A Blog belonging to Calgary Piano & Theory Teacher, Pianist and Writer Rhona-Mae Arca and Musespeak(tm) to muse about music, from teaching piano to playing piano and from writing music to performing. Basically, all things musical.
Thanks to Liam, a student, and his mom for this week’s link. www.musicstudy.com has ear training and music theory software programs to help students of various levels. Check out their free demos.
© 2006 by Musespeak™,
posted by Rhona-Mae Arca @ 5:46 PM
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Musicians young and old struggle with memory. I have a few students who are really struggling with it this year (we memorize in chunks).
You may ask, “Why do musicians need to memorize their songs?” If you learn something “by heart”, you know it inside and out. You understand it on several levels and can perform it confidently – consistently. Plus it just looks good.
Now there are times to memorize and there are times not to. Memorization is required at festivals and exams. Student recitals? It depends. If it’s a recital to air out exam pieces, then yes to memory. If it’s just a fun recital, it’s optional. If you’re just jamming with family and friends, memory is optional (improvising is probably more valuable here). If you’re at a family reunion and you’re dragged to the piano? You better have something ready at your fingertips (or be a good improviser!).
There are five types of memory that musicians use. The more forms you use, the stronger your memory is. They are:
Here are a few interesting articles on memory and music:
© 2006, Musespeak™,
posted by Rhona-Mae Arca @ 10:27 PM
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Break In The Road is a site that proves that you can make music out of everyday sounds. Collect various sounds from around the website’s city to create your own music, do a little sound mixing and put your song together. Have fun.
© 2006, Musespeak™,
posted by Rhona-Mae Arca @ 12:36 AM
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I used to get nervous for myself when performing. Now I get nervous for my students. I want them to do well, for themselves and for the loved ones who came to hear them. I hum along with each performance, bobbing and swaying to the music, just as my teachers did for me. When a student has a glitch, I stare at them, willing them to carry on and to get back into the piece. When a student does well, I find it difficult to contain my excitement.
Sunday, we held our studio Winter Recital at McKenzie Towne Church. They have the best Young Chang piano I’ve played (but my heart still belongs to Yamaha). The venue is well laid out. The spacious foyer served as the “Snack & Chat” area after the recital. My mother and room-mate made use of the big kitchen to store and prepare the plates of goodies. Dad went straight to the well-stocked supply closet afterwards and found all he needed to tidy up the place. My brother found the perfect nook to set up shop for recording the recital.
Delegation works wonders. Students and parents helped hand out programs, put up signs, sort the programs that were mixed with another document, perform a sound check and serve as MC’s. They also brought non-perishable food items for the Calgary Food Bank and goodies for the Snack & Chat.
The recital went smoothly. Unfortunately, we had some last minute cancellations and no-shows but that didn’t affect the flow. All the students played well. Sure, they may be grumbling about some wrong notes or some wacky rhythms, but they all demonstrated that they could carry on with poise, a sense of humour and musical expression. That’s all I can ask for.
© 2006, Musespeak™,
posted by Rhona-Mae Arca @ 11:59 PM
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Ooh, how auspicious. Friday Fun Link #13 on Friday the 13th.
I found out about this funky website from one of my students (Thanks Leah!). Called Take a Piano Sheet Music Break, this site offers FREE popular sheet music, transcribed or arranged for piano. There is a good selection of songs, ranging from classic rock to the 80s and from easy listening to what’s hot on the Top 40 charts today.
Happy exploring!
© 2006, Musespeak™,
posted by Rhona-Mae Arca @ 12:00 AM
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Yes, it’s true, even musicians are afflicted by injuries. Several classmates from university and I have suffered from repetitive strain injuries (RSI) off an on for over 10 years. Once you get RSI, it’s virtually impossible to cure completely. Sometimes, it's piano related. Other times, it's computer related.
The problems stem from poor technique, poor posture and repetitive motions. Chiropractors and physiotherapists told me that strengthening the muscles around the damaged tendons through exercise is the best way to combat the recurrence of RSI.
Calgary-based teacher, clinician, adjudicator and composer Dr. Peter Jancewicz has written several articles on the topic, having suffered from RSI. Practicing the Alexander Technique has done wonders for him.
At the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Associations (CFMTA-FCAPM) conference held in
Other musicians use sports and/or martial arts to strengthen their muscles. Doctors often recommend swimming and strength training. Yoga and martial arts are good activities as they not only keep musicians physically fit, but help with calming the nerves, settling the mind and focusing. That was part of my motivation for studying Iaido.
Whatever method you choose, it is best to do research first and consult with your doctor before taking on a new physical activity.
posted by Rhona-Mae Arca @ 1:10 PM
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One of the most enjoyable concerts I ever attended was by Victor Borge, a Danish musical comedian. His rendition of a vocal recital is notably memorable. You can hear some sound clips of his performances at A Tribute to Victor Borge. Enjoy!
© 2006, Musespeak™,
posted by Rhona-Mae Arca @ 12:14 AM
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Happy New Year everyone!
I am enjoying my Christmas break immensely, catching up with family and friends whom I haven’t seen nearly as much as I’d like to in the past year and playing extra rounds of catch and tag with Maestro. I even managed to squeeze in some creative writing (alas, still stumped on my book).
It hasn’t been all play and no work. My filing piles began to walk on their own, I simply led them to their correct places. I'm nearly caught up on my bookkeeping while the home, studio and office got a thorough re-org. Next on the list are: my Alberta Registered Music Teachers’ Association (Calgary Branch) projects, fixing the music library, preparing for the upcoming student recital and a manageable pile of administrative tasks.
My blog topic came to me while making my "to do" list - music teaching. Some students think they can set up shop at Grade 7 piano (or less), but that is extremely dangerous. You simply don’t have enough technical, musicianship and rhythmic tools in your arsenal at that level. Most teachers recommend that students begin teaching when they are in Grade 9 or 10 piano.
There is so much more to teaching than having your Grade 9 piano certificate. My blog entry titled The Most Common Question touches upon the non-teaching aspects of being a teacher. For more information about piano pedagogy, I recommend the following sites, which provide learning opportunities and certification for those wishing to become music teachers:
posted by Rhona-Mae Arca @ 8:48 PM
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Arts administrator turned corporate communicator turned registered music teacher/pianist/writer/composer/arranger. I have my B.A. (Music), B. Mgt., ARCT (Piano Performance) and am currently the First Vice President of the Alberta Registered Music Teachers' Association (Calgary Branch).
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