involvement. Involvement is what differentiates IPT from other workshops.

Don’t get me wrong. We will feature plenty of top talent on stage—brilliant performances, engaging teaching, and thought-provoking lectures. Would you expect less from Scott McBride-Smith, Robert Vandall, Cathy Lysinger, Richard Rejino, and the rest of us? But in addition, we will schedule plenty of unstructured time to interact, discuss, share, evaluate, and apply everything to those big goals listed above. Roll-up-your-sleeves and immerse yourself in an open forum. In peer-to-peer discussion groups, the dialogs are unscripted and the conversations are controlled by you—the participant. Conference guests and leaders will participate daily in roundtable discussions. Where else can you sit next to Robert Vandall at lunch and ask where he got his idea for the Prelude in A minor? Where else can you pick Scott McBride Smith’s brain about technique? You get the picture.

Other highlights of SMU-IPT . . .

• Using the magic of streaming and well-constructed observation guides, we will sit in on private and group lessons with institute teachers and students. This will be followed by an immediate analysis and discussion—live and in person.

• Skype will bring us guest appearances by David Karp, Marvin Blickenstaff, Peter Jutras, and more.

• PEDx2 is a series of mini-talks patterned after NCKP’s PEDxi. PEDx2 is devoted to presenting ideas worth sharing in the field of music and/or human learning. Ideas that will inspire. Ideas that will pique your curiosity. Ideas that will challenge.

• SMU-IPT will feature an iPad and technology sandbox where you can play (with or without supervision) with the latest technology in music learning.

• SMU-IPT will feature daily sessions on both the realities and the opportunities of making a living in this business, in this culture, in this century.

Visit our website for the latest information and registration (online or paper). The final schedule and individual course descriptions will be published in a few days.

The deadline for registration to receive the price of $250 (which you will notice represents no increase over least year) is June 1. After that, it goes up to $295.

I invite you to join the conversation. Come back to campus this summer. We’ll have a great time!

All the best,

Sam

P.S. If you have questions or comments, please write or call me (Sam).

Samuel S. Holland, Ph.D., NCTM
Professor of Music and Director
Division of Music
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, Texas 75275-0356
USA
Office (214) 768-2544
sholland@smu.edu

When I checked my mail just last week, I opened my latest Clavier Companion and was so excited by how relevant the entire issue was to my teaching, my students, and my business. There are other journals to which I subscribe and in which I usually find a few relevant articles.  But this issue of Clavier Companion was completely different and I’m sensing some things about the future of Clavier Companion that make me even more excited about being a subscriber.

Did you get this month’s issue?  If not, let me tell you why it’s something I can’t teach without:

• There was a 5 page, fantastic article by Kristin Yost and Kathleen Theisen about thinking like a CEO and how to market our strengths in today’s economy.
• David Cutler, author of The Savvy Musician, has a very unique looking article containing no sentences, but 250 opportunities for the “savvy” music teacher.  It is very interesting and should give you some ideas about areas in which you can specialize, hone your skills, and make more money.
• There’s a great interview with pianist Jacques Leiser about the obstacles facing pianists today and how to overcome them.  He talks about the higher standards placed on today’s pianists and how competitions compound these problems.
• Pete Jutras, editor-in-chief, talks about the perfect balance between adapting to a changing musical world as well as continuing to maintain strong musical convictions and standards as teachers. I heard Pete speak at the last NCKP, and I’m convinced he has a lot of wisdom to share in helping us achieve this balance.
• Barbara Kreader, a regular contributer, talked about how piano teaching has significantly changed in the last 10 years. I loved her column that discusses what a typical lesson used to be for her and an example of what it is now. I felt like I was in my college pedagogy days in which I observed a learned so much from experienced teachers.
• I’m only half way through the magazine, but there are also articles about the college job market, burning out, sight reading, a “practice toolbox”, new technology for teaching, reviews, pupil savers, and more!
• Clavier Companion is also making a concerted effort to ask their readers to give them feedback, ideas, and fill out a survey to help make sure the magazine is meeting the needs of teachers today!

Do you see a trend here?  Clavier Companion is not only relevant now but it’s demonstrating that it wants to stay relevant and wants our help to do it!  What a fantastic opportunity we all have to not only learn from the articles they publish, but to also help them be a leader in the industry.  It seems to me that most of the time, the piano pedagogy world tends to be a bit slow in helping us teachers embrace and incorporate useful parts of our culture into our teaching.  But, I sense especially in this month’s issue, that Clavier Companion is going to become a leader in our piano teaching profession instead of a follower.

Now is the time to subscribe to Clavier Companion!  There are now 3 options for subscription:

• Regular subscription $24.95 (it used to be $29.95 and that was even worth it!)*
• Group subscription $20 (find 5 or more teachers to subscribe with you for this price)*
• Digital subscription – only $12.99
• *Print subscribers automatically get the digital version as well

If you are already a print subscriber and can’t find your copy to read right now, you can access the digital version here!  If you are not a subscriber yet, read the previous free edition here.

Tell us more about how piano teachers will benefit from using this book.

