Dorla's Pianoblog

Playing Today's Music - Simply Simple

2009-07-28T06:01:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-06T20:39:00.001-07:00

Robin

Dominga

Leonia
Melody

Rebeca

Congratulations!

Summer Piano Camp 2009

2009-06-17T04:17:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-04T10:00:00.001-07:00

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

2009-04-30T19:49:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

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

2009-04-25T11:55:00.000-07:00

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

The Voca People

2009-04-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

No More Excuses!

2009-03-16T17:45:00.001-07:00

A man named Victor is one of the wonderful people we met on our mission trip to Mexico this past week. He is an accountant, a husband, father and grandfather. I had met him and his wife on the first day in El Cercado, and had noticed his peculiar hands, but did not think anything about it. Until the last night there, when one of my adult piano students, Stephanie told me that he was going to play the piano for her. I really went up to the piano just to translate and ended up asking my own questions.

Victor was born with deformed hands. Actually when he was born his hands were completely shut and he has been able to open them as much as you see here in this picture. He told us that he had always loved music and when the opportunity arose in school to learn to read music he was the first in line. After that he started reading notes from his teacher's score and would memorize everything. Later in life when he owned a hymnal he started to memorize the hymns and has committed 88 hymns to memory.

Look at his hands. This is exactly what they look like all the time. He plays the piano with the side of his right hand and the middle finger of his left hand. That's it.

And he is happy to do it. He told me that his deformity has never been an obstacle to the things he wants to do.

He should be an inspiration to all of us. No more excuses!

Composer of the Month: Giuseppe Verdi

2009-03-01T21:50:00.000-08:00

Giuseppe Verdi was famous around the world and one of the few to die rich!

You can read his story here.

And how about getting involved in an activity to learn more about his opera "Aida"? Then you must click here, and print these activity sheets from Classics for Kids.

Would you prefer to watch a video of part of his "Triumphant March?" then click here.

Bad Habits that slow down the student's progress ...#2

2009-02-17T12:17:00.000-08:00

#2. Don’t go ahead in the student’s books without the teacher's approval.

Why not?:
Music lessons are not primarily about learning a lot of pieces. Rather, they are about learning a sequence of skills. The skill must be taught by the teacher, not just read about in the book. (That’s what you’re paying me for!) The piece is there to reinforce and apply the new skills taught by the teacher. If the student attempts to learn the piece without having learned the skills, the piece has been wasted. It is extremely difficult to add those skills after the student has practiced the piece incorrectly for a week or two.

What to do instead:
If the student wants to do something extra, he or she should ask the teacher first. There are supplementary material at the end of each book. Go there first. If the student runs out of things to practice (really?), he or she should focus on polishing previously learned pieces.

Composer of the Month: Clara Schumann

2009-01-27T16:42:00.000-08:00

Yes! there are women composers! So, why do the text/piano books not mention them? Well, they do mention them, but very briefly.

Clara Schumann lived during the 19th century and was called "the high priestess of music" giving her first complete piano recital at the age of 11 and enjoying 61 years of concert life.

"Throughout her life, Clara was well-known as a piano soloist, gaining fame for her technical proficiencies, sensitive interpretations of musical works and her ability to express the composer's intent in the music. During her lifetime, she premiered pieces by Frederic Chopin, Johannes Brahms and her husband, Robert Schumann. A composer herself, Clara wrote 66 pieces, including works for piano and orchestra, solo piano and even cadenzas for piano concertos already written by Beethoven and Mozart! Widely respected for her musical opinions, both Clara's husband and Brahms sought her advice and guidance when writing music." DSO

Enjoy a performance of her Romanza 1, Op. 11 found on YouTube.

Student Spotlight - Jasmin Jones

2009-01-27T15:49:00.000-08:00

Jasmin Jones, age 11, grade 6 at KAES.
Years at Dorla's Piano Studio - 3
Group Class - Music Makers: At the Keyboard Book 5
Composition title - Happy Thunderstorm (C Major) by Jasmin Jones

What inspired you to compose Happy Thunderstorm?
"I was mad at my sister Veronica, so I went to the piano and started playing "Happy Thunderstorm" and it made me happy!"

Do you know any female composers?
None, except me!

Well, Jasmin, I promise to introduce you to a few more! Congratulations on your creativity and willingness to share! (Ms. Dorla)

Yundi Li playing Chopin

2009-01-18T09:53:00.000-08:00

Remember the composer of the month? Frederic Chopin.
Here is a video of Yundi Li, the youngest piano to ever win the International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition at the age of 18 in the year 2000. He will be performing at the Bass Hall in Fort Worth on Tuesday night January 20, 2009. I'm debating if I should go...

