thoughts on piano teaching and beyond
It's that time of the year again - exam season, when teachers and students everywhere are awaiting the results of their practical exams. All exam candidates receive a mark sheet which includes brief commentaries on and marks for their pieces, technical work (scales, arpeggios and exercises), aural tests, sight-reading etc. At the bottom of… Continue reading Exam mark sheets: help or hindrance?
Now is the season of piano teachers up and down the country expectantly waiting for the sound of exam results dropping through the letterbox or into their email inbox. The summer season for graded music exams is the busiest and results are coming in thick and fast. It is cheering to see from colleagues' posts… Continue reading Celebrate every pass, merit and distinction
Here is some advice to help you prepare for your piano exam, at whatever level. You should aim to be ready for your exam at least two weeks ahead of the exam date. By this time, your pieces will be thoroughly learnt and finessed, and your technical work (scales and arpeggios, technical exercises etc) should… Continue reading Be prepared! Getting ready for your piano exam
With the spring exam season upon us, I asked a friend and colleague of mine, Melanie Spanswick, who has experience as an examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), to offer some tips on how to do well. Here are her 9 key points for exam success: Preparation is… Continue reading Guest Post: Piano exams success – 9 key points
‘Now we will test your scales, C major hands together please’, the examiner smiles glancing at the student who is waiting with baited breath…… This is the usual scenario when pupils are faced with scales. Most pianists don’t like scales or scale practice. Some ask if they are really necessary. For me, they are the… Continue reading Reblogged: Scales – 6 reasons why you need to practice them
As the title of this piece suggests, it is inspired by Aaron Copland's famous 'Fanfare for the Common Man' - and the first thing I do when I start teaching this piece to a student is to ask them to listen to Copland's work and tell me what they hear in it and what instrument… Continue reading How to play……. ‘Fanfare for the Common Cold’
A Piano Teacher Writes... 