The Eye Ear Revolution™ Lands in Denver

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“Talk to the hand”, “doo bah zee dot”, “squared scales”, “safe notes”. This is a sampling of the lingo I’ve learned thanks to my exposure to and friendship withEyeEarBanner2Med my colleague Bradley Sowash.

When I attended my first NCKP (National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy) Conference in Chicago years ago, I had the privilege of attending a session led by Bradley featuring his That’s Jazz books. By sheer coincidence, I found myself sitting next to him that evening during a large-group happy hour. Not one to miss a moment to learn something new, I began picking his brain about the 12-bar blues and returned to my hotel room with a bar napkin full of his scribbles providing advice about how to teach the pattern.

Years later we met again at the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association) conference held here in Denver. Again, never one to miss an opportunity, I enjoyed a pizza lunch with Bradley in the exhibit hall and yes, returned home with a napkin full of notes.

Fast forward to 2013. Bradley was appointed the Chair of the MTNA 2013 Conference Saturday Pedagogy Jazz/Pop track (that’s a mouthful) and he invited me to serve alongside him. Details about the day and handouts are available here. The fact that there was standing room only demonstrates that the tide is changing and many are seeing the need to expand piano education beyond the repertoire of European dead guys AND beyond the page–in other words, both current and creative.

While working on this project, Bradley felt the need to carry on with the goal of promoting a balance of eye and ear skills past the MTNA conference. He has coined his goal or movement the Eye Ear Revolution™. As we discovered we worked well together, we developed a branch of the Eye Ear Revolution™ called 88 Creative Keys. This summer in my home town of Denver, will be the first annual (yes, we hope to make it annual) 88 Creative Keys Camp for kids ages 10-18 and clinics for adults and teachers.

teetertotter3To set the stage for the upcoming 88 Creative Keys events, Bradley flew out to Denver and presented at CU Boulder and Rockleys 531905_10151415097373907_73602421_nMusic Center. As his appointed taxi driver, it was my pleasure to shuttle him to each location and of course listen-in on his savvy tips on promoting creativity beyond the page. What I witnessed (yet again) is that Bradley is not only a sparkling jazz artist but an extremely dedicated educator and author who knows how to teach his craft. While attending both sessions, I also learned that my note taking could be better. Revisiting my notes, I realized that most of my sentences were left uncompleted. With one bright idea after another coming at me faster than I could write, here are just a few nuggets of wisdom I salvaged:

  • Bradley’s favorite visual for the eye/eye revolution = a well-balanced teeter totter of eye and ear skills.
  • He believes that in order to develop comprehensive musicianship, students need instruction in  both.
  • Students are crippled by a “read only” curriculum that fails to honor both sides of their brain.
  • The number one thing Bradley hears from teachers interested in musical creativity: “I don’t have the tools to improvise or to teach improvisation.”

To demystify the art of improvisation, Bradley discussed the five myths about improvisation. My notes can’t compare to his brief video:

A good portion of his sessions focused on his That’s Jazz books. Bradley explained that many supplementary jazz books on the market are written out–so when reading these pieces you are playing jazzy, but not jazz.

His series of books include original compositions along with:

  • A warm-up page before each piece that forewarns the improviser about the “traps” to be found.
  • A going-further page after each piece which provides specific improvisation tools to be rehearsed.
  • An improv challenge that assigns students to plug in newly acquired improv skills into the piece.
  • Plenty of step by step and easily digestible directions.

When using his books in lessons, Bradley suggests the following (among many other things):

  • Sell the idea of improvisation as a reward to your students: “You played the written music so well that now you get to play it your way!”
  • Accompany students constantly and use a small hand drum or automated accompaniment to keep them on track with a steady pulse.
  • Never criticize–remember you are blowing on tiny creative embers that can be easily ignited or snuffed out depending upon your approach.
  • Always ask questions when guiding improvisers. For example, instead of saying “That was too loud”, ask , “How would it sound to vary the dynamics?”
  • Encourage with these words: “If you don’t like how something sounds, you are always only one note away from a better choice.”
  • Take away tip: The two most useful 7th chord positions: the “Bird” (7th chord in 2nd inversion) and root position.

What I’ll save for another blog: his incredibly savvy advice on teaching chords and chord symbols. If you want to know more now, go and purchase his Understanding Chord Symbols booklet. This is worth EVERY penny.