My new book, Piano Teacher’s Guide to Creative Composition, is ideal for teachers who would like to do more with composition in their lessons, but feel they don’t have enough lesson time, or feel they need a boost of confidence in getting started. Unlike many of the fine student composition workbooks on the market, this book is meant for teachers, which is what makes it so unique. The book offers specific suggestions and numerous examples that teachers can tailor to their own situation. The ideas are also perfect for use in summer composition clasees.

Some of the features that teachers will find useful are:

• Initiating inspiration – how to jump-start a creative idea
• Preparing students for producing unusual sounds on the piano that will lead them to explore their creativity in out-of-the-box ways
• Simplifying the development of a composition by mapping it out with a graph
• Suggested lesson plans that use a mere 5-10 minutes of weekly lesson time
• An extensive list of compositional techniques called “The Composer’s Toolbox”
• Several suggestions on how to refine a composition, including fixing awkward melodic lines, using motives as building blocks for development, enhancing accompaniment patterns at various levels, tweaking transitions, and finding solutions to too much repetition
• An Appendix listing references I’ve found invaluable in my teaching of composition.

With what kind of students will this help us?

Teachers will find the suggestions in the book helpful not only for students who bring in a composition for the first time, but those who have already composed several pieces in the past.

Many of the ideas in the book are geared to elementary students, but are easily adapted to intermediate and advanced levels, as well as adult students. I use these concepts and procedures for all of my students – even those who compose “nocturnes,” Baroque fantasias, and – dare I say it – “New Age solos”…

Do you think it’s necessary to be a composer to teach composition to students?

Even teachers with little or no composing experience can introduce and foster
composition in their studios using tools already at their disposal:

• Experience – We have to remember that we already have a tremendous amount of experience in working with compositional techniques in our teaching of performance. We simply have to trust in that experience as we venture forth. The ear of an experienced teacher can pick up on so many things.
• Praise – Most important is praise, along with an encouraging, positive attitude to keep the motivation going and foster student confidence.
• Imagination – One must have a willingness to explore all sorts of new ideas with the student. Just let go and let the ideas pour forth.
• Theory – It is also helpful to have a knowledge of theory basics, in order to help students address harmonic issues.
• Analysis – One should refresh one’s memory with regard to the many compositional techniques found in standard repertoire. Paying attention to details and seeing them in a new way – both analytical and musical – gives us a fresh approach and understanding of form, interpretation, and detailing that we can pass on to students developing creative ideas.

Teachers often ask me, “How can I judge a composition the student plays for me for the first time?” I try to imagine that I’m hearing a new piece at a repertoire workshop and I listen for its strong points and possible weaknesses. I ask my students leading questions regarding these strengths and weaknesses, so the student thinks he is coming up with solutions rather than I.

Finally, it’s important to try composing and improvising oneself, to experience the challenges students meet, and above all to spark that creativity in ourselves that will rub off on our students. Simply start with a story and find musical ideas that convey the mood or describe events. Play with elements such as melodic ideas, sonorities, rhythms, color chords, clusters, and pedal. When we experience first-hand how much fun it is to create at the piano, our enthusiasm spreads to our students.

Do you include ways to teach composition to the average student or is this just for teachers of serious composition students?

The book outlines ideas that can be applied to students of any level and compositional experience. Although it is particularly directed to independent piano teachers of elementary students through intermediate level, the general principles in the book can also be applied to students who are exploring more advanced composition. Whether one is developing non-diatonic motives as building blocks, or simply creating Q-A phrases, there are certain basics that apply to all – average and gifted, elementary and more
advanced.

What would you say to a teacher who doesn’t think he or she has enough time to incorporate composition into the lesson?

It certainly is possible to incorporate composition using just 5 or 10 minutes of weekly lesson time. The key word is: WEEKLY. By allowing the composition to develop BIT BY BIT from week to week, a “finished” composition can be achieved in 6-8 weeks. The secret is to go one step further each week.

I also suggest not writing at the lesson. Not only does writing take time, but it defeats the purpose of creativity, limiting students to notes they know from their method books rather than allowing them to explore the entire keyboard and its possibilities. Instead, I suggest that the student memorize their ideas and code them any way they wish. We can address writing at a special lesson or during the summer.

The lesson plans that appear in my book provide an adaptable template for initiating the creative ideas and building on them gradually, week to week, so that neither student nor teacher is overwhelmed. A graph, described in detail in the book, is the key to visually tracking the development of the composition. With this “map,” assignments are simplified and clear and students see their piece grow week to week.

I use a laptop at my lessons to type all the ideas the student discovers at the lesson, as well as suggestions for the next step at home. This written log becomes the composition portion of the weekly assignment sheet, which I then print out and add to the student’s three-ring binder. Samples of these assignments appear in the book. Imagine how much more a student will recall and respond to specific written details rather than a directive like “Continue on your composition…..”

Can you share a highlight from your experience teaching composition to your students?

