Building Community in the Studio

(Originally published in the Fall 2020 APTA News & Views for the Alberta Piano Teachers’ Association. Updated & modified for the Studio Blog.)

Growing up, I didn’t like how we kept to ourselves at recitals and how there was little interaction between students. I yearned for music buddies and community, which I didn’t have until I attended university.

When I started to teach privately, establishing a friendly studio community was one of my priorities. Since most of us publish studio newsletters to connect with families, my focus here is on the activities I have instigated to build connections and foster a sense of community through the years. Colleagues, feel free to adapt these into your studio.

Group Classes & Special Projects

My students have collaborated on various projects, both in and out of group classes. They have done everything from composing, piano combos, pop bands, folk dancing, recording, editing, and field trips. Our three biggest projects were Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir 4: Fly to Paradise, David Wesley’s O Canada Choir, and a student band that earned an Honorable Mention in a Long & McQuade music contest.

Musespeak Studio · Musespeak Studio - Long and McQuade Entry 2013

It hasn’t been easy offering group classes. Some students are just too busy to come at a different time. Others really dislike the idea of group classes. For those who participate, the group projects and classes remain one of the most memorable parts of their music studies.

Sadly, with the pandemic, I fear the days of group classes are over. However, I will endeavour to find ways for my students to collaborate.

Casual Performance Opportunities

I established piano parties to give students performance experience in a social setting, seeing as most of their performances are for family and friends. I generally schedule two to three parties a year. Each student performs one or more pieces. I do as well, usually sharing something fairly new. If there’s a birthday, someone plays Happy Birthday. At one party, a student played O Canada, so we all stood up and sang the anthem.

Before and after performances, we play board games. Everyone brings snacks to share.

Cat Tower is a piano party favourite! Credit: R-M Arca.

One year, a student who suffers from severe performance anxiety had an attack. She went upstairs while another student went to comfort her and give her a pep talk. She came back down and performed, crying throughout her performance. Everyone listened to her calmly and supported her afterwards. I couldn’t have been more proud of my students for how they handled the situation.

With the pandemic, our last three piano parties were held online via Zoom or StreamYard. At the first online party, I ditched the performances in favour of giving my students a chance to socialize and discuss how they were coping. At our most recent one, we played a couple of online games after everyone performed.

To give students performance experience in a community setting, I book recitals at a local nursing home, two times a year. That was one tradition from my student days that I wanted to continue.

At our 2019 annual recital for our neighbourhood nursing home. Credit S. Yin.

The pandemic hasn’t stopped this. We have held two live stream recitals for the nursing home residents since the beginning of the pandemic. You can find out about our live streaming adventures here.

Crossover Periods & Mentoring

The studio is quite lively during the changeover period between lessons. Parents chat in the waiting area, while the students switching off exchange greetings, share news and listen to the Music Clip of the Day.

Alas, those days are over. Hopefully not permanently.

I recently set up a Piano Buddies program. Five students expressed an interest in being Piano Buddies. They’ll work together to do some ear training and rhythm practice and perform for each other. Earlier this week, I coached one of my students in how to set up a Christmas Break gaming day online. It is my hope this will evolve with minimal input from me.

Recitals as a Social Event

The Snack & Chat has been a popular feature at year-end recitals. Each family brings a plate of goodies to share. Students and parents chat with each other, students praise each other for a good performance and sometimes, someone breaks out a board game. Some years, it takes a while to clear out the area.

With our last two live stream recitals, my students did manage to keep that sense of community. They took full advantage of the backstage chat window during the recital, cheering each other on. Family and friends utilized the live chat on YouTube. Thanks to StreamYard’s user interface, I inserted some of the comments directly into the live stream and responded to comments and questions in real time.

It wasn’t the same as being in a church and having the Snack & Chat afterwards, but at least there was that real-time interaction with family and friends both near and far. After our December recital, some of us squeezed in a few rounds of Among Us.

Building Community via Social Media

Most students enjoy being the “Instagram Star of the Day,” where I feature a photo, video or screencap of fun or great moments during lessons. Most of my teenage students are on Instagram, so they have formed a network all on their own, following each other and keeping in touch via Direct Messaging. Past students keep in touch through Facebook or Instagram.

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The fact that my students continue to keep in touch with each other as well as myself, years after lessons, makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. My efforts to have a friendly studio community have borne fruit.

This may seem like a lot. Start with a few activities. Create opportunities for students and their families to connect and support each other in multiple ways. That is how community is fostered.

DISCLAIMER: This post contains a referral link to StreamYard.

Playing Ensemble Music for Pleasure

You're all probably familiar with this image: cooped up in your practice room, staring at the clock and trying to decide just how unproductive you can be in your allotted practice time. Or this image: You're frantically racing to get your repertoire or technical exercises to a passable state for your upcoming exam or music festival.

Well, how about just playing for fun? With a friend? Or two or three? 

One of my music colleagues and fellow "tech teacher", Kevin Thompson of White Rock, BC, has a delightful collection of piano duets and trios on his Youtube Channel. There's a neat mix of different styles, from Baroque to Latin and from Classical to rock. It's worth checking out to get some ideas of music to play with friends and members of your family.

