Guest post by Eleonor Bindman Sight reading is a very important skill which is often neglected during piano lessons and while practicing because of time constraints. It’s way at the bottom of our list of priorities and the fact that it seems challenging and not “fun” doesn’t help matters. In my early years of teaching… Continue reading How to Approach Sight Reading for Yourself or With Your Students
Category: Teaching
Encouraging evaluation, reflection and self-critique in practising
Play always as if in the presence of a master - Robert Schumann The ability to self-critique, evaluate and reflect on one’s playing during practising and in lessons is a crucial skill for musicians, and is a component of the skillset of “deliberate practise” and self-regulation, which enables us to practise productively and deeply. Around… Continue reading Encouraging evaluation, reflection and self-critique in practising
ABRSM launches teacher feedback panels
ABRSM has today (29 March 2017) launched a recruitment drive for ‘Teacher Voices’, its new customer feedback panel. The music education organisation is looking for 500 teachers from a wide range of backgrounds from across the UK to take part in a series of online polls and surveys. The results and insight from the feedback… Continue reading ABRSM launches teacher feedback panels
Rewiring turns “I can’t” into “I can”
Whenever we have a thought or physical sensation thousands of neurons are triggered and get together to form a neural network in the brain. “Experience-dependent neuroplasticity” is the scientific term for this activity of continual creation and grouping of neuron connections which take place as a result of our personal life experiences. With repetitive thinking,… Continue reading Rewiring turns “I can’t” into “I can”
The Mindful Pianist – Mark Tanner
Mindful adjective 1. attentive, aware, or careful (usually followed by of): mindful of one's responsibilities. 2. noting or relating to the psychological technique of mindfulness: mindful observation of one's experiences. The Mindful Pianist by pianist, teacher composer and examiner, Mark Tanner is the latest volume in the Piano Professional series published by Faber Music in… Continue reading The Mindful Pianist – Mark Tanner
At the Piano With……Karl Lutchmayer
Karl Lutchmayer What is your first memory of the piano? Actually, and rather embarrassingly, I used to use the spaces between Bb and C# and Eb and F# to park my Dinky cars – and run them along the fronts of the white notes! It always vexed me that the spaces between other black notes… Continue reading At the Piano With……Karl Lutchmayer
Guest post: How to be confident (when you’re not feeling it)
A guest post from Grace Miles, founder of artiden.com, a blog about the musician lifestyle. She helps pianists get the most out of music with psychology. Remember the "spotlight"? When all eyes are on you, every little action feels 100 times more obvious. We all want more sparkle in our performances-- and it comes with… Continue reading Guest post: How to be confident (when you’re not feeling it)
Introducing…….Music@Monkton
I have recently come across an excellent blog for music teachers, written by George Bevan, Director of Music at Monkton Combe School, an independent co-ed boarding and day school near Bath. In a series of well-written, thoughtful and accessible posts, George explores aspects such as productive practising, 'teaching' not 'telling', empowering and enthusing students, encouraging… Continue reading Introducing…….Music@Monkton
A Piano Teacher Writes... 