The Art of Song: Musical Pairs

Steve and I were thrilled to be asked to present a recital in our church's concert series this spring.  Some of you may recall our previous "Art of Song" recitals - see an overview here and here.  This time, we decided to invite a few friends to join us. In "The Art of Song: Musical Pairs," you'll hear from 4-5 duos, each performing a pair of art songs that have something in common.  This may be a thematic element, a common text or poet or composer, or something more musical and aesthetic.  The repertoire will be chosen by each duo.  Each art song pairing will include performance and a brief discussion about the songs, providing insight and context for the listener.  Steve and I will be performing and facilitating a fun, interactive activity so that you, too can make musical pairs!  If you're in the area, we'd love to have you join us!

Sunday, April 7, 3:00 p.m. First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford Pittsford, New York Suggested Donation: $5 | $10

On Teaching

Last week, I found out that one of my former students in Massachusetts passed away suddenly.  Ironically (or perhaps not), I thought about Ed Sunday night and told Steve, "I should write him a note this week and see how he's doing."  Later, I found out that he died the next day.  Life is short, friends; too short to leave things unsaid, to worry about what others will think, to value things that don't matter.  Act now.  Love now.  Give now.  Focus on what matters. Ed was 73 years old when he began taking piano lessons from me in the summer of 2010.  I'll never forget that first week - he came in with a stack of big note, EZ-read piano books, a mini audio recorder, and an enormous amount of self determination.  We started at the beginning: landmark notes (Frances Clark method), folk songs, rote songs, and technic exercises.  Within the first year, he was sightreading simple songs, harmonizing folk melodies, and playing teacher-student duets in the studio's spring recital.  He was dedicated.

In our second year of study, he began learning key signatures and counting in unusual meters.  He performed solo in the studio recital earlier this year.  Our last lesson before I moved was at the end of July.  In those final weeks, Ed began asking questions about chords, harmonic progressions, and inversions.  He was curious and he truly loved learning.

Every week when he came into his lesson I would ask, "How are you doing today?"  His response always caught me off guard: "Oh, I'm much better, thank you."  "What do you mean 'much better'?"  I'd say.  "Were you sick?"  "No, I'm fine.  It's just that people always pay attention when you say 'I'm doing much better,'" he'd say with a grin.  I smile when I think of him looking down now, saying, "I'm doing much better, thank you."

What a privilege we have in teaching.

Teaching to me is not just about music or experiences.  It's about people - people like Ed who want to build on a lifelong love of music, people like Bobby who love to create, and people like Matthew who love to explore and build with musical patterns.  What an opportunity we have as teachers to engage with others, interact, and share musical experiences.  I am so grateful.

Cultivating Creativity

"If you're not prepared to be wrong, you will never come up with anything original."

What a great quote by Sir Ken Robinson.

Confession: Sometimes, I get caught up watching TED Talks.  They're just so engaging and each presenter has something unique to say.  Topics are often very different but the commonality is found in the discussion of innovation, education, technology, and creativity.  In this talk, Sir Ken Robinson talks about the creativity of young children and how our educational system counteracts it (i.e. kills it) in favor of more important subject matter (math and science).  He offers three useful points when describing intelligence:

1. Intelligence is diverse. We think visually, in sound, and kinesthetically; we think in abstract, we think through movement.

2. Intelligence is dynamic. The brain is interactive.  Creativity often comes about through different disciplinary ways of seeing things.

3. Intelligence is distinct. How did you discover your talent?

How can we cultivate creativity in our teaching?

Call Me Maybe

Confession: I dance to this song when it comes on the radio. Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" is catchy, easy to learn, and upbeat.  What I learned about the hit single this week is that kids love it.

Hey, I just met you and this is crazy, But here's my number, So call me maybe.

I took on a new student for my summer term this year (despite that fact that I'm moving) mostly because the parent's wanted their 9-year-old daughter to have a few trial lessons to see if she would be interested in pursuing the piano sometime in the future.  In planning a course of action, we decided a combined approach of learning a few familiar pieces by rote and reinforcing her rhythm and tonal reading skills would be best.  In four short lessons, we were able to work through a few chapters of The Music Tree: Part I and learn a few pieces solely by ear.

Yesterday was her last lesson.  She came in smiling and her mom said she had been picking out several new songs by ear this week and was loving really learning how to play the piano.  I used this as a jumping off point for our lesson.  "What songs have you been teaching yourself this week?" I asked.  She named a few songs I didn't recognize and then, nonchalantly, "Call Me Maybe."  "You know 'Call Me Maybe'?  Let's hear it," I said.