With a full-time church position, I’m always looking for ways to make my job easier and to offer some variety from Sunday to Sunday. So I took advantage of a colleague in town. A colleague who happens to be a concert jazz artist (I’m no dummy!).  His prelude ignited the congregation and the choir couldn’t help but swing along while singing Bradley’s anthem. It was thrilling for me to play with him on a couple of numbers as well. With a “power” lesson and some practice under my belt, I kept up with Bradley on the postlude showing some newly developed comping and improv skills.

Taking advantage of face time, Bradley and I spent leftover hours of the short weekend planning for the 88 Creative Keys events. I’ve learned a great deal about his teaching style thanks to his blogging. (NOTE: If you haven’t yet, now’s the time to check out his blog articles as they are jam-packed with tips and demonstrate his stunning success with his students.) As we continue our plans, it appears we balance each other well with our unique backgrounds and teaching styles.

We are extremely grateful for those who have seen the value of what we will offer. Spaces are filling up fast but there is still room, so if you are interested in learning to teach and play more creatively, we’d love to have you participate. Events run from July 29-August 3. Please check the site for exact dates, tuition, etc.

  • Learn more about Bradley Sowash and the Eye Ear Revolution at EyeEarRevolution.com.
  • Learn more about the 88 Creative Keys Events here.
  • Learn more about and purchase Bradley’s #1 best-selling  jazz method That’s Jazz here.
  • Learn more about and purchase Bradley’s Understanding Chord Symbols here.
  • Learn more about the 88 Creative Keys Events here.

I’ll leave you with Bradley’s performance of “In the Moment” one of many favorites featured on his CD In the Moment.

Interested in staying in touch with the latest news from 88 Piano Keys and the 88 Creative Keys Events? Now you can text to join our mailing list!

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Buck Up and Do It!

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low-section-view-of-a-group-of-people-exercising-in-a-step-aerobics-classI’m a fitness junky. I head to our local fitness club at least 4 times a week. Yes, I move to the latest hits set in a relentless tech mix and love every minute of it. My favorite instructor, Heidi, is to “blame” for this latest blog. I faithfully attend her classes (when I’m not teaching).

During her step classes, I marvel at her tenacious, drill-sergeant-like orders. She has gorgeous, long dark hair, beautiful olive skin and yes, a body to match.  She is funny, engaging, quick to learn names and is a slave driver the entire hour. Her perfectly timed cues keep the Lycra-clad crowd motivated, moving to the beat and usually gasping for air. Instead of empathizing with our “suffering” she yells “higher” or “lower” or “touch the floor” all in a threatening tone that translates as “don’t you dare stop!”. Then she smiles and says “you’re all right”.

Why are Heidi’s classes so full when they are virtually glorified torture sessions set to tunes? Because she pushes us out of our comfort zone. At least once during the hour she reminds us that the only way we will see a change in our bodies is if we push them to fatigue and then work them some more.

One morning it dawned on me that working beyond what comes easy builds strength in all dimensions of life–work, family, faith. I’ll never forget when I expanded my studio and faced the daunting task of teaching three hours in a row instead of two. Granted, during my early days of teaching, I had charge of three young sons and was usually a bit weary even before lessons began as I passed them off to my husband when he arrived home from work. Then I began teaching mornings before school and 3 hours in the afternoon. Soon I added day-time adult and home-schooled students and now some days are filled with more teaching hours than non teaching hours.

What I discovered? These full days invigorate my instruction, keep me accountable, focused and above all, flexible.  I believe they give me strength to rise above the every-day hassles and propel me into a go-mode that promotes a positive outlook. There’s really no time to complain or whine, just time to step up and jump in with both feet.

Some may say my energy level is slightly elevated. I’ve been accused of taking on too much and find myself guilty as charged. So let me clarify; I’m not saying busier is better or that multitasking is admirable or being stressed will lead to success. I’m attempting to share what I’ve found evident in my own experiences. It seems:

  • I get more done when I have less time
  • Pushing through fatigue and finding that second wind often makes me a more joyful, creative teacher
  • When challenged with repertoire I didn’t think I could possibly play, I find new skills emerge
  • Juggling my various roles in life continually urges me to prioritize and seek a balance.

