What is twice-exceptionality? Understanding and nurturing 2E students
byWhen the term ‘twice-exceptional’ appeared in my early-career textbooks, I responded with a mixture of emotions.‘Wow! That must be describing the super-talented kiddies: child…
Piano Teaching Ideas
Articles on everything from sight reading to games in the studio!
SENSATIONAL SEVEN: BLACK KEY BUSINESS
byHow should I best prepare my student for learning Debussy’s La fille avec le cheveux de lin?” was a question recently posed in the…
Exploring Piano: the NEW Australian-made series
byIn the three years since commencing the research for the new ‘Exploring’ series for Hal Leonard Australia, I’ve had the joy of reviewing thousands…
Teaching about Jazz History and Jazz Performance Practice
byWhen I was offered the opportunity to teach a course in jazz history and performance practice at NYC’s Pace University in the late 1980’s,…
Technology and your Studio
byBelow are five reviews of popular Apps that piano teachers are currently using in their studios. You probably know them and are already using…
Teaching Adults: Maturing Viewpoints
byIf you’ve taught many adult piano students, you’ve probably made many friends. We don’t teach to make friends and, indeed, the relationship begins as…
My 40 Piece Challenge – A Piano teachers journey
byIn 2015 I began searching for a new approach to learning for my students. There had to be something out there that would be…
Making My Own Music – Teaching Beyond Technique, Repertoire, Reading, and Exam Preparation
by[dropcap letter=”I”]t seems counter intuitive that the goal of the successful piano teacher is to ultimately make themselves redundant. The successful teacher equips…
Some thoughts on music examinations
byThe main benefits derived from music examination are to provide: an unbiased assessment of both the student and teacher’s progress; opportunities for intensive preparation…
Coping with Cross Rhythms
byOne of the most frequent problems I have encountered with students in my teaching and examining is their approach to cross rhythms. Yet, a…
Teaching from the Score
by“Look at a page of the score and list everything you see.’ It’s right before your eyes.” When I was a college student, my…
Teaching the measure of a performance
by“I think I made three mistakes…or maybe four”, a young girl informs her mum as she returns to the waiting area. The exam is…