Click on the images below to see my powerpoint presentation of my PIANO WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS and my app recommendations.
Category: Parent Help Desk
The posts listed here answer questions I am asked frequently from parents. If your question is not listed here please feel free to contact me with your question. I am happy to answer it for you.
Piano at GISC
About our Private and Group Lessons at GISC
I am looking forward to an other great school year at German International School Chicago!
For those parents that consider enrolling their child in our popular piano private lessons after-school program, the following might be of interest. Continue reading “Piano at GISC”
Practice What You Don’t Know
One of the most common mistakes beginning piano students make is practicing what they already know over and over. I don’t mind them playing songs over and over they know well from top to bottom. That means they are having fun, which is actually great. Let me explain what I mean instead.
When you observe a child practicing you will probably notice that he wants to play those passages that already sound pretty good rather than working on those he doesn’t know well yet. By the way, we adults have the tendency to do the same.
THat’s why the first thing I teach my students is not to always start at the beginning of the piece they are working on. It takes persistency on the teacher’s and the parent’s part to get this into a child’s head, but it is well worth the effort.
Dear Parent: Please remind the child to begin practicing from different measures until she does it on her own.
Children that don’t follow this strategy often get stuck further down in the piece and are not able to perform a piece well in its entirety, which ultimately leads to frustration.
Tip: The reason why they don’t like starting in the middle of a song is often because they don’t know where the fingers go and which finger to use, unless they start from the very beginning and play up to that measure. The teacher or parent can help by indicating the fingering and note names at the beginning of significant starting points in the piece. Eventually the child will be able to write in the fingering and note names for those bars.
Tip: Mark up a new piece by dividing it up into smaller practice segments. Number the different segments randomly and ask the student to follow the order of the number when practicing. When monitor you child remind them not to start practicing from the first bar, but instead working on a different segment every time they start practicing.
HAPPY PRACTICING!
Fingering and Hand Positioning
Using proper fingering when playing the piano is essential for developing good technique. That’s why it is so important Continue reading “Fingering and Hand Positioning”
Things piano student beginners struggle with
This video was filmed during one of my beginner group lessons. In the video I point out some common problems Continue reading “Things piano student beginners struggle with”
5 Mistakes Beginning Piano Students Make
See also Learning Objectives from Week 1 + 2
5 Mistakes Beginning Piano Students Make
Mistake 1: Lifting several fingers when pressing one key
Playing the piano is all about playing economically Continue reading “5 Mistakes Beginning Piano Students Make”
What kind of piano should I get for my child?
What kind of piano should I get for my child?
Undoubtably, practicing on a nice acoustic grand piano is always the best choice for every piano player, beginner or professional, young or old. However, considering that an acceptable grand piano starts at 20,000 Dollars, such an instrument is out of reach for most children. Upright pianos are much cheaper Continue reading “What kind of piano should I get for my child?”
Five Qualities Every Great Music Instructor Has
Not every great musician is also a great instructor. For example, there is a big difference between explaining someone how to walk, and just to walk. It’s the same with music. Continue reading “Five Qualities Every Great Music Instructor Has”