2010 Updates - 1 of 3 Posts

Okay all -

I'm finally getting around to dusting off this piano blog and updating you on some things for the New Year.

1st - Thank you to those that have turned in the parent feedback sheets I sent home. I appreciate the comments that were made and found them helpful in making a few changes to my lessons. If you haven't filled one out, please check with your students to see if they have it still. If you need a new one, I will email a copy out later today.

2nd - Some minor changes I plan to make in lessons:
*I plan to write more comments, feedback, instructions in the students notebooks to help them and parents be aware and remember what they should be doing in their practicing. As parents you can be a great help to your students by checking these and making sure they are on track.
* I plan to have some higher expectations for the students, especially those that are intermediate players. I know I can be a softee and pass off songs that should be worked on longer. But I plan to encourage the students to have a little more perfection now in order to pass off a song - can they play the dynamics and other details to make it more interesting and more animated. I would love parents help in letting me know what is appropriate for your student - please feel free to leave me notes in their notebooks about how they are doing. Are the coping, feeling frustrated, bored, etc.
*I was somewhat frustrated by our last recital. It felt very restless and lacked the formality that I would like at a recital. I know that many of you like to have the recitals in Herriman, I think that once a year I will do them at City Hall but divide the groups into 2 groups (2 recitals) to shorten them a bit and deal with the crowd size. I will also maybe only have the students do one song and it must be memorized and perfect to be performed in the recital. The second recital of the year I will try to do somewhere like the Sandy Library or a recital hall at one of the music stores where they have a grand piano. I would love your help with the recitals to encourage students and guests to be more attentive and respectful to the performance.
*Fun Music - many parents tell me their students want to play "fun songs". I completely support incorporating fun or popular music into their lessons as long as they are able to maintain a balance of other music as well - lessons books or classical material, dozen a day or hanon exercies, and theory. Just using popular books limits their progress. Please feel free to send fun music with your students. I'm happy to give suggestions if you want some ideas of what works best. If you're going to the music store, please take your student with you so they can test the music out. The store employees will be happy to accomodate your requests to use a piano - just ask first. Also, keep in mind that even though it may say "Easy Piano" or "Big Note Music", that doesn't make it appropriate for beginning students. Please check with me if you are unsure of their level.

So that's some of my goals for the New Year. I am always open to feedback and hope you feel comfortable letting me know how things are going. I know my limits as a teacher and love it when I can get feedback that helps me learn and grow. Thank you for your support or me and your students. I'm looking forward to a great year!