Halloween Group Class

Halloween group class is always so much fun! Students played their Halloween songs for each other, played "Falling Leaves" and "Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater" together as a group (from Music Moves Book 1), and ended the class with Joy Morin's Trick or Treat game.

Summer Games Music Camp

Students participated in a piano camp this year by playing several music games. They had to use teamwork and cooperation to work together for these events which related to music theory.

Paint the Path 2024

Since our recital theme was Around the World, the students decided to paint a globe with music symbols above it for this year's event.

Spring Semester 2024

We have had such a fun semester this year! Highlights include:

-gold medalists at the Sonatina Festival

-older students teaching the younger ones during the Spring Group Class

-students passing the AIM Performance exams

-writing compliment cards to each other to prepare for the concert

-a wonderful spring recital with an Around the World theme!

Christmas at Cedarhurst

December 2023

This was such a special way to end the semester! Students shared the gift of music at an assisted living community by playing Christmas carols. The residents loved seeing the children and have asked us to return next year! I hope to do more of this community outreach in the future.

Masquerade Recital

October 2023

I am so proud of the students for working so hard for this performance! They also had to come up with a costume to go along with their piece. This year, the event was held at the Peoria Women's Club in downtown Peoria. This photo shows students from several studios as this recital was hosted by the Peoria Area Music Teacher's Association. 

Improvisation/Composition

Summer 2023

This summer, students worked on improvising on the piano and turning their ideas into written compositions. They created sound stories, played games, and created artwork and literature to accompany their pieces. Below are some examples of their work. Materials used were from Color in My Piano and Teach Music Online.

National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy

July 2023

I attended the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy and learned a great deal from other piano teachers. I am excited to share what I have learned with the students this year!

Paint the Path

June 2023

Students had a great time painting the path today! They worked really well together. The design they came up with was a combination of students' ideas from group class. This event was a fundraiser for the Washington Bridge Education Foundation which provides funds for students and faculty at WCHS.

Solo & Duet Recital

May 2023

Our recital this year included solos by each student as well as a duet. Students have an individual lesson each week along with a partner lesson. This past semester, students have been learning duets with their partner during class. This gives them another opportunity to explore musicianship, to listen to another person while playing. This was hard at first, but the students did such a fantastic job playing together!

Spring Group Class

March 2023

We had a fun spring-themed group class last week! The younger students played a piece, "Raindrops" and the older classes played "Splashing in Puddles". The weather was perfect for our theme! The students improvised to a prompt titled, "Raindrops", and we played a Rain, Rainbow rhythm game. (Both of these were purchased from Joy Morin at Color in My Piano.) We ended the class with a Practice BINGO challenge that hopefully will motivate students to practice for the recital in May!

Christmas Group Class

December 2022

Students participated in a Christmas themed group class last week. They took turns practicing two holiday songs: Jingle Bells and Jolly Old St. Nicholas while the others colored a review sheet. Then, they had an opportunity to play as an ensemble with different parts being played at the same time. It was good experience for the students to listen to each other as they played. We ended the class with a few winter themed music games. Merry Christmas!

Group Class/Masquerade Recital

October 2022

  

Students had fun during their Autumn group class. They learned a Halloween song and then played music games together. The previous weekend, several students participated in the Masquerade Recital where they dress up in costume in relation to their piece. Families did a great job with their outfits!

Group Lessons

July 2022

Summer lessons were a lot of fun! Students enjoyed playing folk songs in 2-3 parts with each other; some weeks were challenging as they figured out how to listen to the other students in class. This was a great chance for them to develop their musical skills. The best moments were when the older students were able to teach the younger ones.

Spring Piano Recital

May 2022

Our spring piano recital was a huge success! Congratulations to all of the students on their hard work this year. It was truly incredible to share our music with their families for the first time in 2+ years. I'm looking forward to building community in our studio, starting with group classes this summer. The students are going to have so much fun learning together!

