How Do You Plan A Student’s Repertoire for the Coming School Year?
Discovery homeSign up for email updatessubmit a question We would like to thank Martha Appleby, Sara Krohn, Leanne Hedges, and James B Lyke for this insightful article about planning repertoire. To read the full article, click here. Although few teachers of my acquaintance indulge in...
What Is the First Mozart or Haydn Piece You Teach? What Does the Student Need to Know Before Beginning to Learn It?
Keyboard Companion Winter 1991; Vol. 2, No. 4
Martha Appleby, Editor After a year of total immersion in the music of Mozart—from the great concert halls of the world to the recital halls of local universities—let us examine, as musician-teachers, appropriate repertoire for a young student’s introduction to participating in the music of...
What is Appropriate at the Early Level for the Gifted Child? Do You Use a Method Book?
Discovery homeSign up for email updatessubmit a question To celebrate the latest episode of Piano Inspires Podcast featuring Ingrid Clarfield, we are sharing an excerpted article with her commentary on how she works with children who are musically gifted. Want to learn more about Clarfield?...
What Is the First Bach Piece You Teach? What Does the Student Need to Know Before Beginning to Learn It?
Keyboard Companion Autumn 1991; Vol. 2, No. 3
Martha Appleby, Editor A variation on this question was asked recently at the conclusion of a workshop: “When do you begin a student “on the Bach Minuet?” My response was: When the student can dance to the 3/4 meter and feel the pulse! This produced...
How Does Technology Enhance Your Traditional Approach to Teaching?
Keyboard Companion Summer 1991; Vol. 2, No. 2
Marguerite Miller, Editor Overheard at a piano teachers’ gathering: “I’m an old-fashioned, traditional teacher and proud of it. I don’t want ANY MACHINES in my studio. Mechanical devices would interfere with my personal, creative approach to teaching.” Considering the source of this comment — a...
How Do You Plan a Student’s Repertoire for the Coming School Year?
Keyboard Companion Summer 1991; Vol. 2, No. 2
Martha Appleby, Editor Although few teachers of my acquaintance indulge in a languid state of inactivity during the summer, it is a time when we re-evaluate the progress of our students during the previous school year and determine what changes to make in the fall....
What Are Your Guidelines When Selecting Early-Level Music for Publication?
Keyboard Companion Spring 1991; Vol. 2, No. 1
Martha Appleby, Editor We have heard from teachers, students, and composers — discussing their approach to choosing repertoire for early-level study. With this issue we will hear from the individuals who truly put it all together for us, the publishers. Without this group of music...
How Do You Transfer Students’ Understanding of Theory to Their Understanding of Repertoire?
The color-coordinated, graphic designed, companionable theory books that are packaged with current method books are startling compared to the early workbooks and notespellers. There are many computer theory programs designed to accompany current method books or to be used as a separate course. Theory tests...
What Competition Pieces Do You Use With Early-Level Students and Why?
Any question that includes the word “competition” will immediately trigger hot flashes of emotional response among piano teachers. With the additional phrase “early-level students,” the heat level rises considerably. The sheer number of competitive events available across the country can be overwhelming for both teachers and...
How Do You Teach Intuitive Students to Make Decisions About Interpretation?
Keyboard Companion Summer 1995; Vol. 6, no. 2
Like many questions about teaching, the answer to this issue’s question is a process; there simply cannot be an answer that stands as fact, or even static opinion. Every time we face this question, usually in the middle of a lesson, the answer is both...
What Is Good Material to Use With Elementary Transfer Students Who Are Playing Music Far Too Difficult?
There are many reasons why students change teachers. In this mobile society, it is frequently because the student or teacher has moved to another location. But changes can also occur for professional reasons- poor communication between the triangle of teacher/student/parent, lack of interest, a particular...
What Important Elements of Jazz Are Appropriate for Early-Level Students?
The wording of this question emerged after long stares at a blank computer screen- then typing, cutting, typing, pasting, typing, Thesaurus, cutting and pasting, and repeating the whole process over again. The question kept raising more questions-what is Jazz? Is it possible to teach any important elements of this complex music at elementary or intermediate levels? How can those of us trained in the classical piano tradition learn (much less...
How Do You Plan A Student’s Repertoire for the Coming School Year?
Keyboard Companion Summer 1991; Vol. 2, No. 2
Although few teachers of my acquaintance indulge in a languid state of inactivity during the summer, it is a time when we re-evaluate the progress of our students during the previous school year and determine what changes to make in the fall. September is the teacher’s New...
Is the Repertoire You Are Teaching in 1994-95 Different From the Repertoire You Taught in 1984-85?
Keyboard Companion Spring 1995; Vol. 6, No. 1
Change is a highly volatile presence in our daily lives and in our profession. It is evident in our family structure and in all the institutions of our culture. There are significant changes in the way we shop, the foods we eat, the way we...
What is Appropriate at the Early Level for the Gifted Child? Do You Use a Method Book?
Keyboard Companion Spring 1994; Vol. 5, No. 1
I can hear that sigh when some of you read this question. One long-suffering teacher said, “Gifted child? In my studio a student is ‘gifted’ if the weekly assignment has been practiced!!” Or, as another teacher proudly told me, “I have a gifted student- he can play ALL...