Wednesday, March 6, 2024 | Uncategorized

I’m sure you’ve seen the array of new apps available for students interested in learning the piano. These certainly have appeal and give an immediacy to feeling able to play; but how useful are they, and are they a good choice? 

Well, in my opinion an issue with these apps is a lack of human support - with a piano teacher you have a mentor. Piano students need individual feedback on their progress, in order both to develop a sound technique, and also to help them negotiate developing the knowledge and skills needed in a logical manner, and at a speed appropriate for them. 

In piano lessons with me we don’t just concentrate on notation learning - there’s so much development in terms of coordination, technique, improvisation, composition and interpretation, where having a mentor is invaluable. In order to progress efficiently, piano students also need effective practice strategies, and piano teachers advise not only their students on this, but also (if they are children), their parents.

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Thursday, February 15, 2024 | Uncategorized

There are so many method books out there for new piano beginners…but I have a favourite! I have recently been recommending “Piano Safari” for my brand new beginners. It’s so versatile. We:

- play fun songs,

- get lots of practice with initial piano techniques through rote pieces and improvisation (so my students can look at their fingers to see what they’re doing - so important!), 

- and get to grips with some finger coordination before reading notation gets too hard. Notation reading is initially intervalic, which me and my students find really logical, and there’s lots of opportunity for my students to use their own creativity. It’s not the only material I use with my new students, but we’re certainly enjoying it 🙂

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Tuesday, December 19, 2023 | Uncategorized

Lots of my students have been finishing Xmas compositions with me this week. It’s wonderful to hear so much creativity, and it helps with their music theory knowledge too. I have been so happy to hear some magical sounding melodies which really sing out the spirit of the season. My beginners are putting into practice their knowledge of notation picked up over the past few months, and taking it even further in order to notate down exactly what they have imagined the spirit of Xmas music sounds like to them. We’ve been using knowledge of note names, note values, rest values, practising getting their note stems just right, as well as all the other notation language they need to write into their composition, like tempo, dynamics and other musical language to ensure they can share their ideas with anyone who wishes to play their tunes. For my slightly more experienced students we are using knowledge of harmonisation to create music which is rich and full. I wish everyone my best greetings of the season, and hope that you experience some magical music this Xmas, just like I have.

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