Partial credit for my stamina belongs to a physical trainer who pushes me, won’t let me stop and scolds me if I fail to stay on task (yes, Heidi knows my name and is not afraid to chide me during class). Wow, if I can’t get enough of Heidi’s sugar-coated “brutality”, I’m guessing this means that my students feel the same. It even makes me think I could be a bit pushier.  When I provide energetic and passionate instruction combined with a good nudge to excel, students are charged and re-invigorated (at least most of them) for another week’s worth of  ”training” at their home bench.

When you find yourself stretched beyond what you thought was your limit, take a deep breath and power through. You may discover that your tough times will chisel you into a new shape that will not only transform your outlook but also translate into piano bench-warmers that buck up and do it.

Looking to be pushed in a new creative direction on the bench? Consider joining Bradley Sowash and me at the 88 Creative Keys Camp, Workshop and Clinics for keyboard students and teachers. Discover how to move beyond the page and build new skills you never thought possible.

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To learn more, click here.

Sharing the Stage

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Staffs-Life-Elena-with-HP-Jazz-BooksElena Cobb provided her recently released Higgledy Piggledy Jazz book as a giveaway here at 88pianokeys.me. Both Elena and I were so pleased and touched to read your comments. One in particular caught my eye, written by Bev Conway:

“I always submit a request to win free music since I teach piano in a community center that offers lessons for children who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford them. I provide the music for the kids (and am paid the same amount I charged 35+ years ago when I first started out). These children offer their own set of challenges but there is great reward as well.”

This seems like a topic worthy of a future blog. I have way too much print music. Plus people frequently ask if I would like their music books as they are retiring, moving, etc. It would be wonderful to start a program that delivered music books to budding musicians like the ones Bev mentions above. Has anyone heard of such an organization? (Bev, you earn an extra jewel in your crown, wow!)

Again, thank you to all who contributed comments and experiences in teaching jazz, blues and improvisation. I enjoy “sharing the stage” with you and hearing your opinions and ideas. Now, back to Elena–I invited her to share a little more about what she does with her students and she offered this…

“Hi guys, my name is Elena Cobb and I am the creator of the Higgledy Piggledy Jazz Series.

Following the enthusiastic response to her blog, Leila has asked me if I would be interested in sharing my creative vision and needless to say, I was very excited to have this opportunity.

Thank you so very much for all your comments to Leila’s blog ‘Give Away For Higgledy Piggledy Jazz’ and especially to Leila who wrote the review on my book.

Congratulations to the winners of the competition – LEIA SHARMA from New Delhi and SUSANNE GRAVEL from Canada and commiseration to those who did not win. Better luck next time!

Every piano teacher will agree that piano playing, especially in the beginning, is a lonely business and with this thought in mind, I came up with the plan. I decided to give my young pianists an opportunity to share stage with a Professional Jazz band. I composed the music, recorded CD and published the book ‘Higgledy Piggledy Jazz’ for piano with a play-along CD.

Some were skeptical at first – how can a 7 year old keep the beat and hold his own against the Pros? Easy-peasy! Kids are real troopers and they cannot wait to get on stage. Reason? It makes them feel like stars.

All three Higgledy Piggledy Jazz books (piano, alto sax, classical guitar ensemble) are interactive and can be used together. I usually team up with my colleagues who teach different instruments and the concert becomes a variety show. Guitar chords are added below the stave in the piano book and all you need is to find a good drummer and a bass guitar player.

Young soloists played Higgledy Piggledy Jazz tunes live on the BBC Radio, at Festivals and smaller audiences in school concerts. Very often, their little feet cannot reach to the floor, but this early stage experience is simply invaluable as it paves the road to more important events in their lives.

Enjoy these videos of teacher and student!

To learn more about teaching jazz and more specifically, improvisation, check out  EyeEarRevolution.com. 88CreativeKeys.com will be changing homes! Continue to look for the same invaluable resources for creativity at the keys at our new, revolutionary site.

Join us now and learn the art of balancing eye and ear skills at the keys!

Moosic Studio App: and the Winners Are…

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14462_472342442816153_558618687_nDrum roll please…..the winners of the Moosic Studio App are:

Lucas Wood

Cindy Terhune

Congratulations! Please contact me at lviss@me.com to claim your code.

