Welcome to Melody Piano

As music educators,  it is imperative that we keep in constant practice.  I like to do this by picking a new piece every week.  I try to keep my pieces within a range that allows variety.  Last week I was working on a piece by composer Robert Schumann.  This week, I am working on a modern piece.  I am working on the Ben Folds Version of a song called, "Fred Jones".  Ben Folds is one of my modern day heroes when it comes to pianists.  Although the subject matter to this song is quite sad, it is one of the most beautiful songs that I think I have ever heard.  It is about a man named Fred Jones that has been working at a factory for 25 years, and gets laid off.  Please enjoy the video,  What piece are you currently working on?  Who is one of your heroes in music?

I am fairly new to piano teaching. I am now coming up on rounding off my second year. Due to this, I am constantly learning new things about the teaching world. 

Regardless of my methods (Music is like language, you have to have precedence in judgement)

I recently had a great conversation with a fellow piano teacher that I have been networking with in Arizona. We were speaking of the dreaded economy that has effected each and every business person lately. To be more concentrated about the issue, we were discussing more candidly about how the sad drop in the economy has effected private piano teachers. 

Dan Starr is an amazing individual.  I recently came across his line of publications that work towards the bettering of music educators.  I am only into the first book from his collection, and I know that it will help to better my studio as a whole.  

Oddly enough, Dan and I were on the same page. A teacher with MUCH more experience than me was on the same page with me about how to deal with the financial value of our profession! To his credit, This individual has been teaching 20 years! He had even made a joke saying, "When I first started teaching (ouch-20+ years ago!)". 

I completely commend him. When I find out that sombeen contributing to education for this long, it gives me hope for my own career. We were talking about the value of your method of teaching. When the economy is bad, sometimes business will panic and lower their prices to the point of desperation. My thoughts?

If you know that you are offering a service or product that is of great value, there is no need to do this. It is understandable to try to adjust to what is happening in this day and age, yet you know that someone is "That much more serious" about their own or their child's musical education if they are still willing to pay the deserved priceless quote of education.

 

 

 

 

 

There are many different methods for teaching sight reading.  There are ways to teach a child to gradually get used to sight reading, there are ways to work with the piano, and bring the grand staff into the equation much later on, and there are ways to bring the grand staff directly into repertoire from the start. 

 

I think that it is important to keep your standards high as a music educator.  I do not believe that you should have unrealistic goals for your students, although, I think that it is very important to be aware of the capabilities of the human mind.  All of my students are extremely unique in their own way, and also very intelligent individuals. 

 

Out of all of the elements that are involved in learning how to play the piano, I think that sight reading is of the utmost importance.  If a musician is able to sight read, they are able to adjust to any situation. 

 

When starting with a young student; I like to bring the grand staff to their attention immediately.  I feel that when I do this, it keeps the bar high and the student’s level of concentration right there with it.  It is imperative that my students are well aware of how the grand staff correlates to the piano.  If this is implemented straight away, I believe that it conditions the young mind to grow. 

 

What are your thoughts about introducing sight reading to young students, and beginners?

I am very proud to say that I recieved my formal induction certificate on behalf of the Metropolitan Detroit Musicians League on Monday, May 17th.  I was presented my award by Newly appointed director of the board for MDML, Nataliya Kruglik. 

I have been a member of this fine institution since February, 2010.  Although I had my formal induction ceremony on Monday.  As new of a member that I am,  I have already learned so much about my profession in a very short time. 

I would like to give a large congratulations to the newly appointed board of directors for next year.  Congratulations to
Keith Gamble, Nataliya Kruglik, and Robert Phelps! 

I will be posting much information in the coming weeks about Ensemble Festival, and MDML's student recital that my studio will be participating in.  I am very exited to be a part of these wonderful activities.  I am exited to let my students talent shine!

 
I feel that it is very important to know the instrument that you play.  As a musician,  you learn and grow right along with it.  Your instrument becomes a part of your expression and talent.  I like to think that my piano is as much a part of me when I play as my passion for the piece that I am playing is. 

