How Do You Help Adults Get Over Stage Fright?
May 2009; Vol. 1, No. 3
There are many famous people who have stage fright. According to Patrick Enright of MSNBC.com1; Andrea Bocelli told Connie Chung that he’s constantly afflicted by stage fright that lasts almost his entire performance. “The only way is to go on stage and to hope. “ Glenn...
How do you teach the more “serious” adult student?
July 2009; Vol. 1, No. 4
When my adult students tell me they are “not serious” about their piano study, a red flag goes up – “serious” means different things to different people. Although students may be trying to say their final goal is not to be a performer, more often...
Is there a piano in the house? (What I did on my summer vacation)
March 2010; Vol. 2, No. 2
Can you imagine spending ten glorious days in a stunning country setting, surrounded by good food, good company, and thirty pianos? Many pianists have done just that by attending the Sonata camp, held in an antique-filled forty-two-room house set on two luscious acres of rolling...
From the other side of the bench
November 2011; Vol. 3, No. 6
Our musical, mystical mojo Why would someone decide to take on the study of piano in the adult years? Researchers have taken on this question many times. According to Maslow, it is “self actualization.” Schlossberg says it is because of some sort of transition in...
Medical issues facing adult students
March 2011; Vol. 3, No. 2
“Growing old is not for the weak in spirit.” Although I’ve heard this adage countless times, I finally know what it means. For me, 2010 ushered in a series of medical mishaps, medications, and miracles. I’m now a cancer survivor, yet I feel that surviving the...
The Trapeziectomy Diaries: Recovering from Arthritis
March 2012; Vol. 4, No. 2
Jill Dew is one of my favorite people. You can’t help but love her charisma and her enthusiasm. She is a superb singer and vocal coach who loves her students. She also loves playing the piano, sometimes in tearful wonder of the instrument and her...
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...