If I don’t hear from you by Sunday, May 5th,  I’ll choose a new winner.

If you are sold on the app but didn’t win, here’s a link to purchase it now.

Let’s not forget to thank Carlos Fontiveros! Kudos are in order as he kept an eye on the comments and chimed in with great answers to questions. In addition, Carlos supplied the free codes and one more huge THANK YOU FOR a TERRIFIC APP! 

In some ways we are all winners as we can learn a great deal from the comments posted. Thank you for contributing to the lively thread about methods of providing feedback to students, your thoughts on using the iPad, issues with what system you are presently using, and the CONTINUAL search for the perfect solution for those pesky but important AND often ignored lesson notes. The Moosic Studio app certainly integrates a fabulous lesson-note feature. Please click here to view all the comments at the original post

Below is a small selection of comments  you may find interesting:

“I second everything already said in previous replies! I love the sound of this app, however, I have real resistance to making a commitment to such an intensive use of an iPad app. Leila, you are such a strong proponent of the iPad, but I find it frustrating in so many ways and have pretty much the opposite feeling about tech stuff as you seem to (smile). The main challenge for me with the iPad, especially with apps that involve a lot of text input, is the necessity of entering it with an on-screen keypad, rather than being able to use a regular physical keyboard. Possibly it’s my age, but I find using the touch screen on iPad and my smartypants phone laborious, slow and frustratingly inefficient, compared to regular touch-typing. It feels like I’ve gone back in time to doing ‘hunt and peck’ on my dad’s old manual typewriter as a kid, before I learned to touch-type in high school. Being a pianist, and with 40+ years of practice, my typing is nearly as fast and intuitive as my piano playing.

This is not meant to be a negative comment, and obviously you are not in charge of how tech tools are designed! But I wonder if you have any suggestions or comments on this issue. I know there are little ports to set an iPad in, with wee physical keyboards, but the ones I have seen are smaller than a regular keyboard, so not really a true replacement. And the whole point of a tablet is that it is a small, single unit. Adding more equipment kind of negates the whole concept. Surely I am not the only person to feel this way?

At this point, I guess what I would like is for MTH to get some of the great-sounding features of Moosic Studio added to their system! But I would be happy to be persuaded otherwise, as this sounds like a great system, and I too love the fact that the teacher’s husband created it for her. My sweetheart’s studio support is of a different nature: he keeps my bike running, makes dinner on days I teach, and vacuums! He is also my best piano student.”;)

-Kathy G

I second a lot of the post-it replies–I find that students look at notebooks less and less each year, so have added post-its or flags right on the music many times. Older students in our area receive/retrieve lots of school assignments on line; I think paper is dinosaur-ish to many students. Planning on switching from just a paper notebook to paper and electronic delivery of assignments next year. Email announcements now. Just started using dropbox for videos and I’m very pleased with it; plan to expand my use of dropbox next year.

So glad you reviewed Moosic–I have been looking at it and love the additional info!

PS Didn’t get to read everything, but saw some comments about the itty-bitty iPad keyboards. I use a Bluetooth attached keyboard on my mini. There is a tutorial available to help you get used to its size, found it helpful.

-Andrea

Hey Leila, please don’t enter me in the draw because I’m already a happy owner of Moosic Studio. I can hardly wait for the next updates, especially the billing/invoicing update. This morning I was excited to enter the cheques I’ve received for next season’s book fee, only to realize it was a mock-up on Facebook that I was thinking of :( This isn’t one of those apps that I’ve already purchased & is now languishing on the last page of my screen – Moosic Studio is one of the few apps that’s right at the bottom of the screen (the one that doesn’t vanish when you swipe to the side).

At this busy time of year when everyone’s asking to swap lesson times, Moosic Studio has helped me keep my sanity with a great swap system.
This is an amazing app that clearly demonstrates the informed collaboration between a piano-teaching wife & an app-developing husband. The developer has been fantastic, bending over backwards to consider the suggestions & questions of this teacher. Great review, Leila!  

-mycgrimsby

 

Plug: Looking for more ways to use your iPad in your studio? Stay tuned for my book–coming soon!

One more plug…

To learn more about improvising in jazz and other styles check out eyeearrevolution.com

Looking for an opportunity to learn more about improvising for you and/or your students?

