Making O’s for Firm Fingertips
Making O’s not only develops the fingertip at early levels, it can be used at advanced levels to align the arm and knuckle with the finger that plays. Join Dr. Faber for some interesting pointers.
Flowers that Bloom in the Fall
Two things you might not normally think of together: autumn and… blooming flowers. But they pair very well when you’re thinking of new piano students. If you have students starting in our Piano Adventures Primer Level, you probably already know where this is going! “Round Hand Shape” is our Technique Secret No. 2, and “blooming flowers” […]
September Greetings!
Best wishes to teachers, students, and parents as a new “back to school” season begins! This year our posts will be organized around a monthly theme. For September, the theme is Primer Level teaching. Every young piano student remembers the first lesson. It is such a privilege to introduce the magnificence of the piano—and some […]
Catch the Salsa Spirit!
Students acting like sloths this summer? Luckily, we have just the thing: Havana by Camila Cabello, a Latin-inspired pop hit that fits nicely with students working their way through major and minor pentascales. It’s fully in the key of D minor, and grooves through a basic i – V7 progression. The harmonies are nothing extraordinary, […]
Two Thumbs Up!
Time to head off to the North Pole to check on the toy-packing and gift-wrapping. Some young people write letters with lists, and some might even try sending emails. But we’re going to hitch a ride for a little in-person inspection. And for that we need our thumbs! The thumb is such a useful, important […]
How to Make an Impression
Most students dream of playing an as yet unattainable piece that represents what it means to be an artist at the piano. They imagine how they will sound when they can play such a famous composition. (Clair de Lune, perhaps?) And how do they get there? By beginning early with the very techniques needed to […]
Listen to this!
In many places Autumn is the most beautiful season, with colourful leaves creating a kaleidoscope of whirling reds, yellows, rusts, and orange-browns, each with its own changing nuance as the days and weather shift. Nuance itself is a delicate word, implying subtlety and fine distinctions. And attention to playing with nuance can begin early. Yes, […]
With Abandon!
The Music ’Tis madness. Truly. To the Portuguese, who originated this musical form in the late 15th century, La Folia (Foh-LEE-ah) was music for singing and dancing, and the singing and dancing were often so riotous that the participants appeared “empty-headed.” The Folia was a 16-bar melodic and harmonic pattern, sometimes with a short coda, […]
