Category Archives: Piano Mastermind

Tuning in

Sometimes I feel like I need to be a psychic at my weekly lessons. Sometimes I feel like I should just go see one. I will say this: if you don’t understand what’s going on in the mind of your student and even their parents you are probably going to be in for some uglyContinue reading “Tuning in”

Changing the game

Here we go again.  Another lesson starts with my 9 year old student Matt, who blurts out before I can say hello that he’s had an awful week of practicing because he’s been playing a lot of video games this week. “Really?” I ask. “Ya, so my wrist really hurts.” ‘Interesting’ I thought. Not evenContinue reading “Changing the game”

“I want a Golden Goose Daddy”

Waiting for your Golden Goose You may be asking yourself as a pianist, teacher or student…. what does waiting around for good technique, playing endless Hanon exercises and Chopin etudes have to do with Golden Geese? It’s really quite simple in my mind, just ask Willy Wonka Golden Geese are special creatures. They require aContinue reading ““I want a Golden Goose Daddy””

Dracula and Injury avoidance…. is your technique a Pain in the Neck?

“No Pain No Gain” is a motivating phrase to your average vampire. It’s just an occupational hazard that the pain is someone else’s problem. For a pianist, “No pain no Gain” should NOT BE an occupational hazard… EVER! We all know that pain is never a good sign when we are practicing, right? Did youContinue reading “Dracula and Injury avoidance…. is your technique a Pain in the Neck?”

How to play “Angels we have heard on high”

Oh Joy! My new 2015 Christmas C.d. is FINALLY done! I am so pleased with how it turned out, and appreciate literally the hundreds of kind comments I have received from all of you. I forgot how much I missed composing and performing, and I plan to keep at it from now on. I hopeContinue reading “How to play “Angels we have heard on high””

Are you all thumbs when it comes to scales?

When you play your scales, do you feel like you are all thumbs? Or is it comfortable and fluid, like smooth flowing water?  To find out if your fingering method works, take this simple quiz: 1 Do you finger your scales based on your phone number (not including the area code)? 2.  Do you use theContinue reading “Are you all thumbs when it comes to scales?”