Consider attending an 88 Creative Keys Events held this summer in Denver, Colorado.

Check out this video for more details.

 

One App at a Time: Moosic Studio

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Wow, sometimes I wish I could start all over. Well, that may be an overstatement, but there’s something about the 14462_472342442816153_558618687_ntools offered to piano teachers now a days that are so nifty and savvy. Not surprising that I would say something like this as you know I’m a huge fan of iPad apps and any tech tool that enhances my teaching style. If I was forced to begin again,  I’d be highly interested in using a recently released iPad app called Moosic Studio to keep my studio in order.

What intrigues me the most about Moosic Studio is the fact that this app was developed by a husband for his wife, a piano teacher. No one is aligned to the daily woes and needs of a piano teacher more than a spouse. Can you imagine the luxury of having someone in-house who listens and builds a product to suit your personal studio needs? Once you take a look inside the app, you’ll see that this teacher married well :-) .

Usually I devote this column to apps that I’ve experienced first hand, but I must admit, I have not yet employed the app to its full potential.  I already have a system in place for scheduling, etc and because of time constraints, I can’t foresee changing over to this system right now. That being said, for any of you who are launching a studio, looking for a way to streamline lesson scheduling or desperate for a means to organize your studio with the ease of an iPad, here’s a fine solution.

My Point of View

Instead of providing a general outline of the app’s features, let me zero in on a favorite. As I make it a point to follow-up lessons by emailing lesson notes, I was particularly interested in seeing how Moosic Studio provides lesson feedback. I was pleased to find a fabulous system obviously custom-made for piano teachers. Once student general information has been entered, tapping on the individual’s name will lead to a screen where a great deal more information can be stored for that particular pianist. One category is labeled Assignment History. Selecting this option will take you to an array of additional category titles with sub menus.

  • Lesson Dates of all past lessons
  • Attendance: On Time, Late, No Show
  • Books: Brought Books, Did Not Bring Books
  • Lesson Event/Performance: Outstanding, Good, Needs Improvement
  • Teacher Comments (not shared with students)
  • Lesson/Event Notes
  • Circle of 5ths: Hands (together, separately), Pentascales, Tetrascales, Scales, etc…
  • Assignments: Add Book Assignment, Sight Reading, Apps/Online, Notes
  • Attach Media: Audio Recordings, Video Recordings, Timed Events

All of these items can be selected and completed during the lesson. There is ample space to write comments, and yes even make video and audio recordings that can be shared with a student via Dropbox and other apps. However, the most extraordinary portion of the app is that all these menu items mentioned above are neatly organized into a lovely template that can be:

  • printed at the lesson
  • opened in another app such as Dropbox, Kindle, Notability, forScore, iBooks, Evernote, Google Drive
  • emailed directly to the student

Oh my,  I’ve been looking for something like this that totes versatility and ease of communication with student families and finally found it!

The Developer’s Point of View

From my conversations with Carlos Fontiveros, the developer, it is clear he is continually updating Moosic Studio and adding new features to piano teachers’ wish list.  Below is his description of the latest updates:

“We’ve come out with an update for Moosic Studio and the big focus was to re-design the Lesson Assignment sheet. The initial Version 1.0 sheet was not optimized at all and included every assignment whether it was entered or not. This also caused the Lesson Assignments to be multiple pages which is not good for anyone. The re-design fixed this by making each assignment dynamic. Each Assignment section only shows up on the sheet if the teacher has assigned something. If they haven’t, it won’t show up on the printed/emailed page.

576988_522498524467211_929437047_nWe also added some more Instrument Types and Skill Levels to match some of the more popular music series books.

We’re actively working on the update that I think everyone wants to see and that is Billing and Invoicing.. You can see the mock-up screen shots up close on my Facebook page.

This is going to be a huge update that I know will solidify our place in the music studio management space. After this update, we’ll be adding the following:

  • Student Repertoire Tracker
  • Studio Notes (centralized place for teachers to jot private notes, assign notes to a student or individual lesson)
  • Ability to import CSV files for Students/Parents and also music libraries.”

This post uncovered a small portion of what this powerhouse app offers. In addition, it seems Moosic Studio will have strong support from the developer. I imagine there is pressure to please as his number one customer lives in the same house. To get the full scoop check out the app website www.moosicstudio.com for a rundown of all the features.

