In this issue
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
Does word-of-mouth advertising fall on deaf ears? Seven web essentials for marketing
Word-of-mouth is often accurately touted as the best way to market piano lessons. But the concept of word-of-mouth has changed tremendously in the last ten years, both…
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
November 2015: Questions and Answers
Q: Would you please discuss the role of technology in piano teaching? How big a role do you think technology should play in weekly lessons? A: We…
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
November 2015: Preludes: Wonderfully Frustrating
Herbert Chatzky, my beloved piano teacher from my teenage years, passed away at the age of 78. His pianism and musicianship were a huge inspiration for…
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
Should we fear the future?
"What is the future of piano teaching?" is an important question, but it may tend to strike a bit of fear into each of us. Almost…
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
The teaching legacy of Rosina Lhévinne
Rosina Lhévinne found herself in an awkward position in the late 1940s. Later famous as the teacher of Van Cliburn and John Browning, among others, and…
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
Instant alto clef fluency
Reading alto clef can be a snap for pianists. In fact, if you can read the grand staff, you already have the skills necessary to read…
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
Pencil practice 102
As a student pianist at music camp, I once asked an improvisation teacher for tips to help me improve my creative skills. "Learn everything you can…
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
Exploring the melodrama: Works for narrator and piano
Of all the different fusions of literature and music, the melodrama is by far the most neglected and misunderstood. Since the late eighteenth century, composers have written…
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
Drive and surprise
Here's a piece that captures the attention of everyone from precocious seven-year-olds to late beginners of all ages. Susan Ogilvy's Toccatina (Alfred) is suitable for students from…
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
Suzuki piano: A student-centered approach
Shinichi Suzuki's (1898-1998) ideas about music education were well ahead of his time. His philosophy and approach to teaching were based upon a unique understanding of how…
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
Student wants and needs
During the late 1990s, I taught piano privately in New York City to supplement my income while working on my doctorate. From time to time, the phone…
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
Music lessons are life lessons
Have you ever been in a room full of people or at a table with friends where no one was talking with each other because everyone…
November 2015; Vol. 7, No. 6
Respect and love for the music: A conversation with Martha Argerich
I had the privilege of meeting Martha Argerich, for many the greatest living pianist, when she performed Schumann's concerto with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney…