Another Year of Student Auditions

Every year seems to get a little more challenging with age. Last year I was dealing eye problems during my student's music exams. The year before that I struggled to walk. This year my lumbar spine was damaged which made spending volunteer hours in support of my students a painful event today. I am grateful to my co-hall monitor and the volunteer teenagers that helped with running students up and down the stairs. (And oh those stairs!) 

I often wonder how my childhood piano teacher did it all. She taught until she was in her 100s, and lived to be 107. She chaired all of the Southeastern Michigan piano teacher festivals, in cooperation with Grinnell's piano, well into her later years. She handled the logistics of; hiring conductors, procuring duet scores for hundreds of students and adult professionals, securing rehearsal space, bringing one hundred pianos, and a couple dozen organs into rehearsal spaces and performance venues like Cobo Hall and Meadowbrook, hiring a composer to write a fanfare, and then hiring a brass ensemble to play the fanfare for each year, all to create one of the largest piano orchestras in the States, every year. And I struggled to go up and down the stairs and dealt with horrible back pain today just trying to calm and help children to their exam rooms for five hours. I'm a wimp.

I always breathe a sigh of relief after this day has ended. I think it is fair to say that teachers feel as much stress in preparing their students, as the students feel on the day of the event(s). But as much as teachers may struggle leading up to this day, it is so important for students. And that's why we support it (even through physical limitations and pain.) If a student should decide to pursue music as a career without these types of experiences, they would be disadvantaged. More importantly, music exams and assessment events prepare students, not only for future music events of a higher caliber but, for many of life's expectations in the work place. The dedication of building and rehearsing business presentations, board room meetings, and more, starts with the discipline of preparing music to bring in front of a judge for both performance and written exams. Self discipline, preparation, study, research, physical practice, memorization, confidence in one's hard work, these are just some of the strengths gained from private music study and music auditions at the pre-college level. 

The board members for both the NFMC's Junior Festival, and CMTA's Achievement Day, work very hard to make these events happen. Fortunately they are all twenty to thirty years younger than me with an abundance of physical and mental energy. But that doesn't mean the work is easy for them. I have both chaired and judged music assessments in younger years and these are not tasks to be taken on lightly.

The day is done. The teachers are relieved. The students are relieved. The parents are relieved. We are grateful to all the volunteers who made the event possible. And now we wait to hear the results. 

I am heading to bed much earlier tonight along with an ice pack and a muscle relaxer. Tomorrow starts preparations for the next event on this year's list. 

Learning to Improvise with Basic Jazz Chords and their Scales

One of the first questions students ask me is, "How do I know what notes to use for improvising?" 

Every chord that you see on your lead sheet has come from a scale. We are going to start today by looking at five basic scales you can use to improvise within chord areas on your lead sheets. These five scales are a good start for beginners. As you gain experience you will learn more chords, and more scale choices for each chord. Your teacher has probably started you on a lead sheet that contains the following basic chord forms. We will use the key of C as our example.

Now that you know each chord's name, let's look at the spelling of each of the above chords:

Now refer back to the chord name in the first chart, this is also the scale name we will use. Here is the pattern for each scale in whole steps (W) and half steps (H):

Now we will use those patterns in the key of C so you can see how to use the patterns with any other key:

Within the rhythm of the chord on your lead sheet, you can practice playing the solid chord, in any inversion in your left hand, and improvising over that chord using the corresponding scale notes in your right hand. Take your time. Enjoy the process. 

Reasons for Recitals

Happy 2022! I am moving into this new year like a turtle. And, I have decided that is okay! 

There has been a lot of discussion on private music instructor boards as to why we give recitals. And in this post, I want to highlight some of the reasons I believe group performances are important for students. But first I want to give a broad view of the contrasting opinions about recitals, or public performances, I have read from other private music teachers. 

Some believe recitals are important for students and offer online and in-person opportunities when possible at their own expense. Some teachers have a belief that it is too much work for the teacher and an archaic practice: They believe students should find their own performance platforms as part of the learning experience. Other teachers believe it is an expense that should be payed for by parents, instead of instructors, through the sale of tickets. And there are many other thoughts and opinions from teachers from around the world. Every teacher has a solid reason for the way they decide to, or decide not to, offer recital opportunities for their students. I am an advocate for live performances arranged by the studio instructor. I believe there are important benefits that are provided to students from participation in live performances.