She hesitated at first with where to begin but with a little help, by repeating after me line-by-line, she could play the entire chorus within minutes.  A big grin flashed across her face as she began to connect what she was playing to what she knew in her head.

This is meeting a student at his/her level.  This is connecting musical study with their everyday music.  This is their familiar music.

I think sometimes I get so caught up in "teaching from the book" that I forget to draw connections to music of the everyday.  Ask your students what kind of music they listen to and you'll hear everything from "Lady Gaga" and "Justin Bieber" to "Aerosmith" and "Chicago" to "country."  Everyone comes from a different background and it is so important to teach the relevancy of music.  Music is all around us in all styles and forms.  Draw connections.  Give relevant examples.  Don't just teach songs from a book.  Teach music.

Leap

It’s the last day of my spring semester classes and I could not be more grateful!  This semester has stretched me farther than I thought possible and molded me into a different teacher than I was when I started.  Here’s my semester, at a glance: 45 students 330 PowerPoint Slides 89 pages of notes (single-spaced) 28 lesson plans 15 Quizzes 7 Group Project Assignments 2 Paper Assignments (5-page, 10-page) 4 Playing Quizzes (4 tracks each) 12 Piano Juries

Can you believe it’s been two years since I started as an adjunct?  There have been moments where I felt I was in over my head, teaching classes I didn’t feel qualified to teach, and drawing connections between content I had only learned myself through my lesson planning.  But, I knew the challenges would be worth it.  I knew overcoming those fears was necessary and important to my future success.  I knew I had to say “yes” to these new opportunities even though my head (and all sensibility) said “no.”  I knew I had to leap – and trust that I could build my wings on the way down.

What have I learned through the process?  I’ve learned that some students really love learning and soak up everything you say like a sponge.  I’ve also learned that some students struggle with the demands and responsibilities of college – enough to lie multiple times about a missing assignment.  I’ve learned that some students have never been asked to write a research paper before and don’t know where the line of plagiarism falls.  And I’ve learned that some students care enough about their final papers that they look up the archives of a Russian newspaper to find a review of a musical premiere – even though they don’t read Russian.  I’ve learned that accessible teaching means connecting to things they know – like showing the Family Guy Remix of Steve Reich’s tape phasing experiment, “It’s Gonna Rain.”

What’s holding you back?  Is it fear that keeps you from doing and being your best?  Define it, acknowledge it, and then set it aside.  Who’s stopping you?  Are you stopping yourself?  Is your head telling you you can’t, you’re not good enough, you’ll fail?  Identify whatever it is that disables you and move on.  Take that leap and learn how to fly.

Making Music Together

Meet one of my ideal clients: An active career woman in her late 40s, she works as an assistant in the dean’s office at a small, liberal arts college during the week and sometimes on the weekends. She is a definite people person but she enjoys escaping from it all when at home. Her husband travels frequently, leaving her several free evenings a week to read, teach herself to cook, and rearrange the living room. She considers interior design a part-time hobby and brings the several most recent issues of Elle Décor to read on her annual Hilton Head vacation. Her home is decorated with a mix of old and new items – mostly neutrals. She enjoys adding color by the season. She listens to music in the car, during dinner, and on lazy Sunday afternoons. She sings along when she thinks no one’s watching and has always wanted to learn to play the piano. She shops at Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, and J. Crew (especially when they have a good sale) and values classic pieces that she can wear from season to season. She enjoys traveling with her husband when work permits it, trying new things, and spending time with friends.

Fortunately enough for me, I have a new student this semester who is very similar to the woman in this description. She is a career woman – committed to lessons, always sharply dressed and very prompt, a great desire to learn, and so very funny! I have such a great time in her lessons each week.

Since she came to me as a beginner, we’ve been working through the first few unites of Keyboard Musician for the Adult Beginner by Frances Clark. We’ve learned about the three primary landmark notes: Middle C, Treble G, and Bass F; we’ve studied intervals up to a fifth; we’ve learned rhythms with quarter notes, half notes, dotted half notes, and whole notes; we’ve learned to identify tonal and rhythm patterns; and we’ve been working on beginning technic such as tucking the thumbs under, playing with curved fingers, keeping the wrist and arm relaxed, and transferring weight from the outside of the hand to the inside.

This week, we put the book aside.

You see, this student shared with me a few weeks ago that she loves to sing with her 5-year-old granddaughter (especially when they’re in the car). At the end of last week’s lesson, she asked if we could learn a few familiar (simple) songs that she could play and sing with her granddaughter. So sweet! I couldn’t wait for our lesson this week.