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Leila’s Opinion of Moosic Studio: $39.99

Application Potential: 5/5 If  you have not found a system suitable for your studio and own an iPad, this may be your solution. In addition, it appears that Carlos Fontiveros, the developer is highly sensitive to the needs of piano teachers.

Ability to Use with Ease: 4/5 Like all software, you may find that you will need to work around some issues to fit your scheduling and billing requirements.

Assessment of Investment: 5/5 The Moosic Studio site says it best: “Raise your hand if you like to pay a subscription fee EVERY month to manage your music studio. We’ve found that not many (if anyone) likes to pay a monthly subscription that amounts to hundreds of dollars each and every year. Wouldn’t you like to spend that money on something else… maybe a new iPad?” 

Total Score: 14/15

Interested in receiving the Moosic Studio app for free? Carlos has generously offered two free codes! To qualify, please leave a comment about how you presently communicate weekly assignments to your students/parents AND sign up for the 88Pianokeys.me newsletter (here).

Hurry, as the offer is good only through Friday, May 3!

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Leila Display Ad with Sun

Click here to sign up for more info about Creative Keys Events coming to Colorado summer of 2013.

Find weekly exercises to stretch you and your students’ creativity at 88CREATIVEkeys.com.

Winners of the Higgledy Piggledy Jazz Giveaway!

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Thank you to all those who expressed interest in Elena Cobb’s book, left comments and signed up for the 88pianokeys.me newsletter. I enjoyed reading all  your comments. My son, Levi, was asked to draw the winner from the pool of names. Unfortunately it was with his right hand as his left hand is in a sling due to a broken collar-bone. I really think he should stick to playing the piano and drop the soccer. FYI: if you are not a winner, you can purchase Higgledy Piggledy Jazz and Elena’s other books here.

Drum roll please…..the winners of the Higgledy Piggledy Jazz Books are:IMG_2710

Suzanne Gravel

Leia Sharma

Congratulations! Please contact me at lviss@me.com by Friday, April 25, 2o13 to collect your prize.

To learn more about improvising in jazz and other styles check out 88creativekeys.com

Looking for an opportunity to learn more about improvising for you and/or your students?

Consider attending an 88 Creative Keys Events held this summer in Denver, Colorado.

Check out this video for more details.

 

Online Book Club–Chapter Two

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Welcome back to the online book club at 88pianokeys.me.Book Club

First let me say thank you to all those who contributed to the initial post. A rousing discussion was had that begs for more! In case you are just joining the online book club, Philip Johnston’s book The Dynamic Studio: How to Keep Students, Dazzle Parents and Build the Music Studio Everyone Wants to Get Into is the book under discussion. Here’s the link to the first round. Click here for more details about the club and how to join. It’s really easy, just sign up here first, and you’re in!

Pour yourself a cup of coffee, find a comfy chair and ponder over the quotes below.

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dynamic-studio-how-keep-students-dazzle-parents-build-philip-johnston-paperback-cover-artToday’s Quotes from Chapter 2: Shaking up the Static Studio

“…a studio’s rhythm is a unique as a fingerprint.”p 23

“Changing the rhythm of lessons is not about abandoning patterns in teaching, but it is about periodically confounding the expectations that such patterns create. It’s about leaving students just a little off-balance, making it harder for them to settle into any sense of “same old”, because there is no same old.”p 23

“…I therefore very rarely prepare students for exams.” p 37

“Next time you go to a music teacher conference, talk to as many teachers as you can, and ask them what it is that their studio has students preparing for…”  p 37

“One powerful way to change the rhythm of lessons–without actually declaring any changes at all–is to simply redefine the space in which the lessons take place.” p 41

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Questions:

1) What does the “finger” print of your studio look like?

2) Do you change the rhythm of your lessons? If so, how?

3) Oh-oh, here we go…what about those exams, festivals, competitions? Do your students participate in as many as possible? None? Some? Do you believe they are beneficial to your teaching and your students’ progress at the piano?

4) Do you re-create your teaching space by moving furniture, adding seasonal decor, incentive charts?

5) Have you tried implementing a “team” competition within your studio as Johnston mentions on page 39?