There are so many “highlights” – it’s hard to pick one! Every time I see a grin on a student’s face after they’ve played the newest version of their composition, I’m in 7th heaven. Priceless. I remember the junior high student who composed a lovely lyrical piece and used it to play at her parents’ anniversary celebration in church. And another young student who composed and dedicated her piece to her grandparents and played it for them at our Christmas party. Another 8th grader composed a song, with lyrics and piano accompaniment, in honor of the victims of 9/11. She made a CD, recording the ballad in a studio with combo and the student singing with her lovely voice. It was so moving.

Another highlight is when a student breaks out of I-IV-V-I and explores something totally different. I’ve had students compose atonal music, as well as in tone rows, using 7 or 9 pitches instead of the standard 12. We have so much fun creating motivic building blocks from the row and experimenting with a variety of moods, ranges and textures. They love it!

One of my greatest highlights is to see gifted student composers move on in collegiate and professional work and realize their dreams. One of the most notable is a former student, Joe Kinosian (I can mention his name because it is already widely found on the internet). After college, he moved to New York City and continued to write musicals as well as act. This past year, his musical “Murder For Two” played at the Chicago

Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, with 4 extended runs by popular demand. He won the 2011 Jeffrey Award in Chicago for the Best New Musical of the season.

Postscript

I am so grateful for all the joy my students have shared through their compositions. Creativity brings about such a beautiful relationship between student and teacher! We must always remember that, no matter if a composition is 30 seconds long, or is a national or international competition winner, there is no “wrong” composition. Not every piece will be a masterpiece, but EVERY composition is a masterpiece to the student who creates it.

Thank you, Wendy, for the opportunity to share aspects of my book, Piano Teacher’s Guide to Creative Composition. Your blog is an invaluable resource for teachers!

Thank you, Carol for this interview and your helpful insights!

Image by AndrewC.

Stay tuned…and be thinking about what is essential to your studio!

The fifth and final article in this “Adding a Lab to Your Lessons” series will provide a list of pros and cons to adding a lab to your piano lessons (see article 1, article 2, article 3, and article 4). Yes, in all honesty, there are cons to adding a lab to your lesson. Read to the end however, for some testimonials of students and parents that value this unique addition to a music studio.

Top ten reasons why you might RE-CONSIDER adding a lab to your lesson

You must be willing to…

1. Manage not only repertoire, billing, instrument maintenance, lesson plans but also software, computers, lab assignments and various tools that come along with a technology addition. Believe me, this is not an option for those who are organizationally-challenged!
2. Invest in current technology trends on a regular basis. It’s amazing how fast a computer or software program can become “ancient” and/or obsolete.
3. Multi-task at lessons as two students will demand your time and attention within an hour instead of just one.
4. Find a mentor who has experience with a lab or secure a colleague willing to initiate this addition at the same time so you can share ideas, successes and frustrations.
5. Show genuine enthusiasm for the new lesson format so that parents and students are “on board” and not “in doubt”.
6. Spend time acquiring knowledge of new things outside of your “music box”. There is a steep learning curve involved with any technology– this always takes time, diligence AND patience.
7. Troubleshoot with ease when problems arise. Technology is flakey so you must exercise a calm front when issues occur.
8. Remain flexible with lab plans so that Plan A or B can be implemented if the electricity goes out or the internet is down.
9. Accept (humbly) that your students will know more than you when it comes to your computer, software….
10. Adjust your teaching philosophy and studio policies as there will be distractions for you and your students. The term “private lesson” will mean something slightly different than before the lab addition.

Top ten reasons why you should CONSIDER adding a lab to your lessons:

This addition will…

1. Be easy to implement as you mostly likely own the basic equipment required. Once you check your wish list, and want to purchase a keyboard and use MIDI, you may need a special set up. Here’s a picture of my studio recently remodeled. A very ingenious young man created a drawer beneath the counter that easily pulls out  when the keyboard is needed. Here’s a link to a desk that accommodates a keyboard/computer combination.
2. Set your studio apart and reinvigorate your daily teaching, you are only limited by your imagination.
3. Build commonality between you and your students of the millennial generation (see the first article).
4. Build peer relationships among students as they tend to make friends with those who share the lesson hour.
5. Provide dimension in the learning environment and create various ways to reinforce essential concepts.
6. Promote creativity in various doses depending on software used. Although some software creative options may not provide specific outcomes, the point is–students are encouraged to create, something that is often neglected within a rushed lesson agenda. However, terrific programs such as Garage Band and MuseScore can inspire many up-and- coming composers!
7. Result in steady student progress. According to Chris from www.musiclearningcommunity.com, “Many of our members say that after a year of playing the learning games they assign–along with regular practice–students are 3 to 5 months ahead of where others were before using the site games.”
8. Increase yearly income by at least 1/3 of your present income. The hours spent on the front end of the lab set-up will be numerous, but be patient, there will be a “pay off”, eventually.
9. Keep you organized. Thanks to various resources (listed in article #4), correlated exercises, drills and lessons will reinforce concepts discussed at lessons. If there are gaps in student learning, you will be equipped with invaluable tools to assess and enable progress.
10. Expand the time spent with students each week. Parents will (or should) appreciate your efforts to provide more lesson time. In our culture, it’s quite typical for sports coaches to demand 2-6 (or more) hours of practice along with a weekly game–I’m a soccer mom, so I know!  Increasing weekly lesson time to one hour offers a notable time difference–still not anywhere close to team sports, but… (don’t get me going

Testimonials

Here are some testimonials intended to aid in your decision process. These are NOT paid endorsements , just opinions resulting from a quick, random survey of parents and students in my studio.

