Christmas 2013 Greetings and Musical Faves

It seems that everyone I have spoken to has had a busy 2013. It is my wish that you all have a wonderful Christmas. May you enjoy some quiet time and some quality time with your family and friends.

As a musician and music teacher, I find it a huge blessing that there are so many arrangements and interpretations to classic Christmas music. Here are five of my favourite Christmas songs. Perhaps, some of these versions are new to you. Enjoy!

"Cry of the Poor" and "What Child is This?" performed by The Notre Dame Group:

Jackie Evancho sings "Silent Night":

Amy Grant’s "Breath of Mary":

"O Come, O Come Emmanuel" performed by The Piano Guys

Carol of the Bells performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir:

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones. May 2014 bring you good health, happiness and abundance.

Reducing Hand and Wrist Tension at the Piano

Lately, I have been harping on my students about their wrist technique. Some are playing with locked wrists or excess hand tension, even with us working on it during their lessons. The bottom line is that we teachers can only help you so much in a lesson, the rest comes down to how you practice at home.

Here are a few videos by some of my esteemed colleagues on hand and wrist technique:

Irina Gorin and Wrist Relaxation Exercises:

I showed this to an intermediate student. He started to make some progress after viewing this. Irina has more useful videos on her YouTube Channel.

Josh Wright on Reducing Hand Tension

Although he still has some tension (those pesky octaves!), Josh does have some good points. Let's chalk it up to the fact that he's showing you a section that he is working on, so it's a work in progress.

Robert Estrin on Wrist Technique with Octaves:

Robert Estrin has a treasure chest of wonderful piano tutorials on his website. Every pianists should bookmark his site.

The Allan Fraser Institute's Lecture-Demonstration on Hand Tension and Proper Arm Weight Technique

Thanks to Brian Riker for sharing this one.

I promised my students that I would send them some clips to help them play with more relaxed wrists and a less hand tension.

Sometime during Christmas break, I will record some videos in which I deconstruct my piano technique. When I mentioned this to my students, they immediately asked if we could use the GoPro POV camera and the other cameras to film them as well. What a great way to analyze your basic piano technique!

I think I will start using an elastic band. Up to this point, I've either had my students put their hand on mine (or my forearm) to feel the arm weight and tension I use to play their trouble spots. Or, I'll hold their forearm and won't let go until I sense they have relaxed sufficiently.

We've been using imagery a lot too. That's something you might want to try if your teacher hasn't asked you to yet.

Last night, I asked a student to imagine that he was in a pool and he was dragging his arm back and forth in the water. Then, I asked him to imagine that his arms were made of air and that gravity was pulling his hand down towards the keys.

Make sure you stretch regularly to reduce hand tension and prevent musician injuries. Finally, I will leave you with something I say regularly to my students: Spongy wrists, firm fingertips.

Heartwarming KODA Performance for Deaf Parents

This was making the rounds on the social networks earlier this month. This is a video taken at a kindergarten Christmas concert. It captures a sweet child of deaf adults (a "CODA" or "KODA") who chose to perform in ASL instead of the usual choreography. That way, her parents - as well as other deaf people - could appreciate the performance fully:

Highly expressive. She's a delight to watch.

If you would like to learn more about Children of Deaf Adults (CODA), also known as Kids of Deaf Adults (KODA), here are a few websites:

• American Sign Language University

• Children of Deaf Adults, Inc.

• Communication and Parenting Issues in Families with Deaf Parents and Hearing Children

• Understanding Children of Deaf Adults

Gift Ideas for Older Dogs

Looking for gift ideas for your senior dog? Here are seven Christmas gift or birthday gift ideas that Maestro and I recommend for the older dog in your family:

Snoozer Scalloped Pet Stairs for Canine Arthritis

Available on Amazon.ca, the Snoozer Scalloped Pet Stairs is at the top of our list ($57.50 CAD and up). Maestro used to have the Pet Gear Easy Step II Pet Stair ($37.56 CAD and up), but once he was diagnosed with canine arthritis and I.V.D.D, the stairs had to go. The impact was too hard on his joints.

Maestro's old stairs had to go once he was diagnosed with Inter-vertebral Disc Disease. Photo by R-M Arca.

The Snoozers are so soft (yet firm). It's much easier on his joints:

This Snoozer Scalloped Pet Ramp is easier on Maestro's joints. Photo by R-M Arca.

A Dog Ramp to Ease Joint Pain in Dogs

If you are crafty, you could make your own dog ramp. Just make sure the angle isn't too steep.

If we didn't have the Snoozers, we would have purchased Mr. Herzher's Smart Ramp Jr ($72.99 USD at PetSmart). There is a full-sized version of Mr. Herzher's Smart Ramp  on Amazon as well as PetSmart ($143.99 USD and up).

If you need a pet ramp for your vehicle, check out the Pet Gear Full Length Tri-Fold Pet Ramp. It's also available on both Amazon and PetSmart ($129.99 USD).

A Dog Jacket or Sweater

Just like us, older dogs have achy joints. Keeping them warm helps immensely!

