K.H. Piano Studio

Another opportunity to hear some of the members of H-H ORMTA Hamilton-Halton Branch presenting professional performances on their instruments. Volunteering their time to support the branch Scholarship Fund.

Celebrating Canadian composers - past and present - whose contributions enrich and inspire students in their musical growth.

Today, I attended the launch of Glory St. Germain's recently published book that I hold in my hands. I encourage all music educators to add this to your personal music library. The chapters in each Part - 1, 2 and 3 - are so enlightening as Glory, in the musical metaphors that she uses, give a clear definition of the strategies that lead to creating a successful life; personally and professionally. With the purchase of this book, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.ultimatemusictheory.com/shop for a limited time only teachers get a bonus when enrolled in the myultimatemusictheory.com/MMMcourse You can also check out the UMT website for many more resources that can enhance your studio teaching.

Performing in a large band environment (indoors/outdoors) with like minded musicians - professional and amateurs - is another platform for never ending professional development (NEPD); rehearsing a variety of genres and styles broadens one's horizon where there is no limit to the learning.

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Education is not only limited to teaching students. It involves being engaged in performance opportunities where we, as music educators, model what we preach and put into practice. I think of this as my platform for ongoing professional development; especially when I collaborate with other professional colleagues/friends to achieve a goal to fulfill a mission.

It is so encouraging when a student finally acquires an acoustic piano that helps with motivation to practice at home on a consistent basis; hopefully! My student D.J.'s family inherited this instrument from his great grandmother who was a piano teacher. D.J.'s dad has lovely memories of taking lesson from his grandmother who, no doubt, inspired him to pursue music as a profession. Dad, Dan (Trombone/Tuba), Mom, Ashley (Trumpet) and I (saxophone) are members of the Burlington Concert Band www.burlingtonconcertband.ca
D.J. also takes trombone lessons from his dad and is a member of the Burlington Teen Tour Band Association's "Junior Red Coats". In a couple of years he will move up to join his 13-19 years old peers in this regular marching band.

As the spring semester is soon coming to a close, my student, Kamia and I are wrapping up her theory music lesson session with So-La and Ti-Do. The photos are a couple of recent creative exercise in melody writing. In one of her compositions, my collaborative efforts included enhancing with lyrics and adding 4 measures using the same notes and rhythms that Kamia chose but arranged in a different order.
On the piano, Kamia played the written melodies which gave her the opportunity to express her own opinion on her compositions. 👍👍👌👏👏

The Ontario Music Festival (hosted by Hamilton Music Festival Association) was held from June 10 - June 15 at various locations in Burlington and Oakville). I opened my home studio to accommodate some students (families came from Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Waterloo) to practice their pieces prior to heading out to the select church venues to participate and be adjudicated in their performance level sessions.

On Tuesday, I volunteered (8:45 am - 4:45) as the Registrar at Pineland Baptist Church. This gave me the opportunity to listen to some fine performances by students who were in the Level 8 lower strings (cellos; double bass), and also to sit in on the adjudicator's workshop session with all participants present; for me it was indeed an education as I observed and listened to her guiding the group in her performance demonstrations and remarks.

Since I got permission from dad to post these on FB, here is Ethan at my home on Thursday afternoon working through ALL his ARCT repertoire (2 of which he performed in OMF on Friday). On Monday, June 17 Ethan has his ARCT performance RCM exams back home. I wish him every success in that diploma pursuit. I have since heard back from dad that Ethan did achieve in OMF an Honorable Mention in his category, and daughter, Ella (who came to my home on Wednesday morning to practice her Level 10 pieces) was given an honorable mention and then proceeded to the playoffs where she was awarded 3rd place. I was also pleased to have gotten an email back from another parent (mom) who informed me of her children's placements. Daughter Dana (Level 9) placed 3rd, and son, Harbin (Level 6) placed 3rd.

As I reflect back on this past week I feel so blessed and grateful that in those memorable moments my home was filled with so much music by students working at the higher grade levels on their instruments (piano / cello). In the process my piano got a great workout too!! Chatting with the parents it revealed how much they placed lasting values on their child(ren)'s music education endeavours by being so involved with their respective teachers from the very beginning in their child(ren)'s studies at age 5/6 and up to the present. From each parent's feedback, it was a great experience being in OMF for their children and themselves!

My student Kamia - with my help/guideline through this creative process - resulted in this composition on her UMT whiteboard (which she loves using as one of her tools in her theory lesson sessions). Subsequently, I transferred the musical concepts that she learnt - patterns and directions - in a piano score. As Kamia is also learning the other music concepts like dynamics and tempo I have added these in order to make her realize how her composition can be more expressive when she plays it.
I enjoy teaching young beginner students theory using the UMT Beginner ABC level as there are exercises in the workbooks that introduce composing - at this very early stage in their musical development - based on ICE (imagine, Compose, Explore) idea.

These photos speak a thousand words and more!