Jack (student):  “I like the lab time because of the fun computer games. I think that learning theory with computer programs is more fun than if I had to use a book.  One of my favorite programs is the Auralia program.”

Sarah (student): “We (my brother and I) love lab time. Most of the programs are fun. My favorite program is Piano Wizard, because I like the songs and the challenge of playing and sight reading the notes. I also enjoy all of the educational programs because they help me to learn rhythms, intervals, scales, etc. faster and more efficiently.”

Sean (student): “I enjoy lab time as it is filled with educational, enjoyable games. I likeGroovy City, as it is filled with activities that enhance piano skills in every day practicing. You can learn about the blues scale, major and minor keys, and create master pieces in Groovy City. In Piano Wizard, you play along to famous pieces and choose the background for your ‘concert’. There are many more activities that you can do during lab time.”

Melanie (student): “Lab time makes learning easier. One of my favorite games is Groovy Jungle. It teaches me important things about music and gives me an easy way to create my own pieces.”

Karen (mom): “I like the hour-long lessons because I can actually get a few errands done during that hour, a 1/2 hour would be too short.  That is not a very musical reason to like labs though is it?–just a Mom reason I think there is a lot of value in using technology in lessons because it sparks and sustains interest in students.  Jack is so “plugged in” to all kinds of technology.  To connect the music to what is important to him and what already is so much a part of his life is invaluable in helping him become a better musician.  Jack loves Garage Band and the notating software (Musescore) that he used with his composition.”

Emily (mom): “I know the girls enjoy the integration of technology in learning theory very much. I hear them talk about the games when they get in the car after lessons.”

As you ponder this endeavor, what kinds of questions and comments do you have? The more conversation, the more we all learn and develop our own tech-savvy teaching. Please share If you do make the plunge and jump on the “lab wagon”!

Leila Viss owns an independent piano studio which features a tech-savvy lab. She seeks to create innovative teaching methods and successful practice strategies to encourage the average player of any age to stick to the bench for life. She holds a Masters Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Denver and has presented at local, state and national conferences. She adjudicates at local, state, regional and national piano and composition competitions. She serves on the Keys to Imagination Advisory Board and holds a full-time church organist/pianist position.  Leila posts regularly on the MusicTeachersHelper blog.  Visit her studio website.

Piano Olympics – Summer Camp Ideas

by Leila Viss

The idea of Piano Olympics was “born” three years ago when I was organizing ALL the games I enjoy using to teach music theory. There never seems to be enough time to use these during the year so I thought why not put them to good use during the summer months.

Summary:

Olympians…

1) earn tickets by winning…

• indoor games
• outdoor games

2) earn tickets by completing

• various activities in class
• assignments at home

3) earn gold, silver and bronze medals by

• accumulating the most tickets (or points)
• accumulating a certain amount of tickets determined by the Camp Coach (teacher)

4) eat delicious snacks

Format

1) Groups of 2-4 students of similar ages and playing levels

2) Ideal for ages 6-12 maybe 13?

Schedule and Fee:

1) The past two years: Piano Olympics included 4 classes, 75 min in length 4 days in a row, $125 per camper regardless of enrollment.

2) This year, I am trying four 90-min classes over 2 weeks. Will be interested to see which I prefer. $150/4 per class, $160/3 per class, $170/2 per class.

Themes

1) Olympic Flag Rings (Year One): The goal was to focus on theory concepts that would benefit a specific group.  Ex: order of sharps, circle of keys, key signatures, intervals, note names, chords…Each day was a different color of the Olympic flag and each student “owned” a certain color so that tickets were easy to keep and count, colored camp folders were easy to find…It was my first year so I kept it quite basic.

2) Olympic Countries (Year Two): Same as above, but each camp day focused on a different country. This inspired daily themes for snacks, solo and ensemble music, theory elements, and more. Ex: Students found Mexico on a world map, identified its flag, played the Mexican Hat Dance and enjoyed chocolate milk and “Fritos” for a snack.

3) Going to the Movies (Year Three): Hit movie soundtracks will be in the spotlight. Students will choose one movie theme to learn/play and will be challenged to create his/her own movie theme. Studying the use of melody, harmony and rhythm by great composers such as Williams, Zimmerman, Silvestri…will determine the selection of games and activities for each day. Just for fun, I will encourage students to “dress the part” and wear their favorite movie costume/attire–thinking about Disney, Sci-Fi, Super Heroes, Harry Potter, Muppets, Camper’s Choice?