Enjoy!

Bad Habits that slow down the student's progress ...

2009-01-12T20:02:00.000-08:00

#1. Writing finger numbers or solfege/note names in the music (unless specifically assigned to do so.)
Why not?:
One of the most important tasks the student must learn is that of reading music by sight. Writing finger numbers or solfege/note names in is perhaps the most destructive thing a student or parent can do to prevent the student from learning to read music. It’s as harmful as taking a spelling test in school with the spelling book open. When it occurs, the books have to be replaced with clean copies that do not contain the numbers or note names.

What to do instead:
Be sure the student is faithful in completing written assignments in their book. Do the listening exercises as often as possible. Use the rhythmic and tonal cards when instructed. Follow the practice procedures presented in the lesson, including the five part song process used on the practice CD. When practicing the reading piece, use only the printed music without any “crutches.” If an unknown note is encountered, use the note reading strategies presented in the lesson.

Composer of the Month: FREDERIC CHOPIN

2009-01-04T16:21:00.000-08:00

Frederic Chopin was a piano teacher and one of the greatest pianists of his time. He started playing the piano at age four, his first piano teacher being his older sister Louisa, who was seven.

Chopin was famous for his beautiful piano pieces and he enjoyed entertaining his friends at small dinner parties at home. It is said that one concert was played by moonlight because a moth had fallen into the lamp and extinguished the flame.

Chopin was born in Poland almost two hundred years ago and died at age 39, of tuberculosis. His piano music is still very popular today. Click on the video below to see and hear one sample of his compositions.

Text based on the book "Lives of the Musicians" by Kathleen Krull

Introducing: Composer of the Month

2009-01-02T07:55:00.000-08:00

Do you understand classical music and its composers?
Do you like classical music?
Have you heard about Frederic Chopin?
Muzio Clementi?
Friedich Kuhlau?
Claude Debussy?

In order to increase your music history knowledge, Dorla's Pianoblog will share bite-sized pieces of information about a composer each month. You may use this to amuse yourself, share with your child or just to find out what was happening a few centuries ago in the music world.

I hope you enjoy this new feature and increase your knowledge and appreciation of the classical music world.

Thank You!

2008-12-21T04:33:00.000-08:00

If you spent a little time with the Town Hall Estates Residents after your child's performance you know how much they love to hear them play. But most of all they enjoy the hugs, because they love children!

I think I could hear one of them singing each time a student played "The First Noel" , did you hear it too?

Thank you for having them practice, and bringing them to the nursing home. I was very impressed with their willingness to sign up to play and most of all their excitement!

I was very pleased with each student's composure when nerves took hold of their fingers or a wrong note got in the way. This happens even to professional pianists and they handled it exactly the way professionals do. Keep on playing as if nothing has happened. Please share this with them especially if there were any broken hearts or tears.

Have you tuned your piano this year?

2008-09-15T17:39:00.000-07:00

If your child is practicing on an acoustic piano, you must make sure that your piano is tuned. Especially those students that are required to use a "practice CD".

Do you service your car regularly?

Do you clean your house regularly?

Has your child complained about the weird sound your piano makes?

Your piano needs to be tuned at least once a year...

Call your favorite piano tuner soon or pick up a business card at my studio.

Where Does My Tuition Go?

2008-08-06T18:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations on choosing to participate in music lessons! Music has been found to enrich the
lives of all who participate in its creation or in its enjoyment. When you choose to take music lessons, you are choosing to learn a skill that will benefit you and bring you joy your entire life! No price can be put on such a beautiful art as music. Yet, obtaining the skill will certainly require assistance from a professional—your music teacher. Your teacher has chosen to make music her business and their occupation. As with any business, costs are calculated to both ensure that the highest quality product is given and that the business makes enough profit to continue providing their services.

What does my yearly tuition cover?
All independent music teachers (IMTs) differ in methods of operation. However, the tuition of
nearly all teachers covers the following:

• Time spent with the student.
Lessons, performance classes, group lessons.
• Time spent in preparation for the student.
Trips to the music store, lesson planning, bookkeeping, development of curriculum, etc. It has been cited by professional music journals that for every hour enrolled in piano lessons, you are investing in at least 2 hours of the teachers time!
• Your teacher’s training and experience
• Recital costs and preparations
Programs, refreshments, facility rental.
• Professional organization memberships
Memberships are maintained by the teacher to enhance their teaching skills and provide the student with opportunities for festivals, competitions, and performance events.
Professional journals
Publications to assist the teacher in keeping current on new teaching materials and trends.

