100 Days of Practise Club

A couple weeks ago, I joined my friend's 100 Days of Practise Club. She's a professional musician in New York with a huge following, and she even started a group on facebook! I joined and was quite committed for the first 10 days. Not going to lie, I probably practised three straight days and paused for one day and then restarted, that would make a record of 7 days out of 10. Repeat for about a month. I played Chopin, Lady Gaga, even Metallica. Did you know there's a guy who teaches music theory on Youtube and totally analyzes the Metallica chord progression and rich harmonies? Mr. Signals Music Studio is amazing!

photo credit: https://www.europosters.eu/textile-postermetallica-hetfield-guitar-v46037

Anyway, then summer hit and I'm too busy running or getting my 10, 000 steps in. Unfortunately I've started over in the 100 Days Club too many times and I think they're done. But here are some cool links. 

Data Science Study on Song Lyrics

https://towardsdatascience.com/text-analysis-of-successful-song-lyrics-e41a4ccb26f5

Metallica Riff Scale

https://youtu.be/UuqvZDDm_bk

Harmony and Analysis

http://creativeguitarstudio.blogspot.com/2017/05/harmonic-structure-in-style-of-metallica.html

list of songs and keys

https://inwhatkey.com/artist/56-metallica

I'll be Bach to Play Harpsichord

I resumed my own piano lessons again with a new teacher since I just moved away from Ottawa to a small town. Her name is Maggie too, the owner of Riverside Music Studio.

She has a different approach to how songs should be learned. "Always begin hands together", she says. She recommends listening to a recording only after I've had a chance to evaluate (play it through) myself.  We've been spending alternate lessons on pure Sight Reading. Her rules are rather strict - sight reading must be played correctly, at the correct speed, dynamics and hands together.  It seemed insane at first, and nearly impossible. However after a few quiet moments of pre study. it was nice to play something different from Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and a Chopin Mazurka.

My favorite genre to play is definitely Bach Inventions and Sinfornias. Cracking one open is like solving a tricky mathematical problem. It's mind bending, it's catchy and clever. The one I'm working on right now is Invention No. 13 in A minor. I played it for Maggie at the lesson and she asked me to play it on the Roland digital piano in Harpsichord mode. Wow, it was like a time machine and I was transported "Bach" in time.

Don't worry, I'll be Bach to practise piano and blog again after such a long break.

Edge of Glory

During my after dinner jam session tonight, "Maggie Gaga" asks me to teach her to play "Ra ra, ah ah ah-" She catches on pretty quick because she loves A minor (the key in the book, not sure if it's the real key). However she needs to be patient to listen first and play after. A good lesson for ready play. We're still working on that.

My Lady Gaga Piano Play Along and CD from Hal Leonard arrived today, and I played my best to follow along with Bad Romance, Born This Way, and Love Game. The best part about the CD is the orchestra track with or without the keyboard demo, you just play and try to keep up. My daughter and her friend were pretty excited and they kept me motivated to play on, and when I stopped cuz I got lost on the roadmap, they said, "C mon, why did you stop! Keeping going!" (Funny, who's the mom here eh?)

She asks me, who's playing piano on the CD? For lack of a better explanation I just tell her it's Lady Gaga without the singing. Next came the track for The Edge of Glory. What a beautiful song, but I didn't know it at all, but the girls are singing their hearts out. Wow, I just looked it up on youtube and came across this really awesome clip by a classical player.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aFnalWhHvk

They're listening to music all day long, probably Hot 89.9 and whatever the nanny plays on the radio, but it's music of our time. I used to play all the Baby Mozart CD's for her wakeup, lullaby, playtime collections, you name it. She could even recognize certain Mozart sonatas that were played on her baby brother's baby mobile machine. But What I learned today is the best way to get her to the piano is to just play something she likes, obviously Lady Gaga!

Who do you think is the most talented music composer or performer of our time? This is 2000-something I'm talking about, not Bach or Beethoven or Mozart. Stefani Joane Angelina Germanotta (aka Lady Gaga) comes to my mind. She writes her own words and music, and her fashion style, music performance, costumes and stage presence is so fascinating altogether. Or perhaps Hans Zimmer who writes all the big movie scores (Batman Dark Knight); or JohnWilliams who wrote all the music for Star Wars and more.

Piano Studio Policy and Brochure

My piano sudio bochure is colour printed double-sided on tri-folded 8.5 x 11 inches paper. I would like to share the content but the formatting certainly looks better in Word. There is a very short blurb on my studio policy as well.