I leave you with Total Eclipse(which I think my students would love to play).

Learning New Grooves

Are you looking for some fun ways to practice this summer? Check out Jonathan Wilson's website, Groove Window. You can learn to play a useful blues licks and funk grooves, like this one that my brother and I performed last year:

Check out this Groove Starter tutorial:

Singing with My Students in Virtual Choir 4.0

When composer/conductor Eric Whitacre launched Virtual Choir 4.0 a few weeks ago, I'm sure I wasn't the only music teacher in the world to say, "Oh no! This couldn't have come at a worse time!" Music festivals, recitals, exams, putting together the registration package for next year, etc. etc. - there is a LOT on our plates right now (our counterparts in the school system would undoubtedly agree). In fact, I was rather grumpy about not having time to practice Bliss. Thankfully, Team Eric have prepared a lot of support materials. I have been listening to the practice tracks on a regular basis - it keeps me calm while I deal with the icky administrative tasks of running your own business. I am quite relieved that the Bliss is easier than Water Night (although, I do love Water Night to bits).

When six of my piano students stepped forward to say, "I'd like to sing in Virtual Choir" this year, the opportunist within me got excited. For my students, this is a great learning opportunity: in terms of music technology, ear training, expression, speed learning, etc. etc. For me, their lessons ARE my practice time.

As soon as they said "yes", I sent their families the Underage Consent Form (if applicable) and encouraged them to join the Virtual Choir Community. Together, with their parents, they could read up on how to practice, download the practice tracks and ask questions. One of my students has been spending quite a bit of time on the forums so I've been directing my other students to ask HIM questions.

Last week, I coached my students on the trouble spots. It really helps that they are singing parts that are in my vocal range. This week, we're working on pitch, breathing and pronunciation. After working through it at a lesson today, I feel hopeful that I can record at least one track ahead of my students.

This Friday, we are going to have a studio Virtual Choir rehearsal. Staggered breathing will make much more sense to them when we work as a group. As well, they will have an opportunity to watch the conductor videos together and ask questions.

I can also share with them this little demo that fellow Virtual Choir members put together by randomly selecting 44 members of VC4 who have already submitted their videos:

Afterwards, they will take turns recording in my special Virtual Choir recording booth:

Since our time-frame is extremely short (we must submit our tracks before June 10), we have to go with the best of three takes, a far cry from my Virtual Choir recording experience last year. Everyone is bringing non-dairy food to share as we'll be cutting into dinnertime. Their parents get to hang out with us if they'd like (or just curl up on my waiting room couch with a book).

Perhaps in July, when Virtual Choir 4.0 is unveiled at the Coronation Festival’s Gala performances for Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth, we can have a VC4 party.

Preparing for the Long & McQuade Music Education Contest

For the first time, my studio submitted an entry to Long & McQuade's Annual Music Education Contest. It's been a really neat experience for my students and I.

When I saw the poster back in November, I had a hunch that the four students I selected for the project would work well together (aged 11 - 13). Three of them had already worked together in combo classes and improv classes in previous years. I went on a hunch with the fourth member. This is her first year studying with me. However, her creative vision and personality seemed like a good fit for the other three.

In December, D stepped up to be Team Captain/Music Director. They held planning meetings at my studio, starting in January. G, the new student, wound up being the Secretary, writing down ideas and project deadlines and practice schedule on the whiteboard. E picked the song, while W brought supplies for their photo shoot.

They opted to perform "50 Ways to Say Goodbye" by Train:

They wound up practicing sometimes twice a week at my studio throughout January. They did most of the planning  by themselves. I served as an advisor, while D's mother helped supervise meetings while I was teaching.

After several discussions over their band name, they christened themselves "WEDG" (opting to use the first initial in their names). The group is comprised of W (cajón/vocals), E (lead vocals), D (vocals/keyboard) and G (keyboard/hand percussion).

I have a digital piano in my office, so I was still able to teach while WEDG practiced in the studio. At the end of the evening, I emailed the mp3 files from their practice for them to review.

There was one setback. Long & McQuade announced that the audio category was full at the end of January. The kids decided to press forward and record as they were already planning to continue working together. They were already talking about CD covers and decided they could still submit an photo entry for the contest.

We did receive good news last week though, in that Long & McQuade re-opened the audio category for the bonus prizes. Last Friday, the group recorded their entry AND posed for photos for not only the photo contest, but also their CD cover.

To my delight, I even heard a bit of their own compositions in passing. I was occupied with setting up the recording equipment when I overheard one of them say, "Let's run through our song first." I was floored as I listened to them run through a catchy pop tune that they created.

Whether WEDG wins a prize in the Long & McQuade Music Education Contest or not doesn't really matter. The moment I heard them come together as a completely cohesive unit for the recording their final take and the surprise moment when they ran through their own band songs - that's what matters. The ties created by their shared love for music, along with their shared vision. As their teacher, I couldn't be any prouder than I was at that moment. I cannot wait to hear what they come up with next.