Pros and Cons of Music Memorization

Introduction

My second long-form blog post for the Colourful Keys blog is based on the Pros and Cons of Music Memorization. I grew up in traditional piano lessons where a fair amount of your repertoire was not only expected, but required to be memorized. After working a number of years as a piano instructor, my view has changed quite a bit.

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Late Patrick’s Day Piano Party 2023

Last Updated on 2023-07-19 | Originally Posted on 2023-04-09
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Introduction

This past Saturday, April 1st, we had our second annual Late Patrick’s Day Piano Party. I’ve typically held a springmusic festival warm-up event, but it was only recently that I added the fun components. This year, an extremely warm sunny day plus a lack of written communication from me meant that we had fewer participants than normal. Those that attended seemed to have fun.

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Music Theory Is Important

Last Updated on 2023-04-09 | Originally Posted on 2023-03-06

Introduction

Music theory is important to the study of piano because it describes the language of music composition. It’s comparable to teaching English as a comprehensive subject versus just having a period of silent reading with no analysis.

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Quick Start Guide for Online Lessons

Last Updated on 2023-03-05 | Originally Posted on 2023-02-01
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Introduction

This a slim-down of my original online lesson guide that I wrote during the early days of Covid isolation in the spring of 2020. Please read the original article if you want more information on optimizing your connection or to see a variety of equipment you can buy to make online lessons a better experience.

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Guide Your Child to Independent Practice

Last Updated on 2023-03-05 | Originally Posted on 2023-01-19

Introduction

Let’s face it: Kids don’t always look forward to practice, even if they enjoy playing piano. Parents can easily get overwhelmed and forget to check if daily practice occurs. The result? Piano progress sometimes comes to a grinding halt. That is where you can guide your child to independent practice.

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