Playing Today's Music - Simply Simple

If you have mastered the 5 finger warm-ups/scales, tonic and dominant chords, I assure you that you can play along with this video.

As you watch this performance you might think it difficult, but if you listen carefully the bass line, is simple, the rhythm is simple (even when adding the drum, which you have done in class), the chords are simple (students in Book 3-6 should not have a problem). Even the singing is extremely simple!

What makes this a good performance after breaking it down into simple, simple, simple?
The pianist's skills and technique are NOT simple.
Even if he is playing simple chords, bass lines and melodies, he is accurate, clear and precise. Not an easy task while your foot is thumping, your body is dancing and you are singing. Plus his passion is contagious. It takes hours of practice - not many can do all these simple things at the same time and do it in ensemble with a partner.

Have YOU been practicing your simple 5 finger warm-ups, and simple tonic, subdominant and dominant chords during the summer? With the skills you are learning and daily practice your simple can turn into a great performance!

Lessons begin Monday August 17...make sure you have practiced something simple but accurate and beautiful to share in class!

FIrst Adult Recital and ending of Book 2

Robin

Dominga

Leonia
Melody

Rebeca

Congratulations!

Summer Piano Camp 2009

Piano lessons do not only have to be about you at the piano and a scolding teacher in a chair beside you. Music making is most enjoyable in a group, even on electronic instruments and in the nature that surrounds us.

If you always separate music from the real world it will become tired and stale. Even the Cliburn competitors have to come out of their 10 hours of daily practice to share their music!

Students of Book 4

Music and Nature (ages 4 - 7, Pre-piano class)

Students of Books 2 & 3

Students of Book 1

Two weeks of Keyboard Orchestra, Pieces with a Purpose, Music Appreciation, Music and Nature and The History of the Orchestra have come to an end. But the keyboard skills, ensemble, note reading and friendships will continue.

And that is what Summer Piano Camp is all about.

See you next Summer!

Ms. Dorla's First Piano Recital

After seeing the pictures of Samuel in his first recital, my mom emailed this picture of me playing in my first recital at age 6, just like Samuel.

Parents, do you have a pictures of you playing as a child? Share them with your children today!

Adult Piano Class completes Book 1

This has been a wonderful group of ladies to teach! Today was their 8th class and recital (with refreshments!) to bring book 1 to an end. Each of them prepared a solo and received a Piano Achievement Award for book 1.
Five of them have already signed up to continue with book 2!
Congratulations ladies!

Johannes Brahms ~ Composer of the Month

Johannes Brahms was born in the German city of Hamburg. His father was a musician who played several instruments, but never managed to earn much money. So when Johannes was young, he played the piano at inns and dance halls to help support his family.When Brahms was older, he toured as an accompanist, playing piano for a Hungarian violinist. That music -- and the gypsy bands Brahms heard later on when he traveled to Hungary -- inspired his Hungarian Dances, which were a hit with the public. He wrote 21 dances in all. The most famous one is the Hungarian Dance No. 5.Many people considered Brahms to be the successor to Beethoven. For a long time, he didn't want to write a symphony, because he was afraid his work would not be as good as Beethoven's. Brahms ended up writing four symphonies, plus pieces in every musical form except opera. You may know one of his most famous pieces, the Lullaby.
In fact, Brahms became so famous, he is now known as one of the 3 B's -- Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms -- of classical music. (Classicsforkids.com)

Little Lights for Jesus in Cleburne Times Review

Little Lights for Jesus performed at the Joshua Crossroads Church this morning and did a beautiful job. At the end of the service a gentleman came up to ask me if this was the same choir that was in the newspaper. What? We were in the paper? Yes! that was us! We sang at Walls Hospital last Wednesday and a reporter had asked me a few questions so I knew there was a possibility of us being mentioned.

I have not read the paper yet, but as soon as I came home I looked on the website and they have a VIDEO with snippets of our children singing away! And they sound good too!

Take a look! http://www.cleburnetimesreview.com/videos/local_story_112190510.html