We started out with “Old McDonald” and “Farmer in the Dell” – two children’s songs that can be played solely on the black keys (great for beginning pianists). Soon, we were playing “The Itsy, Bitsy Spider,” “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” (also “Baa Baa Black Sheep” and the “ABC Song”) as well. She couldn’t believe that all three of these familiar songs share the same melody! I came up with a quick shorthand method of “notating” these songs without notation so that she could reference them later. She also hopes to teach a few of these songs to her granddaughter. That just blesses my heart!

We had the best time singing, playing, and laughing through this lesson and again I was reminded – this is why I do what I do. The more I teach, the more I realize the importance of connecting with each student, communicating with them, and responding to their individual needs and goals. It’s not about moving at a certain pace. It’s not about getting through a certain unit. It’s not about playing particular repertoire. It is about making music (music was meant to be shared). It is about inspiring creativity (so that this student and her granddaughter can continue learning to play and sing new songs together). It is about instilling a love for music (because that will last a lifetime).

Teaching Inspiration: Marvin Blickenstaff

Two years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Marvin Blickenstaff at the New School for Music Study in Kingston, NJ.  I was in the second year of my masters at Eastman and was researching piano pedagogue and innovator, Frances Clark (Co-Founder of the New School) for a final project.  As part of my research, I visited the New School for several days, met with the faculty, observed lessons and classes, and experienced truly excellent teaching.  At the end of my first day, after observing a lesson with Marvin, I wrote this reflection:

Marvin Blickenstaff, and high school PEPS [Program for Excellence in Piano Study] student, Grace, were already in the midst of Chopin’s Etude in C Minor when I snuck in to observe.  Together, they identified the salient motives, determined the differences between the lines of each hand, rehearsed the rhythmic structure, and discussed Chopin’s individualistic thoughts on trills.  Similar to the other faculty members, Marvin sought answers from Grace by asking questions and engaging her in conversation about the music.  Comments such as, “Talk to me about the fingering in this scale” when working on the first page of the Pathetique Sonata and, “What are four ways you are going to practice this?” assessed Grace’s understanding and encouraged dialogue.

At the end of the second day, I observed one of PEPS group class with Marvin:

PEPS students meet in small rotation groups every few weeks and in a larger group class of eight students once per month, each an hour in length.  Currently, there are 24 students in the program.  Marvin began each class with scales, often asking two students to play in ensemble: one ascending and the other descending.  The students had end-of-the-year fluency goals posted in the room: 100-160, depending on age and ability.  Repertoire included Debussy, Clementi, a Mozart minuet (where Marvin led the students in an impromptu minuet around the room while singing words that fit the melody), a Bach invention, a concerto by Vandall, and lastly, Sibelius’ Romance, to which Marvin stated, “Begin warm, soft, calm, and with a feeling of moonlight. . . Music that is calm is even.”  Musical discussions included historical influences, theoretical considerations such as the importance of the cadential 6/4 progression, and phrasing decisions supported by careful pedaling.  Students were challenged in thought, touch, and sound.

These few days had a profound impact on my teaching.  I love reliving the experience through my notes and recollections of those lessons and classes.  I was thrilled to discover www.pianopedagogy.org last week – the NSMS’s newest venture!  Complete with teaching videos, tutorials, and a blog written by New School faculty, this website is a great source of knowledge and teaching inspiration.  Enjoy this glimpse of a lesson with Marvin as he coaches an early advanced student on Edvard Grieg’s “Notturno” at the New School:

Previously: Notes from the New School – Day 1 Notes from the New School – Day 2 Notes from the New School – Day 3

Making Concerts Happen

We had a great experience with our webinar, “Presenting Concerts in Your Local Community: Creative Ideas for Making Concerts Happen Anywhere” on Monday night!  Hosted by Polyphonic On-Campus, Steve and I used the WCMW as a case study to explore strategies and ideas for creating community-centered events.  We shared our personal insight in getting to know your community, evaluating your assets, getting funded, and creating opportunities.  Ready to make concerts happen in your local community?  Get started by watching our webinar presentation!

Shooting Stars

Earlier this week, I had an eight-year-old student bring this into her lesson – her first composition.  At our last lesson, I asked her to try making up a few of her own songs that used some of the same musical elements she had recently learned (quarter notes, half notes, legato playing, and changing registers).

“Shooting Stars” is a piece for right and left hand in 5/4 time (how cool is that?!), spanning four octaves.  There are repeated rhythm patterns as well as tonal patterns and the ascending tetrachord in each pattern combined with the shifts in register really exemplifies the title.  Notice the “key” in the top left hand corner that indicates hand position (modeled from our lesson book, The Music Tree).  Up to this point, the songs in the book have only included black keys; I love the initiative it took to create a new piece on the white keys!

I’m so proud!