Virtual Reality in the Piano Studio
January 2012; Vol. 4, No. 1
If you are a Star Trek fan or at least have a passing familiarity with the television series, you may be aware that people still play music and attend concerts in the twenty-fourth century. Given the fact that computers do so much for human beings...
January 2012: Questions & Answers
January 2012; Vol. 4, No. 1
Q. I think I had a pretty good college pedagogy class, but I am still unsure about what to include in my student’s lesson assignments. Could you offer some guidance on this subject? A. Planning the student’s lesson assignment is one of the piano teacher’s...
Proverbs for Pianists
July 2012; Vol. 4, No. 4
There is a great deal of wisdom encapsulated in proverbs. While they are meant to apply to life in general, they also have specific applications to piano playing and teaching. I enjoy using these aphorisms while teaching, and they often become a quick way of...
Brain Trust: Words of Wisdom From Early Childhood Experts
July 2012; Vol. 4, No. 4
There’s nothing more invigorating than a room full of young children eager to learn music. And there may not be anything more important to all music educators than giving these young children a good start. In addition to a love of music and children, early childhood...
An Interview With Christine Barden
July 2012; Vol. 4, No. 4
An internationally recognized authority and leading music educator on early childhood music, Christine H. Barden is a coauthor of Alfred’s Music for Little Mozarts preschool piano method, along with Gayle Kowalchyk and E.L. Lancaster. A graduate of San Francisco State University with a degree in...
Welcoming Young Children Into Your Studio
July 2012; Vol. 4, No. 4
Interested in widening your student base to include young children? Recent research points to enhanced brain development, increased musical potential, and even a higher occurrence of absolute pitch in students who begin lessons at an early age. In his essay “The Musical Brain,” researcher Donald...
Chord Substitution
July 2012; Vol. 4, No. 4
One thing that has always drawn me to jazz is the harmony. It is fascinating to hear how a single chord change can define one artist’s interpretation of Autumn Leaves or Night and Day from another artist’s interpretation. Applied judiciously, these harmonic variations will add...
Making Music Come Alive
July 2012; Vol. 4, No. 4
In my early years of teaching I clearly remember commenting about my students’ playing to my husband, “All the notes and rhythms are correct, but they don’t sound that good. I’m not sure how to help them make the music ‘come alive’.” I certainly have...
Marko Tajčević’s Songs from Mur Island
July 2012; Vol. 4, No. 4
Piano teachers are always looking for fresh music for their students to make lessons and recitals more interesting. One collection that could be a welcome addition to the teaching repertoire is Songs from Mur Island by Marko Tajčević. This collection, largely unknown in the U.S.,...
Celebrating Fifty Years at the New School for Music Study: A Three-Generation Review
July 2012; Vol. 4, No. 4
The New School for Music Study, a not-for-profit community music school specializing in music study at the keyboard, celebrated its fiftieth anniversary during the 2010-2011 academic year. Located in Kingston, New Jersey, the New School for Music Study has 250 students (children and adults) and...
The Trapeziectomy Diaries: Part Two
July 2012; Vol. 4, No. 4
The trapeziometacarpal joint, also called the “trapezium,” is at the base of the thumb. Osteoarthritis, a well-known condition suffered by many adults, affects the trapezium in some people. Sufferers experience pain, stiffness, and weakness in the thumb joint. This is particularly troublesome when the sufferer...
Special Needs, Special Gifts: Case Studies
Winter 2020; Vol. 11, No. 5
“Carla, you’re so enthusiastic about what you do, and you are obviously so happy doing it. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Kendall could take piano lessons from you?” said Mary one morning at our church’s coffee hour. “Why not?” I asked. Mary gave me one...
My Parents are Forcing Me to Take Piano Lessons! (And I don’t want to)
Winter 2020; Vol. 11, No. 5
What kind of responses or plan does a teacher need when a student says: “I’m only taking piano lessons because my parents are making me take them.” Many factors enter into the possible responses to the above statement: the student’s age, how long the student...
Winter 2020: Life in Music
Winter 2020; Vol. 11, No. 5
“We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry,and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.” by Maya Angelou Forward by Jennifer Snow Many of the articles in this issue highlight the...
Music for the Military – A Small Glance
Winter 2020; Vol. 11, No. 5
Many service members returning home after World War II were diagnosed with “shell shock” and “combat fatigue,” which we now refer to as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The military started an experimental music program to help ease the symptoms associated with psychological and moral injuries....