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Here are my responses (it was hard to be brief!). Each question really deserves a full blog but that’s for another time.

1) I usually need to pull the shades down because my studio is filled with natural  sunlight. This always helps lighten the mood. A unique finger IMG_2103print is hard to gauge when you are in the midst of it but I suspect people walk in and feel at ease because I’m quite casual. Still pondering this insightful question.

2) Every week students earn a piece of candy IF they can answer the question of the week. Examples: What is the name of the composer of your recital piece? Draw an example of a slur and a tie on the white board and explain the difference between the two. What does that dot mean by that dotted note? What instrument does a skeleton play? (trombone). Here’s a blog about how I use these “teachable moments“.

3) For quite some time I have stayed away from festivals, competitions, etc because of family obligations, keyboard classes at school that demanded too much of my time, a full-time church position and frustration with the quality of comments from adjudicators. Recently I entered 7 students in a festival. The verdict is still out. I’m not fully convinced of these yet, but all students claimed they would do it again.

4) My studio was remodeled and I’m absolutely spoiled as are my students. If I had to choose one favorite thing about it: I parted with a desk and replaced it with a round table from Ikea that cleans up in a snap with Windex. The table invites people to sit and converse. It’s a perfect place for new student interviews, group lessons or when I want to just hang with a student before the lesson begins.

5) I have not tried a team competition (outside of my Piano Olympics) in my studio but would like to, does anyone have a successful team event they wish to share?

This second chapter is lengthy and displays Johnston’s ability to generate an overwhelming amount of suggestions to shake your studio into a static-free environment. What’s important to me is that the unique “print” of my studio be authentic. Ideas, events, activities need to feel right to me for it to work. Just because a team competition may work for someone else’s studio, doesn’t mean it will work for me. However, I’m always up for something new so can’t wait to hear from you all! One more thing, Johnston hints at the importance of going to teacher conferences–will you be at NCKP this summer?

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Your comments will make this book club much more fascinating. Feel free to elaborate on your answers, vent, ask another question–chapter two went on and on with so many amazing ideas, did one stand out that I missed? 

If you are interested in hearing Philip’s response to our book club chatter, don’t forget to sign up for the 88pianokeys.me newsletter here.

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Leila J Viss…it’s not all black and white

Don’t forget to check out the latest giveaway at 88pianokeys.me

 

Give Away for Higgledy Piggledy Jazz

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images-2A couple of months ago I reviewed books by Elena Cobb at MusicTeachersHelper.com. It was a pleasure connecting with her and sifting through her colorful books. Since then Elena asked me to spread the news that one of her books, Higgledy Piggledy Jazz, recently underwent some major renovations.

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Review of original edition: 

To fill you in: here are observations I made about her book in my past blog at MusicTeachershelper.com:HP-Jazz-Piano-Book-Cover-212x300-150x150

“Elena is clearly a fan of jazz and the 12-bar blues (yes, this American form made its way overseas) and sees the importance of introducing this standard pattern to early level pianists. Higgledy Piggledy Jazz is packed full of pieces targeted for “inexperienced” pianists.  [The book] includes clever, original compositions that fall into the standard blues form. They could serve as supplementary repertoire or provide great material for a studio jazz–themed unit.

The Higgledy Piggledy Jazz book features…

1) Ten pieces with a CD of live jazz band recordings.

2) Four tracks of varying tempos of witty arrangements for play-along enjoyment. The CD is great training for building solid rhythmic skills and confidence for future gigs with a “real” band.

3) Color coding (in some pieces) of chord changes to enhance reading security.

4) Colorful, full-page illustrations.

5) A considerable amount of extra staff instructions including fingering, counting numbers, phrase markings and chord symbols.

6) Amusing lyrics to enhance rhythmic mastery.

7) Some helpful and pedagogically sound teaching tips.

8) A generous donation to Theo Lifeline Trust with the purchase of each book.

 A few things to consider…

1) The Higgledy Piggledy Jazz Book Grades 1-3 includes pieces in a wide range of levels that appear beyond the reach of those who are “inexperienced” as the cover suggests.

2) Most early readers are accustomed to reading from larger notation. The formatting–size of notes, grand staff, extra symbols and teaching hints–varies from piece to piece. Many selections seem “squished” onto a single page which results in a cluttered appearance. This may intimidate early readers.