Activities

1) Indoor Games

• Olympic events are planned for each day that review rhythm, pitch, harmony.  Indoor games acquired over the years from Music Educator’s Marketplace and TCW are always fun and sometimes quirky but always helpful to lock in key concepts.
• This year I know I will take advantage of my Eggspert (recommended here by Wendy) and play a round of Jeopardy. See blog for more details.
• Click here for a list of common household games that could be used for Olympic events.

2) Off the Bench

• Homemade events to teach/review certain concepts included notation of various elements on dry erase flash cards
• Body Beat cards
• Crazy rhythm antics that require squeaky toys, balloons and fly swatters
• Lids and straws for rhythmic notation…
• Sometimes, I set up various stations for mastering scales–one notates the assigned scale on a dry erase board, one spells it with music blocks (from Music Educator’s Marketplace), one plays it on the piano, while another spells it with alphabet cards. A new scale is assigned and all switch stations. A ticket is awarded if everyone spell/plays/notates the given scale correctly.

3) On the Bench

• The first year I created an Olympic Musical Theme that all were required to learn and we played it each day as an “opener.”
• The second year, I found folks songs from 4 countries and each day we sight read them and students were asked to master a favorite by the end of camp (another way to earn tickets). Thanks to a Clavinova and MIDI, campers were able to keep a solid tempo as they played together and and the orchestration helped to  ”dress up” the ensemble.
  Piano Olympic Theme by Leila Viss Studio

4) Outdoor Games

• These are generally homemade as well and include pylons and large alphabet letters.
• Beginner Olympians may be asked to run and place the “A” card by the first pylon, then the next camper must run and place the “B” at the next pylon etc.trying to beat the clock in a relay race. If this is easy, ask Olympians to arrange A-G by skips, backwards…
• A horseshoe game from the $1 Target bin provides great training for any Olympian (harder than you might think!)  Students identify a triad flash card, if correct, he/she receives 3 horse shoes to throw at the stake. If they throw a “ringer”, the camper receives a ticket.
• This year I am eager to use some “Minute to Win It” games, not sure which ones and what concepts will be drilled but it will be fun, I’m sure. Here’s a list of one music teacher‘s ideas.

Suggestions:

• Determine outcomes that you wish to see for YOUR Studio. Design as many activities as possible to reinforce these concepts so they “stick” for a lifetime or at least until next fall!
• Provide opportunities for students to enjoy new music and allow them choices of what to learn/play during the camp so they continue to build playing and reading skills.
• Serve great snacks–they are CRUCIAL to your success! I stop for a snack break mid-way through the class.
• Decide if ALL students are eligible for a gold medal with a certain amount of points/tickets or, if only one person can win. Make sure to offer a silver and bronze medal in keeping with the Olympic tradition.
• Be generous. Although Olympic games are meant to be competitive, this is so much more about learning and not about competing. However, it is fun to reward those who go above and beyond those requirements.
• A good cyber friend of mine began holding Piano Olympics for her large studio and we continue to exchange ideas for our Piano Olympics. I am so thankful for her creativity. Michelle Sisler always has ideas above and beyond. Last year she posted Olympic Rings in her front lawn and her husband  built platforms for the “Closing Ceremonies”. This year she’s talking red carpet, paparazzi, Oscars–you name it.
• Both of us purposely stay on a budget. If interested in this camp format, you have a choice to keep it as simple as you want. You are only limited by your imagination–oh, and of course your time and pocket book. Let me assure you that your efforts will be worth it–my students are always excited for Piano Olympics!

Summer is a great time to “change things up”, why not live the Olympic dream (like all those athletes and fans in London)?

Do you hold summer camps? Do you think they benefit your students? Please share your ideas and comments.

Don’t you think Leila has fabulous ideas? Here’s a link to her blog where you’ll find many more!

The possible materials available for your lab are almost endless. The lists provided in past articles (Article 1, Article 2, Article 3) are meant to help you sift through your options (not to overwhelm!).  However, once you invest in sites and/or software, it can be difficult to assign appropriate activities to your students. Thankfully, there are resources that can help. In addition, only your imagination will limit the possible ways to use lab time.

Resources for Correlating Lab Assignments to your Lesson Instruction

Provisions by Websites and Software

MusicLearningCommunity offers various options for you to aid your lab time.  When you subscribe, a Teacher Resource Center is available that provides:

• Assignment sheets that support many popular method books.  Click to see the list of method books that are matched with the website’s games. Here’s a sample sheet for  Hal Leonard’s Library Book 1.
• A Teacher’s Guide for the website’s designated levels. Sample.
• A customizable Assignment sheet for you to complete yourself.

Tonic Tutor also provides many ways to manage and customize assignments for your pianists.  You can group students into similar levels and…

• Set individual goals
• Create report cards
• Send messages to students
• Record student progress
• Track students’ scores and longterm progress
• Find incentives for receiving various website rewards
• and more!

Theta Music Trainer, again offers ways to track and manage progress and provides sequential lesson plans for four fundamental categories: Rhythm, Melody, Harmony and Sound. As the site is geared towards those interested in playing in pop and rock bands, the focus is more on listening than reading. Courses offered include Basic Ear Training, Music Theory and Sound. Training and progress reports provide feedback for the student and you.

