This is how we played:

Two teams lined up behind a table.  The first person in both lines put their hands behind their back and stood in front of a table with a call bell in the middle.  I showed them a Christmas Tune Flashcard and the first person to ring the bell with the correct answer earned a point for their team.

Some of the tunes were difficult for the students, so I told them their team members could help them by clapping the rhythm or quietly helping them sing the tune.  The kids had fun and the game became more of a team effort than an individual one, which is often more exciting for the group lesson.

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Take the Bach G minuet from the A.M. Notebook, have the student fill in the chords and then ask them construct a non-baroque sounding piece that uses the same chords, phrase lengths, cadence points, etc.  It drives home the fact that there are still an infinite number of pieces to be written using basic diatonic chords and that Bach was using the same materials as the rest of us.

In this month’s Clavier Companion, Bradley has written an excellent article in the jazz and pop section on teaching students to play by ear.  I especially appreciate that he dispells common myths about playing by ear, one of them being that “playing by ear is an innate gift.”  Bradley shares that in his 30 year career, having been exposed to hundreds of jazz musicians, only a handful of those began with ”anything other than average musical talent.”  Read his entire article in the November/December 2009 Clavier Companion for more about how to help students learn to play by ear.

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I feel strongly that piano teachers should encourage their students to explore the creative side of music through composition.  If time or experience do not allow it on a regular basis, one can at least invite students to compose and then listen and respond with encouraging words.  I have found that composing their own music touches young people in a way that faithful repetition of other composers’ works cannot, and brings out the best in performance and ownership of musical expression.

Carol Klose (a wonderful Hal Leonard composer)

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You can read 6 detailed reviews for All is Calm on the Store submenu.  You can listen to samples of the book below.  Included in the book are these favorite Christmas melodies:

•  Angels We Have Heard on High – I was a little tired of the usual straightforward setting, so I tried to put a little fresh, jazzy spin on it. 
• The Holly and the Ivy
• Here We Come a Carolling 
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen- Set in 7/8, this assymetry will pique your audience’ interest
• It Came upon a Midnight Clear – I never liked this tune until this arrangement!
• Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
• We Three Kings – A fun, jazzy version
• Sing We Now of Christmas
• In the Bleak Midwinter – Coldness and simplicity turn until a warm, tender setting of this beautiful melody
• O Come, O Come Emmanuel
• Ding Dong Merrily on High – A setting for those mischievous little angels on the back row of the angelic choir!  Fun and playful.
• Deck the Hall Hoedown – Yes, its a hoedown!  Fun for everyone!
• Silent Night – Ethereal, breathtaking sounds especially when performed on a grand piano with good harmonics

Order before Saturday at midnight for your free CD.

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My students were very excited about this, and I have been encouraged by how many students are participating (even ones that aren’t normally interested in composing).  To make the assignment more straightforward, I am giving them specific assignments each week:

Week 1
1.  Practice this Jingle Bells RH or Jingle Bells RH_LH and play it for me at your lesson.

2.  On this Theme and Variations Challenge Worksheet, circle 2 moods that you are interested in using for your variation.

Week 2
1.  At the lesson, I will listen to their Jingle Bells melody.

2.  At the lesson, we will brainstorm about the moods they chose.  For example, if a student chooses the mood “happy,” we would brainstorm about how we could make happy sounds on the piano.  We explore things like: dynamics, register, tempo, modality, motives (grace notes are great for happy sounds!), etc.

3.  The student will be assigned to go home and make a variation using our ideas.

Week 3
1.  At the lesson, I will listen to their variation and ask them if they are satisfied with it or if there is is anything else they want to do with it.  I might go ahead and make a few suggestions even if they say they are satisfied.

2.  We will explore mood #2 that they have picked and repeat the assignment.

Subsequent Weeks
1.  We will record their favorite variation.  I have told them that their variation must be polished before I will post it on YouTube.

2.  After everyone has performed and recorded their variation, I will assemble the videos into a longer streaming video and post it on YouTube and my site.

This is a fun way to talk about composing and the fact that we use a Christmas tune is extra motivating.  If you choose to do something like this in your studio, let me know!  I’d love to hear about it.

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This week (until November 7th), if you order the Christmas book from this site, I will send you the CD recording for free*!  Though the cover is different, the CD contains all 13 pieces contained in the book and is a great way to add a little zest to your Christmas music collection.

Here are some samples from the book/CD:
Angels We Have Heard on High
It Came upon a Midnight Clear
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Deck the Hall Hoedown
Ding Dong Merrily on High
and many more!

Order Here:
All is Calm, All is Bright
64 Pages
$20.00
Read the Reviews

Visit the store if you would like to see what else is available for purchase. 
*US residents only please.

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Snowmen Note Names–These flashcards drill note names.  Print these out on cardstock, then cut the bottom snowball off of the snowman.  The student should try to match the bottom of the snowman with the appropriate top of the snowman.

Snowmen Steps and Skips–These flashcards drill steps and skips.  Print them out on cardstock, then cut off the bottom of the snowman.  The student will try to match the step or skip on the top of the snowman to one of the step or skip bottoms.  This one is especially revealing because several of the flashcards have a LH C and and RH D on them, which is a step, but sometimes students mistake as a skip.