A few days before the performance, we had an informal recital in the studio to allow the students a chance to practice in front of their peers. We started the class by having the students introduce themselves. Each student played an arrangement of one piece from Carnival of the Animals, and the students guessed which piece the student played.  

Themed Recital (Movie/TV/Video Game)

February 2022

The Peoria Area Music Teachers Association (PAMTA) hosts several recitals during the year. The themed recital was any piece from a movie, TV show, or video game. One of my students participated and played Deep in the Meadow from "The Hunger Games".

Christmas Recitals

December 2021

Kidder Music in Peoria invited us to play Christmas music while people shopped during the holiday season. This was a fun, low-key performance that helped get us back into performing live. Several students participated in an online video recital with other students in the area to spread cheer.

Paint the Path

September 2021

 This event was a great start to our year! We met outside and painted a 10 x 10 square foot and the students decided on what they would paint. It turned out really well and it was really fun to work on a project together!

Welcome Back!

July 2021

It has been incredibly joyful to welcome students back in to my home studio this summer!

As our state reopened this summer, I was hesitant to resume teaching out of my home with a majority of my students being under 12 and unvaccinated. I wanted to give it a try while cases were low to see how it could work.

The first thing I did was send out a Google Form that parents could fill out anonymously. One of the questions asked if they were ready to try in-person lessons out of my home with precautions. A majority of parents responded to the form, and 100% of families who responded were ready to return!

Here are some of the precautions we have taken:

• masks required inside the studio
• students wash their hands before and after the lesson
• five minutes between students to avoid overlap
• air purifier in the studio between teacher and student
• teacher and student are spaced six feet apart
• surfaces disinfected once a day before lessons begin
• students stay home if having any symptoms and have an online lesson
• parents sign a policy statement and waiver

Due to these precautions we were able to have a successful summer session! I am looking forward to continuing teaching out of my home this school year.

Second Piano

June 2021

For the start of the new school year, I invested in another piano for the music studio. My initial reason was to be able to play the students’ pieces for them and work on ear training skills, even while distanced during this time. I had enjoyed having each of us on a piano during online lessons, and wanted to continue that aspect of the lessons.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out how many of the students are loving playing duets again! Of course, playing duets online didn’t really work due to lag time, so it had been quite a while since we had made music together.

The first activity we did at the first lesson back in August was to improvise a duet together on the black keys. When we were finished, even with masks on, I could tell the students were smiling, and several of them said, “Can we do that again?!” Pre-covid, I didn’t use duets in every lesson, but now, I am making a point to include making music together in every lesson with each student.

It has been interesting to realize how much I took for granted the ability to play music with others, and it is really encouraging to experience the students’ reactions to making music together again :)

One Year Online

May 2021

One year ago today, I emailed families letting them know that piano lessons would be online until further notice and the spring recital was cancelled. I did not know at that moment that I would still be teaching online one year later. My families have been extremely patient, gracious, and flexible this year with the changes. I continue to be amazed by the resilience and positivity of the students with all that they have had to navigate this past year.

This weekend last year was filled with hours and hours of researching how to teach online, what video conferencing app and practice app I should use, lesson planning for online, finding online games, setting up the computer in a way that I could teach, etc. I learned so much from a course offered by Carly Walton of Teach Music Online https://www.teachmusic.online/. She ran a special of “pay what you can” for teachers during this chaotic time.

Piano teachers from around the world shared their ideas through Facebook groups such as Piano and Instrumental Teachers with Coronavirus Concerns, Teach Music Online, Professional Piano Teachers, and Music Games for Online Music Classes.

I bought a headset with a microphone, but had to wait to purchase a webcam for over the piano keys since they were all sold out. Lessons resumed two days after I sent that email and we jumped right in to online learning. I even taught over spring break as a way to provide consistency and structure for everyone, myself included.

We use Zoom for the lesson and I really like the scheduling option so I can email families their own link ahead of time. We use Tonara as their assignment book and practice app. Tonara has integrated with Zoom so I can insert their meeting link in to their student profile. I can also upload videos of their pieces in case they have questions during the week. Tonara offered free webinars to teachers a year ago so we could understand how to use this application.

