Wacky Wednesday Fun Link #5

This week's fun link is Name that Instrument. Listen to the audio clip and identify the instrument that made the sound...if you can. Enjoy!

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Musing about Music Improvisation

Earlier this month, one of my junior intermediate students attended the Young Composers' Workshop. The clinician, Robert Rosen, was wonderful with the students. He took them on a "soundwalk" and asked them to describe several sounds using music, such as an alarm bell, a water fountain and a door slamming. They did remarkably well. There's a close relationship between composing and improvising. Mr. Rosen said that the first step to composing is improvisation, while one student described composing as "improvising with an eraser".

I eagerly employed some of the activities used at the workshop. I told my students two things: "do not be afraid to use more than one note at a time" and "do not be afraid to use different parts of the piano". This week, I have been treated to some witty improvisations about puppies playing, kittens fighting over a toy, someone rollerblading down a hill, a creepy walk through a haunted house, a lazy summer day, a child snoring and dramatic thunderstorms.

Here are some interesting articles about improvising:

• Free Improvisation

• Piano Improvisation Tips - Enjoy the Process First!

• Music Improvisation Tips

Happy exploring! (c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Music Teachers Helper

Lord knows we teachers need all the help we can get. Private music teachers have anywhere from five students to over 60. That means we need to keep track of each student's curriculum, payments, etc. etc. Some families require more communication than others. Some are more technologically savvy than others. I've got my trusty Quickbooks, Palm Pilot, website and e-mail that I use for communicating with my students' families and keeping track of things. But for those teachers who don't have these resources, Music Teachers Helper can assist with scheduling, invoicing, bookkeeping and more.

There is even a blog for teachers.

Thanks to my colleague Heidi for this link.

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

On Surviving September

Ahhhhhh! Where did September go? The students and I are back into the swing of things. The days are long. I typically begin teaching at 3:30 and go till 9 pm. I do have a few day students on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. I've even managed to stay on top of reshelving the books used each day and getting some regular practicing in. My former teacher would be pleased that I've pulled out some senior repertoire to muck around with (mixed in with some jazz, improvising and JPop of course). With more intermediate and senior students this year, I need to stay on top of things.

Now if only I could get in the swing of things with my paperwork. I'm behind on my bookkeeping (surprise, surprise) and other admin related work.

I am so excited to have such a great bunch of students this year. Actually, I should say "families" since being able to have a good relationship with the family is fundamental to making the year go well. For the most part, the students are doing well with their practice journals, although a few haven't been keeping track as well as I'd like (or practicing as much as their parents and I would like them to). Overall though, the practice journals seem to be working. The kids are using the forms to ask insightful questions, share what they enjoyed most out of their homework and alert me to what they need help with.

Even Maestro is maturing into his role as "canine teaching assistant". He rests quietly in his "room" (his kennel) most of the time and hasn't tried to steal any stickers. Prizes though, are another story. He bonked his head on the prize drawer a couple of times while trying to steal a peek.

A few students have simply blown me away with their compositions. A few were inspired by a tune they heard, while others have come up with something unlike anything I've heard before.

Students, parents and fellow teachers, feel free to share your feelings on your year so far. As for me, I better go practice...

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Fifth Honens International Piano Competition Begins in October

This is a special year for pianists and piano music lovers. It marks the Fifth Honens International Piano Competition. Held every three years, young pianists from around the world audition to qualify to compete What sets Honens apart from other competitions is the professional development assistance provided to the Honens Laureates. Honens presents over 50 concert, education and outreach events in Calgary and across Canada annually. This year's competition and musical celebration runs from October 19 - November 3. To find out more about the competition, the celebration concerts and student master classes, please visit the Honens website.

(c) 2006 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.