Obviously, these sites have made it easy for you to design level-based assignments, and most software programs do as well. I have chosen not to go into detail about each one here but once you invest in software, support for record keeping and lesson planning is provided. Music Ace recently configured its lessons for Hal Leonard’s Student Piano Library Books 1-5 which is called Piano Ace. Hopefully this excellent partnership is a start of a new trend as many software programs have not been designed to work in tandem with most lesson books.

Provisions by Double Click Curriculum

This series of books DOES correlate a vast array of software programs with the most popular piano methods. Michelle Sisler began this project quite some time ago and continues to carefully match website and software games and lessons with every page of more and more leading methods. You will be equipped with assignments that reinforce exactly what is discussed in lessons. Investing in this curriculum results in little lab prep-time for you as the work has been done already. If you use Celebrate Piano, a co-author for the correlating Double Click Curriculum happens to be me. It was a very tedious task (Michelle is VERY particular–which is good) and I can vouch for the fact that diligent efforts were made to pair appropriately-leveled lab assignments for your students.

Studio Themes and Units

Perhaps my favorite part of holding a lab is that it inspires me to design meaningful musical experiences for the entire student roster. Preparing a theme-based lab assignment for all to complete can build camaraderie among students as they pass in and out of lessons.

1) Candy Dish Themes

I reserve the right to spoil my students and therefore, I always have a full candy dish and students are allowed to choose one piece before they leave. I decided that they should “earn” the candy by answering a question before they choose. Here are two examples of “questions” that involved lab time:

• Irish Music: To celebrate St Patty’s Day, students read up on Irish instruments, pictures of the instruments were featured as my computer screen saver and all were assigned to watch a small portion of “River Dance“. It was amazing as most had never seen “River Dance” before (although I do have some fine Irish Dancers as students). Before they left with candy, they had to name one Irish instrument.

• Composer’s Birthdays: In celebration of major composers, I pull out Piano Explorer Magazines or find a YouTube video providing a brief bio of the composer. For Liszt, students watched stunning performances of Liszt’s La Campanella. They were mesmerized. On the way out the door, students had to provide Liszt’s name, state his musical time period and one fact they learned about him.

2) Units
A designated studio unit lasting for a week, a month… seems to infuse my teaching with purpose and creativity and provides a common link between lessons (and group lessons) and students of all ages. Here’s some units used so far:

• Let’s Have a “Bass” Ball: So many students feel insecure about the bass clef so, about one month’s worth of lab time and a group lesson were dedicated to building confidence in reading the bass clef. I created a lab sheet that assembled all the bass clef note name and sight reading drills and lessons I could find within my websites and software programs. I also designed “off the bench” activities with my cloth staff, alphabet lids, iPad, etc.

• Rhythm: Make it Count: Fall is ensemble time in the studio which means counting and rhythmic skills need a brush up. Having the entire studio focus on this subject makes it that much more fun to plan activities. Here’s an older blog that I republished explaining the various planned activities.

• Candy Count: More recently, I took advantage of Valentine’s candy and focused on counting with candy–seems to be easier for students to master counting if candy is involved.

• Major Minors: Do your students like minor pieces as much as mine? It seemed appropriate to celebrate minor pieces during the month of October.  Students listened to a specific iTunes playlist and were asked to rate their opinion of each minor-key piece from 1 – 5 stars on a sheet I  created. As they listened they also read a brief bio about each composer. Included in the playlist were numerous tracks from Beethoven’s Wig, larger piano works and intermediate piano selections such as Solfeggieto by CPE Bach and Arabesque by Burgmueller. In addition, this was a great time to review how to hear, play and spell minor scales, minor triads…

• Baroque Dances: Like the unit above, students listened, but this time to various Baroque dances, read about them in Piano Explorer Magazine articles and watched various YouTube re-enactments of dances with historical costumes. Maurice Hinson’s DVD Baroque Performance Practices features a segment on how to dance the Minuet. A group lesson wrapped up this unit and after watching this video, 8th grade boys were dancing the Minuet, quite gracefully I might add.

• The Inside Scoop: It is important for pianists to know their instrument so every year I make a point of exploring the inside of the piano. I found a wonderful resource this year to aid with lab activities

• Paintin’ the Blues: Another yearly activity is pulling out the 12-bar blues framework. Click here to see everyone paint their own picture of this staple framework of American music. (This is very similar to the Jingle Bells unit I planned at Christmas time inspired by Wendy!)

• Summer Lessons: It is a priority to offer a variety of options for the summer. Without going into detail now, I use the online sites already listed for various lessons and camps (click here for more details.). A composition course is offered as well and I have had great success with MuseScore. It is easy to learn and has helped many young composers create professional-looking compositions.

• Recently, all students practiced sight reading with Wendy’s carefully leveled sight-reading exercises. Corresponding lab assignments from various software and websites provided further sight reading exercises to reinforce skills.