3) The kid-friendly illustrations and cover description make the Higgledy Piggledy Jazz Book appear suitable for early-level pianists. However, it seems most pieces would be more appropriate for those at an intermediate or at least a more experienced reading level.

4) Tricky rhythms and quick shifts in hand positions may prove to be discouraging to those with limited reading and playing abilities but fun for pianists who need to stretch their rhythmic skills.

5) Although the blues and jazzy edge pervades both books, there seems to be little encouragement for pianists to go beyond the page (a standard jazz characteristic) and improvise original riffs, or patterns over the blues progression.”

Click here to view my first, complete review.

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Improvements in the new edition

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More staves and instructions on one page makes for a cluttered appearance and may be harder to read for early level pianists.

To catch you up: here’s a list of some changes in the latest Higgledy Piggledy Jazz. Congratulations to Elena for producing this revised edition in such a short time!

1) The table of contents is re-formatted for easier reference.

2) Most teaching tips can now be found online instead of at the front of the book.

3) Eliminating colorful illustrations provides more space for larger, more easy-to-read staff notation. This omission results in a much less cluttered appearance and keeps the book appropriate for any age.

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Formatting the same piece over two pages with fewer finger and counting cues provides a cleaner look.

4) Improvising within the blues framework is a standard tradition. In this new edition room to create within scale patterns is included in one of the selections.  As Elena states, “spontaneity is in the heart of Jazz, is it not?”

5) Less staff instructions–counting numbers and fingering–make staves cleaner and easier to read. I liked the color-coding of dominant chords but this does not appear consistently throughout the book.

6) The level-range indicated on the front cover has increased from levels 1-3 to levels 1-4. Leveling a book is subjective and completely up to the composer/publisher. I would hold off using this book with students until they are well-equipped with reading rhythms including 8th notes and strong hand independence. Teaching some selections by rote may be a possibility since a CD is available.

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Good News!

photo-150x150Elena Cobb has a lovely website showcasing pics of happy students, a thriving studio and books for purchase. It is obvious that her music infused with a fun, jazzy style motivates her pianists. Her books may do the same for your students who need a change from the standard repertoire. I particularly admire the fact that she provides live-band gigs for her budding pianists at what appears to be very hip locations.  I plan to make that a priority for my students in 2013.

Elena has offered two books to 88pianokeys.me to give away!

In order to win:

1) Subscribe to 88pianokeys.me (here)

2) Leave a comment below about how you use jazz-inspired music with your students or

how you are interested in doing so in the future.

Leia’s Corner: What’s on Your Shelves?

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Wondering what lives on those shelves? Does this pic look familiar? It was featured in the February issue of Clavier Companion.

If you’re new to 88pianokeys.me or need a refresher, click here for the history behind “Leia’s Corner”.

Leia has been incredibly patient waiting for the answer to this question (slightly abridged):

How do you choose repertoire?

Before I share my answer, I thought it fascinating what she told me about her experience in India:

“I struggle most with finding repertoire for my beginning students. It’s even harder with my singing students because I don’t use a method book with them, but even with piano students it’s difficult. What supplementary repertoire should I use while they are still on the method books? When should I stop using method books? (A friend of mine makes her students complete every course from start to finish, but I like to move out of books once they’ve learned the basics and start working on stand-alone pieces.) What should come after the method books? 

 It’s quite tough for me as quite a new teacher, because there does not exist a ‘serious’ music community where I live. While there are hundreds of piano teachers and music schools, the teachers are not very highly qualified (usually they learn how to play for 3-4 years and then decide to make a career out of it), their curriculum is highly centered around the Trinity exams, and they teach by having the students copy their fingers rather than teaching them how to read music. It’s very frustrating for me, because I often get a student who has 4 years’ playing experience, but I still have to teach certain things from scratch, and often have to undo quite a lot of mistakes!”

Won’t go to the exam issue right now, later (whew…definitely another blog)!  My answer to her question concerning repertoire is completely dependent upon student preference as this is clearly connected to motivation levels. Read more about that here in my past blog.

A more specific question might be:  How do I choose repertoire for students that motivates and still provides the basics I deem “essential”? Better yet: What books live on my library shelves? Here’s a sneak peek. Continue reading →