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Program Development

22 Jan

Achieve a Good Attitude This Year!

by admin
in Program Development, Teaching
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Several years ago, the following article appeared in our local newspaper. My dad clipped the article and I recently came across it again. It is still timely and valuable advice written by Lloyd Shearer. Shearer was a celebrity columnist for Parade magazine (an insert in the Sunday paper) and wrote the popular column Personality Parade.

10 Ways to Achieve a Good Attitude

    1. Set goals for yourself. Make them believable and clearly defined. Write them down every morning, vividly imagining them during the day. Once achieved, create another.
    DO NOT PUT THIS OFF. DO IT NOW!
    2. Avoid negative people. They put junk into your subconscious. You cannot help them unless they are ready to be helped. They are rarely ready.
    3. Actively seek positive people. Make it a point to spend more time with them. Positive people are gems. Cherish every one you meet.

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09 Jan

Studio Field Trip

by cconrad
in Marketing, Performance, Program Development, teacher resourses, Teaching
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Conductors003Have you ever done a field trip with your studio? I’m attempting one — sort of.

Each year, our local symphony holds a children’s symphony — a free, interactive performance that plays lots of kid-friendly songs…and lasts under an hour.

While I’m not exactly organizing and transporting the 30 students in my studio to the event (I can barely keep track of my own two kids), I am encouraging everyone to attend and providing supplementary material at music classes and for parents. Here’s what I’m doing for students enrolled in piano lessons at my studio:

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01 Jan

The Weekly Practice List

by csmusic
in Program Development
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By Patrick Fritz Every teacher has his or her favorite method of helping students keep track of what they are supposed to practice every week.  The trick is finding something that works for the student, family, and the teacher.  My favorite tool is a weekly practice list. My early middle and early high school kids often receive a weekly practice sheet that I fill in for them. ...

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29 Nov

The Masterclass: Then & Now

by admin
in Performance, Program Development, Teaching
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The purpose of a masterclass is to give students an opportunity to perform for and be critiqued by an esteemed artist. Performing for a master teacher is considered an honor and an educational opportunity. Observing a masterclass is a rare opportunity to see a great artist at work.

HistoryLiszt
The idea of a masterclass was first developed by Franz Liszt in the 19th century. Liszt was one of the most revered and sought after teachers of his generation. He is said to have more than 400 students; many of whom were famous such as Carl Tausig, Hans von Bülow and Emil von Sauer. At these early masterclasses, pianists as well as composers, violinists, cellists, singers, and even painters and poets would gather in Liszt’s home in Weimar to experience his teaching. A rather intimidating experience, it is said that students would enter the music room first and place their scores on the piano. Upon Liszt’s entrance, students would stand respectfully while Liszt went to the piano, leafed through the scores and chose the music to be performed.

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09 Nov

A Recital for Charity

by cconrad
in Marketing, Performance, Program Development, teacher resourses
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charityThis month, I did something at my studio that I’ve never done before — I used my studio to raise money for a local charity.

We have a very beloved charity in our area that works with children with disabilities. Each summer, they host a camp for children undergoing cancer treatment, and invite those children and their families to spend a week in the mountains enjoying outdoor activities, musical therapy and fellowship with one another.

To make this recital unique and also get my students excited about the opportunity, I kept my expectations simple and let them have control. I gave them the option to play between one and five songs of their choice, and called the recital a “Play-a-thon”. Pieces didn’t have to be memorized, and they could be any pieces that they have learned in their time with me. Students LOVED this freedom, and even though we had a few random Christmas pieces thrown in the mix, it was fun for me to learn the pieces that they consider all-time favorites.

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