Monthly Archives: July 2014

It’s Not Just About the Piano – Piano Teacher in Wallsend, NSW

“He gets so much more from this time than just piano.”

Oh, such wonderful music to my ears!

Yesterday I was having a conversation with the mother of one of my students, discussing our musical goals for her child. It was such a blessing to hear her say the words above, because that is exactly what I aim for when I teach. I love spending time with my students, watching them blossom, learn new skills and gain confidence. In fact, last week I was so excited when a teenage student finally (and beautifully) grasped a technique with which she had been struggling, my gleeful reaction gave her a wonderful chuckle! And a lot of pride :). I don’t want the only thing your child walks away with to be the basic piano know-how – these are the notes and this is where they are on the keyboard etc.

My hope is that the environment I provide in my Wallsend studio is encouraging, yet relaxed. I want my students to enjoy coming to their lessons and to know that I will guide and support them to meet the goals we have developed together. I am strict with technique, because I want my students to be the best they can be. Good technique translates to ease of playing, which ultimately will make it easier for them to simply enjoy what they are creating at the piano. But it’s about so much more than that.

Following are just some of the benefits I hope my students will take away from their time with me:

Increased confidence – learning to play the piano is hard work and requires dedication from the student. With each song they master, your child’s self-esteem will increase. Learning that mastering a new skill is a patience-requiring process helps kids then approach other tasks in their life with a similar level of confidence instead of frustration.
Theory/musicianship – when learning to play an instrument, good theoretical knowledge is a vital skill that goes hand-in-hand with the practical playing. It’s not just about learning the concepts, but how those concepts fit in to what they are playing. Not just how to do something, but why you are doing it. Understanding how music is constructed not only helps with understanding music that is already written, but also aids greatly with improvisation and composition.
One-on-one attention – let’s face it… who doesn’t need this every now and then? Life today seems to be so busy, even for children. Their lesson is an opportunity for everything to be about just them. I enjoy learning about their lives and other interests so I can better understand them and how their minds operate but to them, this time is simply about them being special.
Critical and creative thinking – reading a piece of music requires a large dose of focus. The student needs to interpret both a rhythm and a note and translate that into what their hands will do on the keyboard, also considering technique. Then they need to immediately move on to the next one! A whole page of that can be rather daunting, but pianists develop these complex thought processes they will then take into many other areas of their life.
Music appreciation – through playing the piano, students are exposed to a range of music they might not otherwise encounter, from classical through to jazz and pop. I think it is important to be not just playing music, but immersing yourself in it and learning to appreciate the way different styles make you feel. Most people will identify a style of music they like for relaxation or for concentration, for example. I find Baroque is great for studying, but when it’s time for the housework, I need a good beat!

So it may not be that every week your child (or yourself, because this also applies to my adult students) comes home with a new piece of music to practise through the week, but they will have spent their lesson time immersed in music, feeling special, developing skills and absorbing more than they realise.

If you are considering music lessons for your child, please contact me to discuss the options. Piano lessons are conducted at my studio in Wallsend, NSW or mobile lessons are available in the eastern suburbs of Lake Macquarie.

piano teacher Wallsend NSW

Tips for Making Piano Practise Fun – Piano Teacher in Wallsend, NSW

We all know practising anything can quickly become a drudgery. We need to go over and over the same thing, often with frustration at the mistakes we make.

Following are some tips to make your child’s piano practise more fun:

Do you know another family with children taking music lessons? Set up a buddy system and let the kids set practise goals together. They can encourage each other to practise and celebrate together when they meet their goals.
Encourage your child to perform. They could host a little recital for family and/or friends. As well as being a fun way to encourage practise, it also allows your child to become accustomed to performing, which will help with exams.
Use the grandparents/relatives. If your child has a grandparent who lives a distance away, have your child call or Skype them and play a piece for them. The grandparent will love to hear how they are progressing and the child will love the support and encouragement to practise the piano regularly.
Find a role model for your child. Perhaps an older child who plays the piano, or even a musician at church. Somebody whose talent your child admires and who is willing to encourage your child.
Duets! It’s always fun to play with a friend. Siblings often enjoy playing together, even when it inevitably ends in giggles. If you don’t have siblings both learning the piano, see if any of their friends are at the same level.
Be working on some sort of goal yourself. You and your child can set goals together and when you both meet them, you can treat yourselves together. It’s a great bonding opportunity as well as teaching your child the value of working consistently for a result.

Piano teacher Wallsend NSW

Practise Tips: Things You Can Do Right Now – Piano Teacher in Wallsend, NSW

Providing piano lessons for your child is providing them with a blessing – the gift of music. But like anything of value in life, it requires work and unfortunately for the parents this usually means hounding your child to practise.

Following are some tips for practising:

Make practise a priority! If children don’t practise, they don’t play well and they may start to believe they can’t play the piano. You have committed to your child’s piano lessons by paying for them, so they need to show the same commitment by practising or your money will be wasted.
A great time to practise is straight after the lesson and on the next day. This is when what they have been taught is fresh in their mind and will result in a much better quality practise. If they wait a few days after the lesson before the first practise, chances are they will forget what was discussed.
Consistency is so important. Shorter, focussed but consistent practise of 4 or 5 days a week is much better than a longer session at the piano on only one or two days.
Should you remind your kids to practise? YES! We have to remind children to do all sorts of things from brushing their teeth to loading the dishwasher (or whatever their given jobs may be) so piano practise is no different.
Decide on a minimum number of years your child will commit to lessons. Often when things become harder and they start to feel challenged, they will see the solution as quitting. Everybody struggles at some point… it just means we’re growing and learning.
Have your child see you practising something or learning a new hobby. They will realise that learning anything involves work.
Give your child lots of encouragement when they put in the effort at the piano. It’s great for them to overhear you telling somebody else how well they are doing.

Sight Reading Tips – Piano Teacher in Wallsend, NSW

Sight reading is such an important skill for any musician to master. As a teacher, my ultimate aim is to teach my students the skills they need to be able to pick up a piece of music and play it on sight. No stress, no struggle – just enjoyment.

For examination students, it is also a component of the exam (for grades beyond Preliminary), so is certainly a necessary skill.

But sight reading doesn’t come as easily to some as it does to others.

The following article was written in consultation with educators who specialise in the skill of sight reading, hoping to make it less scary and more enjoyable 🙂

10 Tips for Sight Reading Music

10 Stretches for Musicians – Piano Teacher in Wallsend, NSW

It is easy to underestimate the physical demands placed on our bodies when playing music. To prevent common injuries, we need to develop endurance, control and overall flexibility. Instrumentalists use their arm, hand and finger muscles extensively while performing and practising, making them vulnerable to a range of injuries.

Our bodies were designed to move, not hold static positions for a length of time as we do when playing an instrument. Added to this, musicians have the general problem of often spending these lengthy periods in far-from-natural positions.

Good posture is important whenever possible, so the body experiences correct alignment, therefore placing minimum stress on the body. Because the inevitable reality for musicians is a less-than-ideal posture that can lead to imbalances in flexibility and strength, it is imperative to keep our bodies flexible.

We can prevent injuries, relieve tension and ease arm and hand pain by integrating stretching exercises into our routine.

The following helpful article lists ten essential stretches for musicians. We warm up our instruments, so we should warm up our bodies as well.

10 Essential Stretches for Musicians

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