I realized quickly that online teaching takes a lot more energy and ended up spreading out the students throughout the week, instead of several lessons in a row.

Once it was announced that schools would be online for the remainder of the year, I switched the students to morning lessons so we could enjoy the warm spring and summer weather in the afternoons.

At the end of the summer, there was a lot of uncertainty about schools reopening. There are five school districts in our town, and each one was doing something different. The district where we live started the students out online, so I followed their lead. It was hard to get back in to online teaching after the summer break.

I dropped off students’ new books and materials at their doorsteps at the beginning of the school year. These were items they had access to in the studio: pencil, colored pencils, games, worksheets, etc. I used many ideas from Joy Morin www.colorinmypiano.com.

I ended up contacting the location where I usually held recitals and was able to offer an in-person option for families who were interested. We were able to meet with masks, temperature checks, etc. for seven weeks until about a week before Thanksgiving. We returned online for the winter which was a really nice option that I will continue to use in the future for snow days.

Currently, families have the option to stay online or be in person with precautions at an indoor location. Most families have continued to stay online, although some have opted for in person which we recently started back up again.

My online setup has improved considerably from a year ago, even with an overhead camera so students can see the piano keys. I am looking forward to the day when all students will be back as most of my students I still have not seen in person for a year now.

During the past year, we have had two recitals via Zoom in order for students to be able to see each other and hear other students play. I am hoping to provide more group opportunities this next year.

Reflecting on online lessons, here are some positive aspects that have occurred this year:

• students have become more independent learners by writing their own reminders in their music
• ear training has developed with the use of two pianos (I play a pattern on my piano, and they repeat it on their piano at home, for example)
• I have been able to assist with their home setup by making them aware of keyboard height and bench distance
• students have continued to progress in their music learning of concepts and repertoire
• professional development has become more equitable with virtual conferences
• piano teachers have united around the world in their common goal to provide our students with a high quality music education by sharing ideas regarding online teaching

This year has definitely been one of my most memorable years of teaching. I am grateful for being able to adapt to a completely new situation, but I am feeling ready to get back in to more ‘normal’ teaching.

Overall, I am incredibly proud that when everything else stopped, the music played on!

Piano Maintenance

January 2021

My piano was tuned last week by a local tuner and it sounds great! He actually found a broken string inside the piano and will be ordering it for me. Here are some general maintenance ideas for you to keep your piano sounding beautiful!

Acoustic Pianos:

• Pianos should be tuned at least once a year by a professional tuner. Tuners can let you know if any additional maintenance needs to be done.
• Do not use any cleaners on the wood frame of your piano. Lightly dust your piano when needed.
• Keep the fallboard closed when not playing so dust cannot accumulate between the keys.
• If you do need to sanitize the piano keys, always wipe from the back of the key to the front. Wipe once on a group of keys at a time.

Digital Pianos:

• Cover the keys with a light fabric, such as a sheet or scarf to prevent dust from accumulating between the keys.
• If you do need to sanitize the piano keys, always wipe from the back of the key to the front. Wipe once on a group of keys at a time.
• Keep your piano turned off when not playing.
• Lightly dust your keyboard as needed.

In-Person Option

October 2020

Families now have the option to choose online or in-person piano lessons during this time. Last week, I taught in-person lessons for the first time since March. Even with masks and other safety precautions, lessons felt normal again. It was wonderful to see current students and meet brand new students. I am happy to be able to continue to provide online lessons at this time for families who wish to stay virtual for now.

Here are the safety precautions for in-person piano lessons:

-masks are required

-temperature checks at the front desk

-wash hands before (and after) piano lesson

-wait in hallway until lesson time

-piano keys are disinfected between students

-6 feet apart between teacher and student

-students and teacher follows school district’s guidelines (if student does not attend school for any reason, do not attend lesson)

I am looking forward to teaching in-person again this week!

