Laura's Piano Lessons

Happy World Piano Day!

Happy Piano Day!

Week 4 of my RCM Advanced Teachers Course. Can’t wait to share with my students what I’ve learned!

One of my very wise students made a great analogy today. We were discussing how important it is to count the rhythm out loud when you are first learning a piece. It helps the student internalize the beat and lets the teacher know you understand how the rhythm works. He said "Counting out loud is like having training wheels on your bike, once you are confident you understand how the rhythm works you can stop counting out loud just like when you are confident riding your bike you can take your training wheels off"

Lot's of new beginnings this week!

Take a breath! We don’t need to figure it all out in one lesson Take a breath! We don’t need to figure it all out in one lesson

Let’s see if this new mic helps my students hear my playing and improves the sound quality during their ear training drills.

It is a pleasure to work with the families in my studio. Thank you for the kind words!

My word for 2021 is whimsy so I have decided to celebrate as many times as possible in 2021. So today we are celebrating chocolate cake day and Mozart’s birthday.

In order to create a sense of community in our studio I use an app that allows us to share successes and offer encouragement. I love my students!

How to use Piano Practice Pack Sticky Notes 1) Mark sections of your piece that need extra attention 2) Remind yourself what steps to follow while practicing - count/dynamics/repeats/pedal... 3) Write down a question you would like to ask me at your next lesson

While prepping for lessons today a mom emailed me saying her son is "counting down the days" to his lesson. Love my job!

Parents often ask how they can help support their child's learning. Often my response is "Let your child learn at their own pace." As a parent I know how challenging it can be to watch your child struggle but they are learning valuable life lessons when they do.

Many people have asked me if video lessons are an effective way to learn to play the piano. My students have transitioned very well to online lessons and continue to progress at the same pace they did at in person lesson. Rose did an awesome job during her lesson this week and I thought it would be the perfect example of what our online lessons look like.

This is a picture of myself and my piano teacher taken more then a few years ago I think I was around 16 and judging from my black and white concert attire my piano teacher was invited to come with my family to one of my many high school band concerts. I often reflect on how lucky I was to have this amazing woman as my piano teacher. She told many stories of her journey from Prague to Canada with her sister. She had high expectations for her students and taught in a kind ...and loving way. She spoke 4 languages and also worked as a translator. I remember her also helping me with my French homework! If I could have one more conversation with her it would be to let her know the huge impact she made in my life and that she enabled me to enjoy a lifetime of music and to be able to teach others to do the same.

People ask how I maintain a sense of community with my students while we are learning online. I use an app called Tonara with my students and one of the many things i use it for is to create groups to encourage my students to share their success as well as their tips and tricks.

Couldn’t agree more!

Another great pirate composition! This one by Amelia.

Over the summer my students spent 8 weeks working on a composition about pirates. They created a storyline and then composed music they felt reflected their story. Such a fun way to teach theory! Awesome job Esa! @tTanya Marie

I know, I said I was taking a bit of a rest this week but the truth is I never really stop thinking about how I can add fun and learning to my student's lessons. This is what I worked on today. Brain Breaks - an alarm will sound during a student's lesson to let them know it's time for a Brain Break and I will use the Decide Now app to choose the activity for BOTH of us to do together (students think it's pretty funny to see me do it with them)... Here a few of the choices.

Just taking a little break this week.

A little welcome back surprise for my young pianists to use at home during online lessons

I miss sharing these with my students during in-person lessons. Which one do you think was the most popular choice?

Practice Tip Tuesday - Practice is more likely when it feels like a game! Use any small item and put it on the fifth key from the end of the piano. If you play your practice section without mistakes you move it up one key closer to the end of the piano. If you make a mistake it stays where it is. You are done practicing for the day when you make it to the end of the piano.

What do you think of when you hear the word pianist? A person who plays the piano. A person who has spent many hours practicing.... A person who enjoys challenging themselves and learning new things. A person who is not afraid to make mistakes. A person that can share their emotions through music when they can't find the words. A person who is able to create their own joy. A person who is able to comfort themselves in a healthy way when life gets hard. What if we refer to our students and children as pianists right from the very first lesson? It might just give them the confidence and courage to immerse themselves in playing regularly. Imagine what they could accomplish and what pride they would feel in themselves!

Take 5 minutes for yourself and enjoy! Did you have a favourite? I found it hard to pick just one!

My student's often ask how I play without looking at my hands. It's called keyboard geography. To help your child start to develop this skill challenge them to play their current piece (or part of it) with their eyes closed. They will be super proud of themselves when they realize it's not as hard as they think!

Music is a great way to help children identify and share their emotions. Ask your child to play their current piece with whatever emotion they are currently feeling. Then you try to guess what emotion they are feeling. The more emotions they experiment with the more they are practicing!