If you haven’t explored this part of the site, please visit Wendy’s Piano Studio/Teaching Resources/Flashcards or /Games to find more flashcards and games.  Have fun!

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For several years, the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG) has offered scholarships to piano teachers.  This year, they are offering two new scholarships available to MTNA certified members.

Any piano teacher who has earned MTNA Professional Certification and uses a Registered Piano Technician (RPT) can apply for one of two scholarships from the Piano Technicians Guild.

Scholarship 1

This annual scholarships in the amount of $750 is to be used specifically for Recreational Music Making (RMM) training, as presented by MTNA.  Recreational Music Making Recreational Music Making (RMM) is a way of learning to play music that focuses on satisfaction, fun and personal expression.  It often focuses on teaching adult students in groups in a stress free environment.

Scholarship 2

This annual scholarship in the amount of $1,000 is to be used for furthering one’s teaching skills through continued education and/or performance study.

Applications will be screened by the MTNA National Certification Commission (NCC). Previous recipients, members of the MTNA Board of Directors or the NCC are not eligible.  The recipients will be announced at the annual MTNA National Conference Awards Brunch. After the project has been completed, recipients should submit to the PTG and the NCC a written report detailing how the scholarships were used to advance their career or business.

To apply send the following information:

• A completed entry form

• A one-page, typed study plan (including estimated cost, anticipated time frame and information about the RMM training or the proposed teacher education and/or performance study.

• A résumé of your musical background, experience and service

• One letter of reference should be included, along with any other supporting documentation.

All materials should be submitted to:

MTNA Certification Program
Attn: PTG Scholarships
441 Vine St., Ste. 3100
Cincinnati, OH 45202-3004

For more information contact MTNA National Headquarters at (888) 512-5278 or mtnacertification@mtna.org. The postmark deadline for applications is December 1.

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1.  I introduced the concept of flats and sharps by using the “flat tire” and “sharp tack” illustration.  I showed them a flat, told them what it was and asked what happens to a tire when it is flat.  They responded that it goes down, so I was able to show that the flat was 1/2 step down on the piano.  I asked them what would happen if I put a tack on the piano bench and they sat on it.  They responded that they would jump up (after I demonstrated…with an imaginary tack), so I told them that a sharp means to play the note 1/2 step up.  I then showed them a natural and told them it meant the original white key.

2.  I placed a 3×5 card with a natural sign on it on 2 places on my staircase.  I had 2 students stand on those “natural steps” and then stood at the bottom of the stairs to show them a sharp, flat, or natural sign.  They had to move up if it was sharp, down if it was flat, and to the natural step if it was natural.  They loved this as we slowly increased the speed.

3.  To illustrate that up is to the right and down is to the left, I then placed 3 pieces of paper on the floor in front of each student.  The middle piece of paper was white to represent natural, the right paper was purple, and the left was blue.  Then, I again showed them a sharp, flat, or natural flash card and they had to move to the appropriate paper. This was also fun as they ended up dancing around as we increased the speed.

4.  I then sat them down and placed a picture of a keyboard  in front of them and gave them a candy pumpkin.  I called out E flat, F #, etc and had them put their pumpkin on the correct note. When they got 5 correct, they ate the pumpkin.

5.  After the lesson, I sent an email asking them to do a few online games and quizzes just to reinforce the concept.  You can see some of these games on the Web Rewards Level 2 page. 

I am much more confident that they understand sharps, flats and naturals now.  Thanks to all the teachers at pianoteaching.com for their suggestions!

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• The writing is thought provoking
• The author frequently shares creative ideas
• I find myself challenged to be a better teacher
• The posts are informative and useful to me as a teacher

Here are the blogs in my “excellent” category.  These are the ones that I think every piano teacher should have in their blogroll, rss feed, or visit regularly (no apparent order). 

Compose Create–Well, you’re already here!  You didn’t expect me to leave my own blog off the list, did you?

Piano Teacher Resources–Susan Paradis, a teacher in Texas creates many useful games and worksheets for her students.  She gives these away freely to teachers by allowing them to download and print them.  I have a drawer full of games my students love from Susan Paradis!  Susan also periodically reviews books and composes music for early level students which she also posts as a free download.

Piano Pedagogy Page–This blog is authored by Jason Sifford, an FJH composer.  It’s fairly new on the blog scene but I find every post of his thought-provoking.  Some of his topics include student motivation, composing for students, practicing, technique, and much more.

Elissa Milne–This is a new composer and piano teacher that I met on Twitter.  She is the composer of the Little Pepper Series published by Faber Music as well as other anthologies published in Australia.  Elissa’s posts are always challenging to me as a teacher and make me think of new ideas and applications for teaching.  Elissa writes about composing for students, music analysis, piano pedagogy and a host of other issues.  I highly recommend this blog if you want to be challenged!  

Layton Music Games–D’net Layton has posted many games on her blog that you can download and print. 

Music Matters Blog–Natalie Wickham posts regularly about how she organizes her group lessons, motivational programs for the year, advice for teachers, and any new nugget of wisdom she finds on the web.

If you know about a blog that you feel fits these criteria, please feel free to share about it here!

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