The piano is a spectacular instrument.  There is no other sound like it.  Growing up,  the more I learned about my piano,  the more comfortable I was playing it.  I felt as though I was more in control of myself because I felt I knew what I was working with. 

There are so many things that factor into how you play.  A large part of grooming yourself as a musician is to understand your capability in controling 'sound dynamic'.  Becuase I know my piano,  I am able to control my crescendo's (etc) better. 

A slight change in key weight could either throw you off, or be a refreshing change of pace to a pianist.  If you are well educated and experienced in these small differences,  you will be more prepared to play any sort of piano you are in front of. 

I challenge you to sit down at every and any piano that you can find to play!  When you do this,  be sure to pay close attention to the differences and how they effect your execution.   I would love to hear your thoughts!

CONGRATULATIONS to good friend and fellow colleague Meri Dolevski-Lewis!  (Canada)

I had a wonderful phone conversation with Meri the other day about a student of hers.  "Being that I don't have a degree in my profession, this was something of a triumph for me", says Meri.  What is this accomplishment you wonder? 

Meri has had a student that has worked hard to get into a program for her university's music program.  This is a student that My colleague Meri has invested in;  this investment is one that makes us as music educators more than proud to do what we do every day.  Meri has been preparing for her student's achievement exams for a long time coming. 

I remember speaking with Meri about this student.  She had told me that this was a student that was very passionate about becoming an accomplished musician in her field, yet did not have the funds for training. 

What did Meri Do? 

She found a solution!  She has told me time and time again that this is a student that she feels will "go all the way". 

Meri was right!  She told me that she needed help with her paperwork, and administrative duties at her studio.  What better person could fit the job?  Meri hired this determined student to be her administrative assistant.  In return, it would cover the cost of lessons for her.  WOW did it pay off! 

Meri Dolevski-Lewis; has shown us all as teachers that it is important to remember that we do what we can with what we have.  I more than respect her teaching methods.  Every time that I speak with Meri, I leave the conversation with a feeling of ambition for my own studio.  This is a teacher to look out for!  I can honestly say that she inspires me!

I spoke with Meri about this student the other day.  She more than passed her entry exams for University in Toronto.  She has recieved a 50% scholarship with exeptance to her school due to her exam markings! 
From the United States to Canada (our friendly neighbors)

Melody Piano gives Clariniano Studios of Canada a High Five! 

I will be posting news about Meri Dolevski-Lewis' studio's in the News section of Melody PIano's website periodically. 

To learn more about Meri Dolevski-Lewis' studio, Please visit her You Tube Channel.  Meri frequently posts quarterly recitals and much more here.  

I'm not a stickler for many things.  Yet the one thing that I constantly make sure that my students execute to the T is their fingering and hand positioning. 

I personally believe that correct hand positioning while playing the piano creates a more well rounded musician as a whole.  If you have your fingering correct,  it makes it easier for the musician to transition from key to key.  If you are able to have a smoother transition between sequences of keys, it will build your confidence as well. 

I have seen great improvement with my students because of this constant awareness.  If the student is sight reading, they can easily become intimidated because they feel overwhelmed by where to go after playing a certain note on the grand staff.  If their hands are where they need to be on the keyboard, it allows the student to have ease of access by giving them more control over the keys. 

This is why I am a stickler about hand positioning!  As the student learns and progresses, they are able to be confident in knowing that they are the master of the keyboard because they are the master of their fingers. 

I think that it is important to hold a healthy standard for incentive in my studio for my students.  When something is achieved, and accomplished a person should be rewarded.  Not only will the mere feeling of self accomplishment aid the individual towards staying pro-active with the task at hand, but it will boost there self confidence. 

This is what I strive to help my students do.  Lately, I have been busy getting my students ready for the SAT's, (Student Achievement Testing).  I am proud to report that each and every one of my students are exactly where they need to be with state level standards of achievement in the music program. 