• After reading www.composecreate.com’s April newsletter, I thought of designing a unit on inversions–everyone in the studio learns the same chant at the same time, never to be forgotten. Or why not correlate rhythm drills for lab time while using Wendy’s Rhythm Menagerie?

It is very important to me that each student arrives to every lesson with anticipation, learns something new and leaves with a smile.  Perhaps you will catch the bug that I have (you probably have it already!)–it is so much fun dreaming of new ways to keep that piano bench AND the lab chair warm with happy, engaged students. The last article will wrap up loose ends, provide answers to any questions these articles accumulate along the way, and give one more strong but gentle nudge to get on the “lab” wagon.

Don’t forget to sign up for the ComposeCreate email newsletter where you’ll get these blog posts and updates by email every 3 weeks or so.  It’s a great way to make sure you don’t miss any new idea!

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Here’s what Hal Leonard says about their music:  Great selections for your upcoming spring and summer recitals by all your favorite Hal Leonard and Willis composers. Order up to two copies of each of these specially selected publications at a 40% discount. Additional copies of all the titles featured in ths offer may be added to your order at regular retail price.Please enter ad code EP412 at check out when prompted so the 40% discount can be applied to your order.

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1. Encourage them to play the tune by ear.  Try to have them pick out the first part of the tune at the lesson.  If this is somewhat successful, then tell them to come back with the melody polished up.  If it is not successful, then make a note that you may need to find some easier tunes to help your student learn to play by ear.  Then, give them this Twinkle Twinkle Melody in C.  You might also be interested in giving them the same tune in a different key: Twinkle Twinkle Melody in D.
2. When they return and can play the tune successfully, then ask them to use their chord progression they are practicing in lessons (or root position chords work as well) to harmonize the piece for the next week.  Make sure you do this to the first part of the tune before they leave their lesson.  They must feel like they can do it when they leave the lesson to be most successful at home.  I make them do this by ear…I don’t think most students need music, though they may still wan to look at the melody as they choose the harmony.
3. When they return with their tune harmonized using traditional harmony, teach them that there are some even more colorful chords called secondary chords that will make their melody sound beautiful and more interesting.  You can explain about Major and minor chords here.  I typically just show them that they can create a triad on every note of the C Major scale.  THEN, the assignment the next week becomes to re-harmonize the tune with the secondary chords (only using the primary triads in a minimal number of places).  Depending on the student I might also get into how their chords will sound better and be easier to play if they move by step with only a few skips or leaps.  Here is the worksheet for helping them choose harmony. I do have them write down which chords they choose so that they can remember their progression and see if it moves smoothly by step or skip.  Twinkle Twinkle in C_Choose Triadic Harmony, or Twinkle Twinkle in D_Choose Triadic Harmony
4. If the student is old enough, the next step I do, after successful completion of the previous steps, is to have them harmonize the tune with 7th chords.  We might spend some time talking about the kinds of seventh chords they will have if they use only notes from the scale (see bottom of worksheet where it is clearly spelled out).  Twinkle Twinkle in C_Choose 7th Chords

Most importantly, it’s important to make sure that you demonstrate how beautiful you can make a melody with secondary and 7th chords by playing the tune and harmonizing it yourself! Do this before you get into how to do it.  Students need to be motivated that this will indeed be fun before they pay too much attention!

Have fun!

Hand on piano provided by sobriquet.net

So you say, “I’m all in with this lab idea, but I could use more advice.”  Here is more information about software you can use and other assignments you can give.

With the basic equipment and online music games mentioned in the last article you have the tools to implement a sufficient lab with your lessons. (You may also want to review the first article about why a lab is a great idea.) However, there are many more options to consider as you feel the urge to develop beyond the basics. Keep in mind that all the software and websites generally fall into these categories–those that offer:

A: Lessons or Tutorials that Teach
B. Games that Teach
C. Drills to Master
D. Features that promote Creativity
E. Listening and Reading

Software: 

Certain software programs are reliable and necessary as you develop your lab. Here is a list of some of my “staples” with only a very BRIEF overview of each. At the end of each description, the letter A, B or C, etc, appears indicating my categorization.

• Groovy Shapes, Groovy Jungle and Groovy City: This series of programs is one of my and my students’ favorites. It is hard to aptly describe how students engage with this program. It is something to be experienced. Each program is targeted for a specific age group and teaches the basics of sound, rhythm, pitch and composition by exploring and creating with images. The programs feature a unique opportunity to create which is not unlike laying tracks in Garage Band but, the programs are intuitive for young musicians. Students are always thrilled when it’s “Groovy” day. (A, D)

• Auralia: It is hard to think of a more comprehensive ear training program than this. It boasts hundreds of exercises in 41 topics–it would be difficult to master every one in a lifetime. Auralia is easily customized to fit individual needs and even supports syllabi for AP exams and more! (Mostly C although lessons (A) are offered “textbook” style.)

• Musition: This is Auralia’s visual counterpart and provides comprehensive, interactive theory training and testing. It too, offers exam syllabi in preparation for exams. (Mostly C although lessons (A) are offered “textbook” style.)