Studio expenses
Copying, computer software, incentive programs, instruments, tunings, repairs,
newsletters.
• Music books and CDs, materials purchased by the teacher to keep costs low for students.
• Property taxes, self-employment taxes, insurance, business licenses, retirement
The IMT has no corporation to assist in providing health and life insurance by matching funds. Tuition helps cover the increased living costs of your self-employed teacher.
• Continuing education
Lessons and classes that keep the teacher current on methods and techniques
• Certification costs
IMTs pay to be re-certified every five years provided they have met all the continuing education and studio requirements. This keeps the teacher accountable to a professional organization.
• Book and music club memberships
This enables many discounts to be passed to the students.

This information is used by permission from http://www.wendyspianostudio.com/.”

Music Conservatory - Costa Rica

2008-07-21T07:35:00.001-07:00

This is the building for music students at the SDA university in Costa Rica, UNADECA, the only SDA university in Central America.

I was shocked! This used to be the home of one of my friends! (The house I grew up in is also now a classroom). Now it is the music department - no renovations. Ok, ok, maybe some new paint here and there. Ironically, it is located in front of my parents home in Costa Rica. Just like my home and my studio in Keene...

What is most shocking is that this music department owns 2 out-of-tune upright pianos that have probably been there since my youth, a couch, a few chairs. The building includes 2 more empty rooms and a restroom. This is very sad. This is the school (not the building) where I learned to play the piano, sing and love music. Why is music not a priority in our schools, Costa Rica or Keene?

I hear the old folks complain about the lack of people to play for church. Are they paying for someone to teach the new kids? I hear them complain about the quality of music and how everyone is now singing with a track. Who is teaching them otherwise?

Ok, so for alumni weekend I rehearsed with a group of ladies and it was good to remember the music we sang 20+ years ago (yikes!). But why have we all gone away and "improved" ourselves while leaving nothing for those who come after us? My first thought is to move back to Costa Rica and help pick up the pieces. There is so much to do. I wonder, will I forget about this when I return to my own studio in August in the hustle and bustle of my own teaching?

Marimba Ponies

2008-06-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

OK. Forgive me if you have already seen this! I have been accused of not watching enough T.V., so I was pretty excited to find this video on You-tube while searching for something else. I am especially amazed at the tiny fellow at the marimba. Enjoy!

Piano Camp Week 2

2008-06-19T12:46:00.001-07:00

Summer Piano Camp - Week 1

2008-06-09T20:41:00.001-07:00

This was one of the best weeks ever for Piano Camp! Thank you parents and children. Enjoy the slide show... (48 pictures).

Why Group Lessons?

2008-05-08T06:12:00.001-07:00

Group lessons means working together! It is vital to realize that group piano lessons are not just several people in the room at the same time. Singing , dancing, drumming and playing notation games together are activities which capitalize on the psychology of group participation.

Consider these contrasts between group and individual musical learning:

*Singing with a group is relaxed and fun. Singing alone can cause anxiety since so much attention is fixed on accuracy.

*Beat and rhythm are best experienced as part of a group. How can one learn to move expressively to music or follow a conductor by only practicing alone?

*Dancing and drumming create a joyful dynamic within a group. Here, the group synergy produces a mutually-enhancing experience whose whole surpasses the sum of its individual parts.

*Motivation through peer interaction is most effective. Prompting from an adult clearly takes second place and self-motivation will come later with maturity.

*Thorough deep learning occurs as a result of the group's multi-track approach to singing, moving, listening and discussing. Private lessons often end up dealing primarily with a student's own technical challenges.

As a group approach to piano study, Musikgarten capitalizes on the child's love for participating in activities with other children. The beginning piano student longs to be part of a group, especially one of peers. The group setting creates an ideal learning environment for children, and is especially ideal for music learning.
(adapted from Music Makers: At The Keyboard Teacher's Guide year 2)

Just for Fun

2008-04-26T21:09:00.000-07:00

Music for Toddlers

2008-03-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

Just a few snapshots so that you may see the youngest students at Dorla's Piano Studio in action! Adrianna, Gabriel and Tomas shaking the egg shakers to the music (t00 loud for Tomas?).
Even dads join our class from time to time and it is a special treat to hear them sing with their little ones. Keep bringing your dads Tomas and Miscily!
Even Samuel (who will be 6 in May) enjoys this class. He is supposed to be my assistant in class...
The happy faces of Elizabeth and Adrianna.

Office Orchestra

2008-03-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

Thanks to T'resa Weaver for sharing this video with me!

Keyboard Gymnastics

2008-02-24T15:10:00.000-08:00

Ten piano students have just finished participating in two Keyboard Gymnastics events: Creative Project which is my favorite and Sight reading which is nobody's favorite.
The judge for this event was Irene Herr, Music and Drama teacher at KISD and former Keene Church choir director from when Ms. Dorla was not yet married (has it really been 20 years?)
Anyway, the students did a lovely job, their scores were good and I have kept their displays up at the Studio for this week, so that you can enjoy their hard work and maybe be inspired to participate next year.
Congratulations!