When we experienced that cold snap a few weeks ago, Maestro refused to let me remove his plaid Bailey & Bella jacket from Pet Valu:

Maestro really loves this dog jacket by Bailey & Bella. Photo by R-M Arca.

Believe it or not, I had to go back to Pet Valu to order him a second jacket. The first one is currently in the wash.

A Therapeutic Dog Bed to Soothe Aching Joints in Dogs

When he was younger, Maestro loved his dog crate. Now, he needs more room to get settled and a softer, warmer surface.

If money were no object, I'm sure Maestro would love an infrared Thermotex Therapeutic Dog Bed. It retails between $178 to $238.80 CAD. In the summer, I bought us a Thermotex Infrared Therapy pad. Sure, it costs more money ($249 CAD), but at least we both can use it:

There are alternative therapeutic dog beds. At PetSmart, you can check out the Precision Pet SnooZZy Round OrthoAir Mattress Dog Bed ($99 USD) and Canine Cushion Orthopedic Fabric and Fleece Dog Bed  ($20 USD).

Amazon has a variety of therapeutic dog beds. They range between $32,85 to $86.06 CAD.

Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews for Dogs

Gum disease is common in older dogs. Bottom line, they need to clean their teeth, but the treats must be gentle on their sensitive gums.

Maestro really likes his lamb pizzles from Pet Valu. His second favourite go-to dental chew are his enzymatic oral hygiene chews that we get at the vet. You can also find them on Amazon.

Wheat-free biscuits for Arthritic Dogs

Wheat is bad for dogs with arthritis. Lately, Maestro has been enjoying think!dog Crawfish Dog Biscuits:

He gets his fruits and veggies too. Our usual go-to wheat-free dog cookies are Fruitables Crunchy Dog Treats and Nutro Natural Choice Crunchy Dog Treats. Really, any dog cookie that is wheat free is fine for the older dog in your family.

Paw Protection for All Dogs

If you live in a cold climate, paw protection goes a long way at preserving your furry buddy's paw pads. All the dogs in our family own a set of Muttluks:

They retail for $50 CAD and above. The major pet stores in Canada sell them, although you can also find them online at Amazon or PetSmart.

Recently, I picked up a FouFou Pet Fou Stick Paw Balm for Pets. If Maestro isn't out for too long, it's a lot easier to slap on the paw palm than it is to put on his dog booties!

Whether your are shopping for Christmas gifts or birthday gifts for you older dog, we hope this list gives you a few ideas to check out. How about you? Do you have any gift ideas for older dogs that you'd recommend for Maestro to try out?

My Tabletop Games Wish List: 2013 edition

Some of my friends are coming over during the Christmas Break and we're going to do some serious tabletop gaming. It will be a great way to catch up with each other, challenge our minds and to just have fun. It's no surprise that some of the people on my Christmas shopping list are receiving tabletop games for Christmas. I had to think long and hard about the games they enjoy. I even had to call in my friend Sharwhiz for some recommendations.

While shopping, and exploring, my Tabletop Games Wish List has steadily grown. Here are 12 board games, card games and dice games that are on my Wish List:

1. Lost Cities

2. 7 Wonders expansions: 7 Wonders Leaders and 7 Wonders Cities

3. Pandemic expansions: On The Brink and In The Lab

4. Castle Panic

5. Tigris and Euphrates - Double Scenario Edition

6. Tikal

7. Agricola All Creatures, Big and Small

8. Flash Point Fire Rescue 2nd Edition

9. Martian Dice

10. Rio Grande Games ACH Space Alert

Of these, I think I've only played two: Castle Panic and Martian Dice. For some reason, I can't remember if I've tried Lost Cities. I don't think so as I'm sure I would have remembered going an archaeological expedition.

The Monster Onslaught: Castle Panic

Castle Panic is a co-operative game for one to six players. The objective is simple: survive the onslaught of monsters coming to trash the castle. If all the towers are knocked down, you're dead.

It's a card and dice game. You roll the dice to determine the monsters' entry point. There are four rings around the castle. The monsters enter your land through the Forest and cannot be attacked from there. Once they step into the Archers' ring, only they can attack. Next are the Knights and Swordsmen. The Barbarian and Hero are exceptions to the rule.

During your turn, you can draw or discard cards, exchange cards with your team mates, attack the monsters, repair walls and add fortifications. Your turn ends by drawing new monster tiles and then moving ALL monsters up one ring closer to your castle. If you wind up with a Boss, it gets ugly.

Kidnapping Earth Specimens in Martian Dice

I understand that Martian Dice is a lot like Zombie Dice. I can't get over my distate for zombies, so I am just happy that there is this cute martian version.

You and your opponents are Martians. This dice game is recommended for two to five players.

Your mission is to abduct human, chicken and cow specimens in a three-roll turn. Watch out for those big bad tanks. If you roll the same number or more Martian death rays, you successfully make off with your specimens. However, if you roll more tanks than death rays, the humans manage to fend you off.  The first Martian team to hit 25 points wins.

Game Expansions Squared

You will notice that I have expansion sets for two games listed: 7 Wonders and Pandemic. As you can see, I do own the base sets:

How about you? What tabletop games are on your wish list?