happy day

 Introducing my new favorite thing:  THE MONTHLY VIEW PRACTICE CALENDAR!!

I have started printing out the entire month view each month and putting it in my student's piano folder.  At the bottom of the monthly calendar we make a goal together.  Most of the time it is a practice goal and so it is fun for both my student and I to see their practice progress throughout the month.

I was thrilled the other day when my little 7 year old student came into my studio with the best words hand written by her on the top of her monthly calendar.  I had to just take a picture of this.   Take a look and see if  this makes you smile.

rights to the lights

Rights to the finger lights in action!  Her scales are sounding so so great!

the pentascales playoffs

They have begun!!!

 

I have loved seeing how my students have progressed through this awesome competition.   I have seen fingering, rhythm, and tempo all improve.  Not to mention how quickly my students can find their starter notes.    The playoffs did not start until all my students took about three weeks to learn 12 major pentascales.  They had to also write out these pentascales on staff paper.  After all the staff paper was turned in and after I heard all 12 pentascales sounding amazing, the playoffs started.  Each student progressed at their own pace.  I kept close track of everything in their  assignment folder.

The playoffs began with me timing each student.  I had flashcards with the name of the pentascale on them.  They would quickly play the pentascale listed on the flashcards.  They had to have a steady tempo and correct fingering for it to count.  At the end of their first timing I would record their score.  Generally the score was 2 minutes 35 seconds.  Each week for the following three they had to improve their score.  Currently they are improving each week and it is so exciting to see!!

Their ultimate goal is to play all 12 major pentascales in a minute or less.  They have three weeks to improve their first timing or get it in a minute or less... whichever comes first.  When they receive a minute or less they are officially a pentascales champion and receive the following;

Their name up on my pentascale champion wall,  Bach Bucks to shop in the studio store and my favorite...  they get rights to the lights!!!   This has been the best part. Take a look at how awesome this is!!!

Rights to the lights include wearing the finger lights each time they come for a lesson.  Of course they must play the pentascales while wearing them and get up and dance afterwards, if they so choose.

how to get your piano players to love scales

Hmm....   why do my students not like to play the scales?  Probably because something fun needs to happen.  Probably because there needs to be a little competition.  Probably because they need to discover just how fast their fingers can move.

Introducing:   THE PENTASCALES PLAYOFFS!!   Let the finger games begin!!

The lesson just following our spring recital I handed my piano students a piece of paper that said:

3 WEEKS UNTIL THE PENTASCALES PLAYOFFS!!


Week 1:   C Major, G Major, F Major & D Major
Week 2:  A Major, E Major, D b  Major & A b Major
Week 3:  E b Major, B Major B b Major & G b Major


Learn, memorize and write out all Major Pentascales listed above for a mystery music prize.  
Playoffs will be at the end of three weeks.  Playoffs will include all 12 Pentascales above being timed and played in different ways including:  Legato, Staccato, Forte & Mezzopiano




WWHW




I made sure that each student read the title with their most enthusiastic voice.  I then went on to teach the "Major Pentascale Code"  (as I would like to call it)  WWHW.   I would tell my students that the piano keyboard has many different sounds but in order to find them we needed to use the magic code of WWHW.

I went on to explain or reteach (most of my students are playing with flats and sharps) the concept of whole and half steps.   All of my students were excited to open the unknown Major Pentascale world with their new found Major Pentascale Code.   My boys loved it!!  They felt like they were on a treasure hunt!!

I told them it was now up to them to use their code and find the four Pentascales listed under Week 1.  It was so exciting to watch them discover the Major sounds on their own.  I gave each of my students the task of playing these four Pentascales daily,  10 times each before they started into their songs.  Each student was also given the task of writing all four Pentascales out on staff paper (which I provided).  The completed scales written out and given back to me along with them showing me the Pentascales on the piano, would be their ticket into Week 2 or Round 2 as I would call it.

I repeated these tasks each week until all my students did the written work and had mastered the four scales for that week.  Of course, I would have my students always work on the scales they learned prior as to not forget them.


Most of my students have been through all 3 weeks/rounds!!

Stay tuned for the Pentascales Playoffs!!   They are right around the corner and all my students are getting excited!!

you've got a friend in me

She sits by me all the time
And forever she will play,
My ivory and wooden keys
In the most beautiful, special way.

For I know by her touch on
My soft keys how she's feeling,
If the day's been hard
Slow gentle tunes she'll be playing.

On happy days when nothing
Could possibly go wrong,
Her fingers dance across my keys
Till the end of the happy song.

With little patience I wait
Every day for her to come home,
To play my music
That she creates on her own.

I might make just music
To please some people's ears,
But I think I am more of a friend
Than an instrument to her.

-April Tomblin Clark

My beautiful sister wrote this poem and gave it to me when I was in high school.
It could not be more perfect.

jarflower performances

Jarflower Video Memories

Click on the link above for a wonderful collection of performances and fun moments.  Check back for more to come!

mission: music

And the winner is......................Hayley!!   This girl is brillant.  She strategically raced around the world and completed all her practicing challenges, made musical artwork, created a super fun theory game and composed a song with lyrics.  She went months without missing a day of piano practice.  

It was very exciting for me to give her the 1st place award at our spring recital.  She deserved the recognition and I was so proud of her!.  Winning this amazing piano race shows in her piano playing.  She is progressing at an excellent pace.  Congrats to her!!