Brian Evans- " Awadagin Pratt"

Brandon Evans - "Scott Joplin"

Lauren Turk - "Music about Horses"

Kaylin Thurber - "Mozart's Letters"

Vincent Davis - "The Lion King"

Christopher Turk - "Music and Computer Games"

Jasmin Jones - "Jean Phillipe Rameau"

Veronica Jones - "Classics with a Twist: Interpreted in Art"

Conestoga Blues

2008-02-17T13:44:00.000-08:00

This is a miracle piece. In the Fall of 2007 Tyler began studying this piece and he had the most difficult time getting the rhythm right. For weeks he tried separate hands, with the metronome, without the metronome, playing by rote, tapping his foot, etc. and nothing seemed to work.
I finally gave up and assigned him a new piece. And wouldn't you know? Tyler came back to the studio proclaiming that he could finally play Conestoga blues (Baily). I was doubtful, but I listened anyway, and was pleasantly surprised!
Congratulations Tyler on a job well done.

Canoe Song

2008-02-10T08:19:00.000-08:00

The Singing Circle is part of every group piano class. This is where we learn the melodic patterns of the songs we will eventually play and one of the ways to get the music firmly cemented in our brains. In this video you will see Jared, Ismael, Mikayela, Kelsey and Taylor, paddling their canoe in duple rhythm, while singing a melody line and an ostinato (dip, dip and swing) which changes from girls to boys at my prompting. Did you understand any of this? Well, this class of 8 year olds knows this is the way to make music. Our next step down the road will be to transfer it to the piano.

Music for a Sunday Morning

2008-01-20T06:22:00.000-08:00

As I write this it is 23 degrees outside with a beautiful blue sky and bright sun.
However, it is still COLD!
I invite you to grab a cup of something warm and delicious, click on the video below and listen to Sean Aqui (age 11) share a composition by Catherine Rollin titled Solar Wind.

Sharing our music at the Nursing Home

2007-12-19T21:17:00.000-08:00

It is very humbling and rewarding to visit a nursing home. Last Saturday 9 piano students, their parents, siblings and other family members shared their Christmas music with the residents. It was lovely to hear the students perform their best and even better to hear the residents hum along as the students played.

My plan was to take a group picture by the Christmas Tree and post it with this entry, but I left the camera at home! So instead you are looking at one of the "Christmas tree plates" my 5 year old Samuel created and handed out (with the help of Veronica and Jasmin Jones) to each resident with a hug.

Do something nice for someone today. Even if it is just listening to your child play his/her Christmas song for the 1,oooth time!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-09T14:47:00.000-08:00

Enjoy Kaylin playing an arrangement Carol of the Bells by K. Olson. Kaylin has been a student for almost 5 years and is concluding an excellent semester of piano lessons and practice.
Please click the arrow to hear her performance.

Fall 2007 semester is almost over

2007-12-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

The toddlers, music makers and group piano students have all had their last lesson. Private students are still polishing up their christmas pieces for a performance and planning projects for Keyboard Gymnastics. It has been a good semester.

Now...please do not forget to play the piano and listen to your listening CD's everyday during the Christmas break. It will be much more exciting to start the New Year with new music instead of re-learning the old.

Have a Merry Christmas! And please visit Dorla's Pianoblog frequently to find pictures and news about the students.

P.S. It is assumed that those who have not paid/reserved for the new semester by December 1, will not be returning in January.

Music Makers Around the World

2007-12-02T05:40:00.000-08:00

What a great way to learn music!

This year's Pre-piano 2 class (for ages 5-7) just concluded a unit on Amerindian music and to celebrate we had our own version of a Pow-Wow.

It was so much fun for the children to "march" out of the Tee-pee with their flags during the Grand Entry, perform a Hoop Dance and Scarf Dance, plus interpret a song with sign language followed by playing an ostinato at the keyboard while singing the Canoe Song. And THEN the feast!
Cornbread muffins, cornbread casserole, pumpkin cake, popcorn, cranberries and nuts, pinolillo and rice pudding.

You might be asking, did these children LEARN anything? Yes! and here are just a few items: syncopated rhythm patterns in duple meter, minor melodic patterns, discovery of these patterns in a music score, piano keyboard topography, and staying on task during instrumental ensemble.

Thank you parents for doing your part at home and dancing with us in class! And to those of you who have not decided if you would like your child to join, come visit one of our classes. I am sure you will agree this is a great way to learn music!