• Alfred’s Essentials of Music Theory: At times a tutorial software program is the perfect companion to support lesson instruction. This program includes narration of concepts, animated exercises, ear training and review tests. It does correlate with Alfred’s Essentials of Music Student Book but it is not necessary to use the book in order to benefit from this program. (A, B)

• Children’s Music Journey Vols 1-3: Make sure to have a keyboard and MIDI connection for these three volumes. The diligent efforts spent sequencing concepts and designing graphics that teach and inspire young children make this a series another staple to add to your software library. One of my favorite features–every 5 lessons, the young lab student enjoys a new “teacher” to provide instructions. These teachers include Beethoven, Clara Schumann, Scott Joplin. Students listen to many classics of each composer when using the software. Note: this is available by CD-ROM or Download. (A, B, D)

• Music Ace Maestro: When in need of a tutorial program that instructs with interactive lessons and games, this is a standard. The kwirky “Maestro” leads students through concepts of fundamentals with a clever twist. It offers capabilities to organize syllabi for students and provides progress scores. It’s claim to creative fame is the Doodle Pad–students love creating with this.  (A, B, D)

• Home Concert Extreme: This unique MIDI score following program AND iPad app provides a perfect accompaniment to your students favorite solos. It follows the tempo choice (or choices!) of the student and even turns the pages. This enhances performances immediately and provides terrific sight reading exercises.(C, E).

• Not mentioned but recommended: Alfred Theory Games (B), Piano Wizard–always a student favorite (B, C),  Alfred Interactive Musician (C)…

Additional Assignment Ideas: 

As mentioned in the first article, there can be drawbacks to adding technology to your daily teaching, the biggest drawback: system failure. So, when a glitch occurs, you need to be prepared with plan B. To be honest, it is refreshing to furnish assignments away from the computer and students never seem to mind.

• Practice Room: My dreams came true about 10 years ago when I purchased my Yamaha C6 grand piano affectionately called “Bella”. Bella lives upstairs in my living room and students are thrilled to try out performance-ready pieces on “her”. Generally, I have to remind students to come back down to the studio as they would happily spend the 30 mins playing upcoming recital pieces.

• Recording Session: As recital dates loom, I will work with one student upstairs on Bella and ask the other pianist to practice on the Clavinova and aim to nail a “perfect” recording. This challenge keeps them playing until they have a “keeper”–it usually doesn’t happen right away so this is a great strategy to fit in extra and intentional practice.

• Coloride: Students may learn aurally or visually but some benefit from the use of color and touch. This unique book drills theory elements with a tactile twist.

• Written Work: Theory pages are important but my students tend avoid them. If assigned during the lab session, they will be completed.

• Hal Leonard Flash Cards–I continue to design ways to use these dry erase staff cards. Students love drawing with dry erase markers. This is a great way to practice notation of scales, chords, five finger patterns, inversions…

• The PianoTeacher’s Resource Kit provides ample reproducible games, crossword puzzles, worksheets for a number of levels. Always a terrific back-up for reinforcing concepts.

• Library Books: Through the years, I have collected books about practicing, (I am a huge fan of Phillip Johnston’s The Practice Revolution!) the piano, composers, etc. Lab time provides an opportunity for students to do something old-fashioned and read from a real book.

• Piano Explorer Magazines: With years and years of issues, I decided to create notebooks for favorite Piano Explorer articles. After they are carefully ripped from the magazine, I place a favorite article in page protectors.  Information of various composers, etc are found easily thanks to dedicating a notebook to each time period–Baroque, Classical, Romantic, 20th Century. Another notebook houses important theory concepts, while another is dedicated to artists, instruments, etc. If a student is playing Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag”, it is easy to find an article about Scott Joplin, find a Ragtime playlist in my  iTunes library and students enjoy reading about and listening to this favorite American style.

• iPad: This device is a cross between a laptop and an iPhone–not quite a replacement for a computer but VERY close. Music apps continue to appear and I am astounded by the capabilities of these sleek machines. Click here for the list of apps I currently have which feature note name drills, sight reading exercises, music history and more. Would love to hear of your favorites.

One of the benefits of adding a lab to your lesson is time. You are free to do anything (using technology or not) that enhances your students’ progress so take advantage of this opportunity. I cannot emphasize that enough, lab time means so much more than computer time. Next time, learn how to assign lab activities that are level and age appropriate for each student and how to streamline your lesson plans with creative themes and units.

Questions, comments?  Post them in the comments! I’ll be happy to answer.

See also…

Adding a Lab to Your Lessons #1 – Why?
Adding a Lab to Your Lessons #3- More Advice

Leila Viss owns an independent piano studio which features a tech-savvy lab. She seeks to create innovative teaching methods and successful practice strategies to encourage the average player of any age to stick to the bench for life. She holds a Masters Degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Denver and has presented at local, state and national conferences. She adjudicates at local, state, regional and national piano and composition competitions. She serves on the Keys to Imagination Advisory Board and holds a full-time church organist/pianist position. Leila posts regularly on the MusicTeachersHelper blog. Visit her studio website.