Rhythm Challenge Recap

 Back in February the studio participated in our Rhythm Chaos Challenge.  Rhythms are part of every piece of music that we learn, some are easier and some are harder.  Most piano teachers have their students clap rhythms to help take the guess work out of how it should sound - but why clap when we can make extra noise?! 

For this months challenge, each student was sent home with different rhythms from Teach Piano Today with instructions to "perform lines of rhythm using household objects and goofy actions as rhythm instruments."  They did not disappoint.   Students performed rhythms using spoons, pots and pans, pencils, dum sticks, wooden spoons and toys!

October Recap

October was such a fun month at the studio!    We started our first big practice challenge - Pumpkin up the Practice.  It was great to see how into the challenges everyone got and I definitely noticed the practicing improve from everyone!   Plus how fun it was to see all the pumpkins slowly get turned into jack-o-lanturns - everyone is so creative!

October also saw the return of our Star Students board.
Each month students who complete a book, finish their own personal challenge, or go above and beyond during their practicing will receive a star!










We work hard in the studio at each lesson.  I love having one on one lessons with each student so that I can make the lesson suit exactly what it is they need to work on at that moment.  Here is a little peak at a student working on finding C Position and all the C's on the piano.  Little character erasers are the perfect size for piano keys!







We also get to have a little fun:

Looking at our November plans:  Everyone will be working on their Christmas song to prepare for the studio recital on Sunday December 1 at 2:30.   As we get closer to the recital we will be also be working on our stage presence and the performance as a whole - getting to the piano, bowing, and walking away. 

September Recap

What a great first month of lessons!  This month saw the return of many students and also the start of many new students as they began their first piano lessons and we are so excited to welcome them to the studio!

We focused on getting into routines, worked on black keys and started the white keys.  Continued with rhythm work, learning the piano alphabet, reinforcing staff reading skills and good old fashion theory homework.



Several returning students have already made great progress - finishing books, starting RCM songs, working on new scales and sight reading skills and preparing for upcoming exams.

This month we are focusing on our "Pump-kin up the Practice" challenge which will hopefully see all students working on method books reinforce their practice habits and really make daily practice part of their routine.  We will also have fun working on some Halloween inspired songs soon!

I am in the process of finalizing the date and time of our Christmas Recital - hopefully will have that confirmed this week.

Remember to follow on Instagram for more behind the scenes and be the first to know about upcoming events!

We're Pump-kin Up the Practice

Our first practice challenge of the year is here!

For those students who are currently in method books this one for you!  Each lesson, start tomorrow, I will be assigning a little challenge to complete at home during practice time.   There are 4 challenges total.  Once all challenges are completed, each student will receive a prize for all of their hard work!

Each student will receive a challenge sheet that is designed to travel home and back to lessons each week - please help your child complete their challenge and checking off the boxes, then send the sheet back to the next lesson.  Here at the studio each student participating will have a pumpkin on the wall.  Each week when I see the student has completed their weekly challenge they will add a specific part to their pumpkin (right eye, left eye, nose and mouth) ending off the challenge with a jack-o-lanturn (just in time for Halloween!)

We're "Pump-kin" up the Practice!

Fall Practice Challenge starting next week!

More information to follow

Practice Tips

We are just wrapping up week 2 at the studio and I can hardly believe it!  These past two weeks have been a mixture of review, first lessons and getting back into routine.  Now that we are about to start week 3 I wanted to check in to make sure practice routines are also getting established.   Making sure good practice habits are started right away will help lead to a very successful year of piano.

Here are some great general tips for practice (please check your child's notebook for more specific tips for your child):

1. Try to practice around the same time everyday - make it part of your daily routine, like brushing your teeth

2. Count. Count. Count.

3.  Slow practice is your friend :)  Especially on the first few practice days after a lesson.  You cannot expect to learn/play the notes correctly if you are rushing. (plus it's easier to count when you play slow!)

4. Don't worry about setting a timer for the length of practice.  Especially for the beginners I like to tell them to just be sure to play their songs everyday at least 2-3 times in a row.   As their songs get gradually longer, their practice time will also gradually get longer.

5.  Count. Count. Count.

6.  Once you get longer songs, it doesn't do you any good to just play through the song beginning to end.  You can get more accomplished in a shorted period of time if you practice in small sections and repeat those small sections over and over.  At that point you can play through the song from beginning to end.

7.  Remember it's the quality of practice that will help you improve.  Practice smart, practice everyday.

I'm in the early stages of planning a practice challenge that will take place through the month of October (if you follow me on Instagram you will have seen a sneak peak of the challenge).   This challenge will help to continue these practice routines that you are establishing now.

March Recap and What's Next

I can't believe how quickly March flew by!  There were several students who finished up books this month and moved onto new ones.  A handful of students are currently preparing and putting finishing touches on their Beckettfest pieces and several more who are looking towards their June exam dates (which might seem like a long time away but it will fly by!)

April will bring with it another studio wide challenge:  "Surprise Me" Day is coming soon!  (more details will be sent home next week.  We also have Easter and Good Friday, plus our makeup week at the end of the month.  We will also see information sent home regarding summer and fall registration!

Good Friday - April 19 - there will be no lessons

Easter Monday - April 22 - we DO have lessons

April 23 - 26 - these days do not have regular scheduled lessons - Any outstanding make up lessons will be made up during these days.  Keep your eyes open for more details as we get closer to this week.

I'm also in the process of booking our Spring Recital.  This will occur sometime near the end of May or beginning of June.  Once the date is officially booked students will start the process of choosing their pieces to perform.

Finally I leave you with this:

February Recap

What a great month we had in the studio!

We've had a few snow days (which will be made up in the spring), several students have finished up books and started new ones, some students have registered for upcoming exams, while others have registered for Beckettfest.

Our beginner students have been having fun with some note reading activities including "Mr. Bunny"



We also celebrated you!  Students got to choose a special activity from the Student Appreciation Chart:



This week is our last week of lessons before March Break!  There are no lessons over the break so be sure to read your child's notebook carefully for some extra work and fun that will be sent home to keep everyone busy and practicing for an extra week!

Studio Happenings

We are in the last week of our fall practice challenge - everyone has been doing a great job with their challenges!  I've had some wonderful feed back as well from parents who are going to be making their own challenges at home to continue practicing.  If you want help with ideas for your own I will happily help out.

This week we are picking our Christmas songs to start in our lessons in the next couple weeks! While it might seem early, the recital is just around the corner (I'm in the process of booking it but it's looking like it will be in the first few weeks of December).  Starting early is a a good thing when it comes to performances - the better you know your song, the more confident you are when playing it, the less nervous you'll be at the performance.

Halloween is tomorrow!   I wish everyone a fun time filled with lots of candy!

Pianolympics!

Congratulations to all students who completed their practice challenge last week!  I'm proud of all of your hard work.

Practice Challenge

Starting today and lasting for the next 5 weeks students will be taking part in the studio's PianOlympics!

Each week there will be some kind of practice challenge with each week adding more practice days.

Each week the student will be responsible for checking off that the daily challenge was completed, and at the end of the week the parent will initial to confirm that all challenges were completed by the student.

Students will earn a ring each week if all challenges are completed.  If all 5 rings are earned, they receive a prize!

I hope this will be a fun way to help get everyone back into practice mode