MUSIC STUDIO
 
Programs available:


• Suzuki Method piano

• Private lessons in piano for beginners to advanced levels, children and teens.

• Group lessons for young children ages 3 to 5

• Theory and Piano Pedagogy Exam Preparation

• Musicland Pre-Twinkle Camp (10 classes). Group classes for ages 3-5 will involve storytelling, magical characters, games, song and dance. Topics include keyboard geography, right and left hand independent playing, note reading, music listening and writing skills, music performance and beyond.  Upon completion, students are ready for beginner’s piano, though it is not a prerequisite.

About the Teacher


I am a Registered Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) and Suzuki Piano Teacher, with over five years of experience and a Masters degree. I keep very busy as a mother of three kids while working full time as a professional Engineer and teaching piano part time.

Suzuki Book 1 (2011); RCM Piano Pedagogy Certificates for Teaching Elementary Piano (2005), Intermediate Piano (2006), Advanced Piano (in progress). Grade 10 RCM with First Class Honours (1994).

Studio Policy


Piano lessons are half hour each for $22 or one hour $40 for advanced students. Tuition fees are paid at quarterly terms; missed lessons for emergency only, call in advance. All lessons begin and end on time.



Suzuki Method


Dr. Suzuki formalized the Suzuki Method of Talent Education in Japan, for various musical instruments including violin and piano. Sometimes called the mother-tongue method, there is a strong emphasis on music listening and aural learning first; music reading comes later. The parent attends every music lesson with the child and oversees the practising at home. Most importantly is the unwavering belief that every child can learn to play beautiful music. Selected students will be encouraged to begin in the Suzuki method, and may later chose to continue with the Royal Conservatory of Music.





Classical Piano

The lessons for Beginners and Grades 1 to 10 will cover the following topics:

• Technique (major and minor scales, chords)

• Repertoire selections from Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Twentieth Century composers

• Duet-playing

• Ear-training (naming and singing intervals, melody playback)

• Music theory

  Performances

• Monthly Masterclass

• Students will prepare for RCM grade level exams in the Spring (June), Summer (August) and Winter (January) sessions as required for advancement

• Students may perform at a Christmas, year end, or Suzuki graduation recital

• Students may compete in festival and various civic competitions


List of Books and Resources

• Musicland by Yellowcat Publishing

• Leila Fletcher Primer, black key method

• Bastien Piano Basics, five finger multi-key approach

• Russian School of Piano Playing, books 1 and 2

• Anna Magdelena Notebook by JS Bach

• Selections from Notebook for Nannerl by L Mozart

• Royal Conservatory of Music Levels 1 to 10

• Suzuki Book 1 and 2

Studio Letter for Music Camp

It's camp season all summer, but I'm running a compact 5 lesson version of the Musicland Adventure Camp in September. I'll be moving away in mid October but the new parent I talked to really wanted her kids to try out music for a bit so I'm running this last class in Ottawa, for now! Here's a copy of my letter

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Dear Parents

Looking forward to teaching your kids in the upcoming session of Musicland Adventure Camp (Suzuki Piano Pre-Twinkle) starting September 2011!

This GROUP class will involve storytelling, magical characters, interactive games and activities to introduce kids to playing piano at the introductory level. Topics include keyboard geography, right and left hand independent playing, note reading, music writing skills, music performance. By course completion, the goals include playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in Suzuki variations, early keyboard skills, pre-staff music reading, solfege pattern recognition, melody playback by ear and more! The target age is 3 – 6; parents will be encouraged to attend all the lessons.

The group class will be held on Saturdays at 9:30AM for one hour on the following dates Sept 8, 15, 22, 29 and Oct 6, 2012.

Cost is $100 each student for 5 lessons with a $30 registration fee per family. The material fee is regularly $25 each (music books, materials and a Suzuki Piano Book 1 CD). However since there are things your kids can share, how about $30 even. Tax Receipts will be sent out by the end of the year for the Children's Activity Tax Credit (Ontario) and the Children's Art Tax Credit (Canada). Please make a check payable on the date of the first lesson for $260 total for the two kids.

Please see the attached brochure for more information about my studio and policy, and please sign and return the Student Information forms. See you!

