What’s it like to teach real kids in the 21st Century? Join me as I discuss the rewards and challenges of teaching my typical and not-so-typical students. I’ll give you practical tips for helping all students grapple with the realities of processing music and information and the best ways to Continue Reading
Bits of Wisdom
Every Word Counts
“We really baked their chicken!” Brian exclaimed gleefully. “You did what?” I asked. “Last night, when my Dad came back from the meeting with our neighbors he said, ‘We really baked their chicken.’” Hmm…. “Did he maybe say, ‘We really cooked their goose?’” “Yeah, that’s it!” Kids repeat, often word-for-word, Continue Reading
My Simple Vote
As the Cliburn competition started to heat up last weekend, I drove down the gorgeous California coast to judge the Carmel Young Artist Competition, which I’d won back when I was in college. It was sweet to be invited back as a judge.The timing was fortuitous. It reminded me anew Continue Reading
An Unexpected Performance
I was sitting smack dab in the front row. Next to me was my father, an 85-year-old retired Lutheran pastor. My daughter, Evie, age four, was thrilled to be in the Junior Choir at the Christmas Pageant. Since she couldn’t read, much less read music, I’d patiently taught her all Continue Reading
The Feel Of The Keys
“You don’t think you really feel like doing it,” Emily said. “What do you mean?” I asked. “Well….” she hesitated. “It’s just like taking a bath. When you think about it, you don’t think you want to do it. And you keep saying, ‘I don’t want to take a bath’ Continue Reading
Chicken & Dumplings
My friend, Kara, is the most multipurpose friend anyone could want. First, she’s geographically desirable. (She lives close.) Second, she takes anything mundane and makes it entertaining. We shop for groceries, go for long walks with her dog and exchange almost everything. Here’s a typical conversation. “Do you have any Piano Continue Reading
Technique is like Handwriting
“Do you know anyone who has really messy handwriting?” I asked Maria, hopefully. “Oh yeah,” she said, “Charlie’s handwriting is SO terrible that no one can read it.” Whew. Charlie is her big brother. “So, sometimes when he writes something, it doesn’t matter what he writes because you can’t read Continue Reading
Mozart and McDonald’s
Yesterday, Caleb became quite obsessed with how short a life Mozart had lived. He did the math, looking carefully at the birth/death dates in the book. (Thanks, Keith!) He couldn’t figure out why Mozart lived such a short life. “Why didn’t he live very long?” he asked me, looking puzzled. Continue Reading
A Piano in Paris
Early morning Parisian piano delivery. People often tell me that they can’t stand teaching adults. “My adults never practice,” they’ll say. “My adult student doesn’t listen to me,” says another. I offer this sweet photograph as a humble piece of evidence to the contrary. Look closely. This picture, taken at dawn, Continue Reading