As teachers, we deal in the business of shaping human beings, which we can all agree is a continual process of growth and learning; our students grow, and we do also.
Tag: piano teaching
At the Piano With……Jill Owen
What is your first memory of the piano? Hearing my Dad playing Bach chorales and chorales he used to compose. Who or what inspired you to start teaching? I always thought I'd teach and I'm not sure any one person inspired me to teach but rather my love of the piano that I wanted to… Continue reading At the Piano With……Jill Owen
Practising the Piano Online Academy goes live
Those fortunate enough to have studied with acclaimed pianist, teacher and writer Graham Fitch will be very familiar with his intelligent, insightful, inspiring and highly accessible approach to piano playing. The internet allowed Graham to share his expertise and knowledge initially via his very popular and readable blog 'Practising the Piano'. This was followed by… Continue reading Practising the Piano Online Academy goes live
Reflections on ten years as a piano teacher
Another term is over, and as my students depart for their summer holidays, I have time to pause and reflect as my piano teaching studio approaches its 10th birthday. I never intended to be a piano teacher. I worked for ten years in art and academic publishing after leaving university and I continued to freelance… Continue reading Reflections on ten years as a piano teacher
New resources for pianists, piano teachers and parents
A couple of useful new resources for pianists, teachers and the parents of piano students which have come my way recently. The first, Piano Exercises, is a DVD by Mikael Pettersson, a Swedish concert pianist based in the UK. The exercises were created by Mikael to help pianists develop their technique to play without tension… Continue reading New resources for pianists, piano teachers and parents
New books for pianists from Trinity College London
It's good to see Trinity College London extending its publishing programme to include more books for pianists, including collections of pieces from beginner to advanced level, and a compilation of piano exercises, selected from past exam syllabuses, all of which offer excellent resources for teachers and students alike. Raise the Bar is a new series… Continue reading New books for pianists from Trinity College London
Practising the Piano Online Academy
Fans of acclaimed teacher and performer Graham Fitch's insightful, instructive and highly readable blog Practising the Piano and eBook series, his regular contributions to 'Pianist' magazine, his YouTube videos on piano technique, and his inspiring and supportive workshops and courses will be excited to learn of his latest initiative for pianists, the Practising the Piano… Continue reading Practising the Piano Online Academy
Encore – your favourite ABRSM piano exam pieces
There are numerous anthologies of piano pieces which sit comfortably alongside the exam syllabuses, many of which are published by the ABRSM. Encore is a new compilation, in four volumes covering Grades 1 to 8, of over 70 favourite exam pieces from timeless classics to contemporary classical music and popular songs and show tunes or… Continue reading Encore – your favourite ABRSM piano exam pieces
Wolfie makes piano practise made fun
The 'Wolfie' piano app (named after who else but Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) offers students and teachers an interactive and supportive learning tool using up-to-the-minute score-reading software plus a whole host of other features. Developed by music tech company Tonara, who first launched an interactive score-reading app back in 2011, the team behind Wolfie appreciate that… Continue reading Wolfie makes piano practise made fun
Changing the Vocabulary
The way we interact with our students, and the language we use with which to communicate with them, can have a profound effect on how our students react to our teaching and their own attitude to music making. Young people in particular can be highly sensitive to the kind of words teachers use, and as… Continue reading Changing the Vocabulary