Carmichael Piano Studio

Music is a journey 🎼 it has its challenges and with them, achievements. The Carmichael Piano Studio is dedicated to honoring those who have grown in their music with certificates that show just how far they’ve come with their talents 🎹 this is done in front of other students and parents at a reception.

Helping students feel comfortable with their music and build confidence is what has been driving The Carmichael Piano Studio for over 30 years and will continue to do so.

“Life is like a piano. What you get out of it depends on how you play it.” – Tom Lehrer

Countdown to the favorite Christmas songs 🎄 Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas 🎄 A firm favorite with fans of Frank Sinatra 🎹 this heartwarming song was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane for the hit movie Meet Me in St. Louis.

“When you play, never mind who listens to you.” ― Robert Schumann

Jazz and blues set an important foundation for all the other contemporary genres 🎺 just as European classical music had done before.

Based on improvisation and a clear call-and-response structure, jazz songs soon took over the mainstream and remained solid protagonists up until the Sixties, through a lot of different currents and sub-genres, such as bebop.

Christmas stockings come in all shapes, sizes, and fabrics 🎄🎅👉 Let's take a look at several different types and how to keep them clean:

Velvet: Stockings made from velvet should be dry cleaned by a professional cleaner. If they are wrinkled, never press with an iron, or you'll have the imprint of the iron's soleplate left as a permanent decoration. Use steam to lift the fibers and a soft brush to leave them silky smooth.

Needlepoint: Needlepoint stockings are beautiful and took someone a very long time to create. To brighten the colors, give them a good vacuuming with the upholstery brush. If they are stained, take them to a professional dry cleaner.

Cross-Stitch: Cross-stitch is usually done on a fabric that can be hand-washed. Be sure to test the threads for colorfastness before proceeding.

Felt: Felt stockings should also head to a dry cleaner. Felt is prone to shrinking and fading and should never be saturated with water. If the stocking has embellishments like sequins or beading, any type of cleaning may destroy the design if the decorations are glued on. Proceed with caution. To remove dust, place the stocking in a mesh bag and tumble in the dryer on the unheated air cycle.

Knit or Crochet: These stockings are the easiest to clean. Hand-wash in lukewarm water with a gentle detergent just like a sweater. Rinse well—never wring out water or the fabrics will stretch. Dry flat and reshape to the correct size.

Wool: Wool woven stockings can be hand-washed in tepid water or sent to a professional cleaner. Dry flat and press with pressing cloth if needed.

Quilted: Quilted stockings should be hand-washed in cool water to prevent fading or color bleeding. Rinse well and dry flat.

"The piano as a medium for expression is a whole world by itself. No other instrument can fill or replace its own say in the world of emotion, sentiment, poetry, imagery and fancy" – Leopold Godowsky

Music ignites all areas of child development and skills for school readiness, including intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy 🎵 It helps the body and the mind work together 🎶 Exposing children to music during early development helps them learn the sounds and meanings of words 🤩 Dancing to music helps children build motor skills while allowing them to practice self-expression 🎼 For children and adults, music helps strengthen memory skills.

Countdown to the favorite Christmas songs 🎵 Carol of the Bells 🎶 To be played at a lively pace (around 180 crotchet beats per minute) 🎄 this mesmerizing Ukrainian carol found its fame in the popular Christmas movie Home Alone 👉 but has been around since 1914.

"The piano is able to communicate the subtlest universal truths by means of wood, metal and vibrating air." – Kenneth Miller

Throughout the Fifties, a revolution happened 👉 rock’n’roll appeared and blasted the music scene. Originating directly from the blues form, rock’n’roll became a great trend and influenced many different aspects of culture and society 🎸 It also became a strong foundation for countless other genres and sub-genres, extending to the realm of pop music.

Groups like The Beatles, for example, worked as a bridge between these two worlds, that were often overlapped in their songs 🎺Other bands like The Rolling Stones, instead, made their classic bluesy rough sound a trend.

Countdown to the favorite Christmas songs 🕯 Silent Night 🕯 Composed by Franz Xaver Gruber in the early 17th century 🎵 Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without this traditional carol and it’s super easy to play on the piano 🎶 too.

Written in C Major and with a 3/4 time signature 🎹 Kyle Coughlin’s arrangement of this classic tune is the perfect way to get started with its gently rocking tempo and three simple chords 🎼 C Major, F Major and G Major.