The Melody Piano studio is always working hard to achieve the goals of musicianship, but we have never worked harder to get ready for the SAT's next year.  I have ended up changing my repertoire slightly to run a more structured lesson.  Because of this, I have decided to begin a new incentive program to help my students adjust to the changes. 

I now hold the 10 star program in my studio.  Each lesson,  if all goals are achieved by my student,  they recieve a star on their new assignment sheet.  After my student has recieved 10 stars,  they will recieve the prize of their choice. 

Melody Piano's assignment sheets have also changed.  Usually,  I hand out what is called a "What to work on this week" sheet to my students after each lesson.  I now give each student a repertoire sheet that will last them 10-12 weeks depending upon when they are able to reach the 10 star level of completion. 

It's so great to hear what each student has chosen for their incentive after 10 stars.  I really think that it has helped me learn more about them, and about their personalities.  I have so many different choices!  I have some students who are undecided as to what they will choose when they get to the 10 star level.  I have also recieved requests for;  Matchbox cars, a giant loli pop, a glazed donut, a starbucks gift card, lip gloss, Sheet music, a coloring book;  and the list goes on!  It's just great! 

What incentives do you use in your studio to further the enhancement of your students performance levels?

I am not even finished with this book, and I highly reccomend it.  Some books are a one time read, but this book will be a constant reference that I will keep close at hand in the future. 

It covers a variety of different things.  There is a thurough, detailed history on all periods of piano literature.  It gives great examples of which pieces are best to play from each period.  It goes over piano in the Baroque Literature, the Classical Literature, The Romantic Literature, and in 20th Century Literature. 

One of my favorite things about this book is the index of composers that it holds from each of the previously stated periods.  With each listed in this index, it suggests which level pianist should be conquering this piece. 

The index of composers in just one of many indexes that this book holds.  It also holds an index of Music Publishers.  This index shows all published companies that provide music institutes, studios and conservitories with learning materials for their students.  Each musical institue usually works from one of these music publishing libraries editions.  For example,  Melody Piano's studio works from the "Alfred Publishing Company", and The "Liela Fletcher Publishing Company". 

I am happy to be able to share this piece of literature with you.  I highly suggest this book as a great read that you can keep in your studio for reference at all times.  I plan to do so in the future.  I am happy to report that Melody Piano's students are working from the pieces that suit their levels of literature for sight reading. 

Fellow colleagues, and musicians;  What book have you read lately that directly effected your studio performance as a whole, or your own performance and execution?

When beginning to learn how to sight read, it is understandable that an individual can become overwhelmed and frustrated.  It is just like learning anything else, really.  The reason that it seems so hard is because it is fresh, and new.  If you let yourself become overwhelmed by it, it can easily push you away from it. 

The best way to build your sight reading skills is in the basics.  I think that it is very important to always remember to rely on what you may know already.  I like to think of the grand staff as the "map" of the piano.  When teaching someone to begin sight reading, I start by going over the basics.  Sarting with helping someone understand how the grand staff and the piano correlate directly with each other.  First thing is first,  it is imperitive that you know where the notes on the piano are before you begin to read music. 

The biggest tip that I can give you about the grand staff;  Take a copy of a grand staff,  and turn it on its side.  Make sure that the treble clef is on the right, and the bass clef is on the left.  The reason for this exersize is to see how it really is set up just like the piano.  The treble clef is also on the right side of the piano, and the bass cleff is on the left side of the piano.

What are Treble and Bass Clef?

The treble clef is a symbol that indicates a higher pitch will be played to the musician.  This higher pitch will always be "UP" on the piano.  "UP" on the piano is to the RIGHT. 

The bass clef is a symbol that indicates a lower pitch  will be played to the musician.  This lower pitch will always be "DOWN" on the piano.  "DOWN" on the piano is to the LEFT. 

 

For any questions that you have about beginning to sight read,  please contact me.  I would be glad to help you.  I am also offering an online sight reading course throught the Ashbury Music Hall.  For more online lesson details, just shoot me an e-mail.  Melodypiano.net@Gmail.com