Music performance is a living art form that happens in the present and can never be reproduced identically. Music has historically brought people together to experience a live art form. So much of what we experience as art today is preserved. What I mean by that is most music is pre-recorded for distribution; mp3s, videos, etc. Those are wonderful ways of sharing music, but the music is not alive in those forms. Live music is art in the now that can not be replicated. It combines with the  sense of place - people, smells, temperature, lighting, architecture of the room, attitude of the audience, attitude of the musicians, etc.   That unpredictable set of circumstances joins with the live music performance creating the art form in that singular moment. That is the beauty of live music, and that is one of the most important reasons why we study and perform live music for others.

Performing live music builds community. The students, who may never see any other students from a music studio, come together for a common purpose. The students meet, the families meet, and together with the instructor a new community is built. Young students are able to hear older students who may be at their same level. The realization that age and background has no place in art is often a boon to children and adult students alike. Anyone can be a beginner at any age, and any one can be more accomplished at any age. This gives a new feeling of support to each student, and the families also feel a bond with other musical families.

Affirmations of goals met. When a student practices, does the work, shows up, and plays for others, that is a measurable goal that is important for the student, families, and community who can see and affirm that the musician is growing and becoming more proficient at their art.

Education for the outsider. Over the years I have had people approach me who have "wandered" into a recital. Most have never heard a live student recital and they share how they become involved with each performer as they watch and listen. They begin to feel like they are a part of the collective and experience the energy of the room as each student's personality is revealed in their performance.

Student recitals/concerts are very important because they: provide a living art form, build community, provide for goal setting and affirmations, educate outsiders. 

Keep encouraging your students toward live opportunities! 

The Season of Music

We had a great time together on December 5th sharing music that first time performers bravely shared with family and friends. Adults and Children joined in to share Holiday Favorites and more. Congratulations to these musicians! And a special thanks to Annie O Love's Cafe of Sweet Abundance for allowing us to occupy her fun space for this event.

How Long Should It Take To Get Through A Method Book?

A question I am often asked by young teachers is, "How long should it take my students to get through each method book?" The short answer is 3 - 9 months. The long answer is, it depends on the family. (You thought I was going to say it depends on the student.)

The average student needs parental help to schedule, maintain, and support  their music practice and scholastic homework through the age of eleven years. This is the same for after school athletic activities. 

It is interesting to note that athletic coaches realized (about 35 years ago) that parents were no longer encouraging dance and sports routine practice between lessons. Dance studios and soccer coaches took the lead in restructuring private coaching sessions and team classes as a requirement on more than one day a week to be accepted as a student. 

My Patreon Page, Online Gatherings, PLUS A Welcome Hand from Columbia SC

Since I last posted a lot has been happening in the music studio. I have been donating time every month to hold an online music class so that children and adults can have the opportunity to play music for one another. Without the space or opportunity to come together for recitals (due to the pandemic restrictions) this has been a positive and fun experience for everyone. The children get to see one another and everyone is so supportive. 

I am excited to tell you that I am building a Patreon site. You know my passion for making music a part of everyone's life: Well, I am hoping this site will be a key to that manifestation. When I lived in other areas I had Angels that would give financial scholarships to my studio so families experiencing financial challenges could have 6 - 12 months of music lessons at low to no cost. I am searching for those Angels in this Holy City. I believe there are people here that would love to help - I simply haven't met them yet.

If you would like to become an Angel and donate a dollar a month or more to my Patreon project you can join my Patreon page at www.Patreon.com/LowCountryStudios. 

Another step in a positive direction, for this music studio, was made in 2020. We were blessed to be welcomed into a Columbia chapter of the National Federation of Music Clubs. Their kindness in welcoming me and my students, and allowing me to form a Junior Music Club here in Charleston, has given my students the opportunity to take part in these yearly National Music Festivals. The  NFMC requires each student to perform a piece of music by an American composer in addition to a foreign composer. So many children can name Bach, Beethoven and Mozart - but are not aware of our rich heritage of American composers. Nine of my students are taking part in this event next month. Charleston has never had opportunities for private music students through this well respected organization. I am so very grateful to have been given the opportunity to open this door for music students.