Learn To Play Piano Vancouver

Here's an amazing way to make music using marbles. It also looks like it takes a bit of man power turning that crank! Enjoy!

We had a fun piano camp this week with siblings age 11 and 6. Lots of musical games and learning a duet called Knight' Quest. I love the smiles and the effort of the team at the piano. So much fun!

Here's an opportunity to voice your opinion about Daylight Savings Time. Click on the photo.

Daylight Saving Time British Columbians are invited to share their views on how we should observe time in our province. Most areas of B.C. currently “spring forward” into Daylight Saving Time during summer months and “fall back” to Standard Time in the winter. The following choices are being considered: B.C. con...

Teaching Advanced Piano: Week 1 discussion
Here's the question:
As our students continue to grow and develop, they may begin to envision themselves as teachers. How do you engage students in early teaching activities? How do you begin to release your authority as teacher and grow your relationship with students to one of a mentor-teacher and finally colleague?

Here's my answer: (which got me an 85% mark)
The processes of building relationship with the student, passing the baton of authority to the student and becoming mentor/colleague to the student begin long before the student reaches the grade nine, ten level. They begin with the very first lessons together. These three important ideas need to be in the forefront of a teacher’s thoughts in each and every lesson because building relationship with a student is the most successful way to gain the respect needed to teach any individual, passing the baton of authority is key to the student’s need to take ownership of the learning process and becoming redundant is the whole aim of the teaching process. We want the students to become the teacher, especially as that applies to teaching themselves.
Here are some thoughts about building relationship with the student: When a teacher builds relationship with the student, the student will take direction from the teacher. The student will ask questions or even question the teacher’s directions, and there will be a passing of information back and forth with an end result that learning takes place. When the teacher studies the student as a person and gets to know that individual, he/she can apply that knowledge very specifically to help the student learn a piece. For example, the student and teacher think up words to a piece based on the student’s pet or friend. The words help the student play the rhythm, phrase correctly and play with appropriate expression making the piece personal for the student.
The second idea, passing the baton of authority to the student, must come from the core values of a teacher’s philosophy of teaching. The teacher’s respect for the student, no matter what age, determines whether or not the passing of authority will take place. The teacher has to want to pass the authority to the student. The advantage of passing authority to the student is that it allows the student to take ownership of his/her own learning and the whole process of learning. A student who has authority over him/herself learns how to self-motivate, and this is absolutely crucial if he/she is going to get anywhere in life much less complete a grade 10 piano exam.
And finally, becoming a mentor/colleague to the student happens naturally as the teacher builds relationship with the student and passes authority to the student. It is observed in the freely flowing conversation between teacher and student, in the excitement about things that are discovered in the music or how the study of technique relates to the music. It takes place as teacher and student trade places on the bench so both get the best perspective on the music study. The more that the teacher involves the student in the teaching/learning process, the more learning takes place on both parts: the teacher’s and the student’s.

First day of my new online course: Teaching Advanced Piano. Here I am sitting at my desk in front of the computer. I think I'm going to be spending a few hours here. :) It's a 10 week course through the Royal Conservatory. The course will cover how to teach grade 9 and 10 piano. Wish me luck!

Funny Orchestra plays the Windows Waltz

Funny! Orchestra plays Microsoft Windows™ - the waltz Rainer Hersch performs his waltz based on the sounds used in Windows XP. CHECK out Rainer Hersch: http://www.rainerhersch.com BUY STUFF http://bit.ly/2dZdYRn...

Happy Spring Break everyone. No piano lessons March 18 to 29