Sincerely,

Royal Conservatory of Music, ARCT Beginners and Intermediate
Suzuki Piano Teacher http://suzukiassociation.org/people/deborah-tang

What's a good mark for a Piano Exam

My friend whose son recently achieved a mark of 86 for his first ever Grade 1 RCM exam, asked me if that was a good mark. She told me the teacher did not comment or congratulate him on it and gave no further feedback.  I couldn't tell which of those statements were more strange?

I started off with the Asian mom answer, well what happened to the other 14% but she wasn't quite sure if I was joking. Anyway my giggling was giving me away.  I really had to lay it on think.

Me: "First Class Honours is 80% but First Class Honours with Distinction is 90% and up``
Mom: OK
Me: "Well you have to ask yourself if you think it's a good mark."
Mom: "Yah but I don't know."
Me: "Well if your son came back with a mark of 86% for math would you be mad at him or happy?"
Mom: "I don't know"

Wow,  harsh mom from China! I was actually starting to get confused if she just wanted me to say that it was a really awesome mark and she should be really proud of him.

Me: "Well I think that's a pretty awesome mark and you should be really proud of him. I'd be pretty happy with my student for getting that mark"

I did have a student who got 86 for his Grade 1 Exam too a few years ago. He's in Grade 5 piano now but he's been too busy playing basketball to be focused enough for that exam.

Fortunately, a recent RCM newsletter, the RCM Music Matters gives a very neutral and well rounded response to that question. I won`t quote it word for word so you can track it down yourself.

The marking criteria for practical piano exams is mapped out in the RCM Syllabus 2008 Edition.

Excellent:  First Class Honours with Distinction
Very Good: First Class Honours
80 - 84: A performance that is confident, musically interesting, and generally secure technically
85 - 89: An engaging performance that reflects fine preparation; displays technical ease, characterization, and a sense of spontaneity
90 above: Exceptional performance, demonstrating technical command, mastery, deep awareness of style and character, sophisticated musical shaping, effecting communication skills. And I like this one, an authentic performance spark.

I really like that last one, the spark. That`s exactly what I look for to nurture in each of my students. I have to honest that some have it naturally, some have yet to find it. But one you meet someone or hear someone in concert who has it, it is awesome. I might have been generous to say that 86% was an awesome mark, but it is still something to be proud of.

On the other hand, growing up my mom always expected me to have First Class Honours for all the grades. Only once did a I surpass that basic expectation and got First Class Honours with Distinction for Grade 9.

Tips for Adult Beginners

How hard is it in general for adults to learn how to play the piano?

That's a great question. It depends also if you are interested in playing classical music or popular music from the radio with chords, or jazz improvization or a bit of everything.

Potential Challenges
Adults will understand music theory, the structure of chords and why notes sound good together (mathematically) as well as the the concepts of note reading and rhythm, much easier than a young child would. However the the hand eye coordination may seem harder for an adult, the hands may be more rigid and tense (that is a generalization). But there's no reason that an adult couldn't learn to play piano.

The other challenges that adults may face are the distractions with work, tv, sports, life in general and some are not likely to practise.   All my students are young children or teenagers who started with me when they were younger.  The oldest beginner was 13 when he started.  I've had alot of inquiries from adult beginners but I've been relucant to accept one based on my schedule and personal preferences.

Finding a Teacher
If you are seriously looking for a teacher, it sounds funny but you could ask a piano teacher you already know for contacts, or look on usedottawa.com or kijii and browse the piano teacher ads. Some will actually say that they are accepting students of all ages and adults too, while others will say children only. So you know who to call.  Check out the Ottawa Folk Music Center or Long and McQuade music store or, Yamaha on Bank Street or Granata Music.

The Yellowcat Music Sheets that I use in my lessons for the kids work well for older beginners too.

Success Stories
The potential to succeed is there. It depends alot on your committment, your personal goals and the right teacher to tap into the talents you already have.  My mother's friend started taking beginners piano lessons as an empty nester when the kids went away for university and left the piano behind. She started from Beginners and Grade 1 and studied with her kids' piano teacher for about six to eight years.  She just used her kids' piano books.  At the time we talked a few years ago, she was playing Grade 10 RCM level pieces (classical music) and even offering substitute piano lessons when the senior teacher was not available.  This is an amazing feat because if a child starts piano lessons at age 6 an average or non-music-performance-major student would probably reach the Grade 10 level around age 15 or 16.

If you have the desire in your heart and the means to make it possible, just do it. You won't regret piano.