Piano Kits

June 2020

Piano kits will be dropped off at students’ home this week. These are items they had access to in the studio, but due to online lessons at this time, I wanted my students to be able to enjoy these items!

• New books: Some students were ready for their next level of book(s), while others still have the ones they were working in over the summer.
• Stickers: Students can choose a sticker after each lesson, just like in-person!
• Music Pencil: A regular pencil for theory pages (it changes color when you hold it).
• Colored Pencils: We use different colors to circle different phrases to indicate the form of the piece.
• Sticky Tabs: The students can indicate a tricky spot in a piece with a sticky tab to remind them to take notice in a certain measure.
• Mini-erasers: These manipulatives fit perfectly on the piano keys and will be used for piano games and learning intervals.
• Dice and Dice Game: This idea came from Carly Walton’s Teach Music Online course to add variety to the way students practice their piece. (www.membership.teachmusic.online.com)

These next few items are all available for free from Joy Morin’s blog at http://www.colorinmypiano.com.

• Bingo: Students can choose a Bingo square to end the lesson or as something fun to work on over the break.
• Flashcards: (letter names/notes/melodic movement/rhythm/black key) These are used with younger students who still may need practice identifying note names, rhythm, melodic movement, etc.
• Grand Staff: Younger students will use the mini-erasers on this grand staff to practice intervals and beginning note-reading.
• Staff Paper: All students will receive a few sheets of staff paper as we will begin to work on dictation and composition this year.

I am really excited to see how online teaching goes now that my students will have access to these items at home!

Practice Tips

May 2020

Recently, parents have asked for advice on how to encourage their children to practice on their own.  Here are a few tips for practicing:

• Practice at the same time, every day.  Tie their practice session to another event that happens daily, such as after breakfast, right after school, or before dinner.  Once this becomes a part of their normal routine, the habit is more likely to stick.
• Shorter practice sessions.  Daily practice of even just 5 minutes, is better than an hour once a week.  The consistent, daily repetition allows the brain to retain the information.
• Move the piano to a more frequently used space.  If your piano is in a room that is frequently used, and the piano is seen on a daily basis, students are more likely to sit down and practice.
• Use the assignment notebook (this is Tonara while we are online).  I write notes and suggestions of what to work on each week; since we are online, the assignments are typed in the Tonara app.  Students can click on the assignment to read my notes as well as see videos of the piece to hear how it is supposed to sound.
• Have your students perform for you.  Ask your children what they are working on and ask to hear them.  Be supportive and encouraging even when there are mistakes!

I hope this will help your child get in the habit of daily, consistent practice!

Lessons during COVID-19

April 2020

Piano lessons are now being taught online during the pandemic.  I am so grateful that 100% of my students have continued to take lessons even in a virtual setting.  In the middle of March, right after schools were closed, I gave my families the option of continuing or taking a break for the term.  I had one student take a month off, and after a trial lesson, decided to continue.  We are starting the summer term next week with every student in the studio.

For the video lesson, we are using Zoom, and for the practice app/assignment sheet we are using Tonara.  These apps are free for the student to download.  I have noticed some positive results from online lessons so far.  The students are listening more attentively, as they have to mark their own music.  They have to know where in the music I am referring to, and what I am telling them to write and why.  I have been able to help students sit more comfortably at their own pianos in their home, by seeing that they were sitting too low, for example.  Students are practicing more by using Tonara which motivated them through points and stickers.  They can also record their songs and send them to me for feedback.

During e-learning, communication is more important than ever.  Even though there are positive results, I can tell the students get frustrated sometimes.  I encourage students to message anytime with questions about their songs, so they don’t have to wait until their next lesson.

It’s amazing how technology has allowed us this opportunity to continue piano lessons during this unprecedented time.  I am so grateful to teach my students each week in a “live” meeting, so at least we can see each other and have conversations.  Lesson planning and studio management has kept my mind off of the news and has given me a respite from the pandemic.