Practicing Can Be Fun!

We are now into the very busy time of year and will soon be thinking recital time!  Here are some more techniques to think of while at home practicing the students’ festival, recital, or other pieces.

When the student is sitting down to practice, every song does not have to be played every time.  This is very important, especially for the more experienced students as the pieces become harder and longer.  Sometimes it is best to only work on a single section, or one/two songs the entire 30/45 minutes.  While practicing, make sure the student is focusing on only one task at a time.  If the student is working on one song, but worried about another piece and the progression of that one, it will not end well, unfortunately.  Set a goal within each practice session and work towards that goal.  Once you achieve it, go to a new goal.  As you will see, I always write certain things for the student to focus on or to pay attention to in the notebook every week.  Setting a timer is great for self-discipline and showing that you, as the parent, are involved with the practicing. 

Make sure the student warms up a little first.  It is never good to go right into the piece without warming up the voice or fingers.  Do a simple C 5 finger scale a few times up and down or do a few vocal warm ups moving up and down.  After this, your student will feel much more prepared to get started.

Be sure to start slowly.  Every time I mention this to my students, they think I am crazy.  When the student sees or hears a song that he/she knows, the student wants to automatically go fast.  My piano teacher always told me “If you can’t play it slowly, you can’t play it fast.”  That was one of the most important things I learned from her.  The student must start slowly and develop the muscle memory.  As the song become easier, then the student can gradually speed up.  This will help a lot and avoid a lot of frustration that could happen.

Parents, please feel free to remind and encourage your student during practice.  If you hear the student struggling in the other room, feel free to praise them after the student achieves their goal.  I know from experience how a particularly difficult piece can really make you feel defeated.  I think back to when I took lessons and how frustrating it could be at times.  Often there were certain sections in a piece that I “just couldn’t get.”  At that point it is very easy to get upset, and there is temptation to quit that piece.  Parents, please encourage your student that even though it is difficult, they are doing well!  Maybe take a break from that song and go to a familiar one.  Praise your student and tell them how good it sounds.  Parents encouraging and praising students will help the student feel more self-motivated to continue. 

Another good idea is to make a chart for practicing.  I have heard from some parents how they have made it fun by writing down how many minutes the student practices every day. Once the student reaches a goal of time, the parent rewards the student.  You can do this even with placing stickers on a chart or notebook every time the student practices.  It’s amazing how exciting something like a sticker can be!

Thank you to all who continue to encourage your student.  Practicing can feel like a chore at times, but with help and encouragement at home, it can make all the difference!  As always, please let me know if there is any way I can help you or your student.  Getting into a great practice routine will make all the difference!

Happy November!

Sephra

New School Year, New Practice Routine

First of all, welcome back!  It’s amazing to believe that we are now into a new school year.  Where did the summer go?  I feel as though every year goes that much faster.  I am very excited to be starting a “new year” within my studio, welcoming new students and continuing with current students!

Fall is the best time to start a new routine and practice schedule.  School is starting, our routine changes from the “laid back” schedule of summer, and the “busyness” of running from place to place begins again.  So when can you find time to practice or have your student practice?  This blog will be very helpful to get into a great practice routine!

One of the most common phrases I hear from my students when I ask about practicing is “I just had no time!  I was so busy!”  If practicing becomes a part of the students’ daily routine, it won’t feel as though the student is “too busy” to practice.  As the student practices more consistently, I am sure you will see a lot less frustration as he or she is practicing.  Generally, practicing should be happening 5 or 6 times a week.  That may seem like a lot, but if it is more consistent, you as the parent, the student, and I as their instructor will hear and see a huge difference in not only his or her piano/voice, but also a much happier attitude about music in general.

The first thing to do is to look at your student’s schedule.  Identify specific days of the week where he/she are busy with extracurricular activities. It is best to avoid these and look for a time that is consistently available throughout the week. Try not to leave it too close to bed time though, as the best practice happens before the student is too tired.

The next thing is to determine how long the student should be practicing.  The general rule is the shorter the pieces, the shorter the practice time.  Beginning students should really only be practicing 10-15 minutes every practice session.  As the pieces become longer, generally it should be about 15-20 minutes.  As time progresses and pieces become more difficult, practicing should be at least 30 minutes per session.

Break everything up into sections.  The student doesn’t always have to practice the song from top to bottom 5 times through.  If the student has a trouble measure or line, stop, work on that line 3-5 times, then continue.  This will be a big help as the student works on the piece and will be able to progress much better.

It is very important to break long, complicated songs into sections.  This is much more effective than skipping over problem spots while playing through the whole song.  I will go into more depth about this in my next blog post.

Environment is extremely important for successful practice.  Is the piano in an area that is away from distraction?  Is the tv going nearby or is a brother/sister distracting the student while trying to practice?  If there is any way possible, it is best to have the piano in a different room away from distractions.  If this isn’t possible, make sure all distractions are temporarily turned off or put away to allow full concentration while practicing.

No matter what, practicing can be a challenge at times, but remember, your student is learning a wonderful art that he/she can have with them forever.  I cannot tell you how many times I have had students in the past tell me that they were having a rough day and sat down to sing or play and they instantly felt better.  This art will be with your student always, so thank you for allowing me to teach my passion to your student! 

I am looking forward to a wonderful school year!  As always, please don’t hesitate to ask if you need help with anything!

Sephra

Summer Lessons

It is time to start thinking about summer lessons, believe it or not!  As the parents know, I have contacted all about scheduling summer lessons.  However, some students and/or parents may wonder why summer lessons are so important.  This is what I will focus on today as we get ready to get to summer. 

When I took piano lessons for 13 years, I also continued into the summer.  It was a part of my daily/weekly schedule.  But why is it so important?

I know from experience, if you take time off from anything, whether it be practicing, writing, exercising, etc, you lose it!  I have seen students take the summer off and come back in the fall, then we have to go backwards to review the information the student had lost.  The student has put so much time and effort into their instrument, whether it be piano and/or singing.  Getting into the rhythm (no pun intended!) and having it a part of his/her schedule will make a big difference!  Music is a language, and without work, it is lost.

Since the student is not in school during the summer, we (the student and I) are able to focus more on specific music, trouble spots, flash cards, and/or theory.  Maybe the student can tackle a more difficult piece that he/she has been wanting to do.  Since there is more time during the summer, we can do that.  I also have a few voice students who take advantage of the summer to pick out his/her solo piece for contest time.  As many of my students will agree, the summer is a much more relaxed time, since the student does not have to focus on "getting home to finish homework" or "having to study for a big test".  It is fun to work and focus on the joy of music!

I do understand that there are only a handful who cannot continue with lessons during the summer for other reasons.  For those who are not, please encourage your student to continue to play throughout the summer.  My recommendation is at least 3 times a week.

As I have seen when teaching in the school system, as well as in my studio, students need structure.  Having the entire summer "off" and being able to do anything isn't always the best.  Having a few structured activities in the students' schedule encourages the students' brains to continue to work.

Summer will be here before we know it!  I am so looking forward to all the progress that will continue through the summer.  Parents, I will be in touch with you within the next few weeks to confirm the summer time for your student.  It will be a great summer and hopefully the weather will be just the same!

Bravo to another great year of piano and voice lessons! 

Recitals, Festivals, and Music, Oh My!

The past few weekends have been very musical!  I am very excited to talk about how musical they have been!

February 21 and 22 were my mini recitals for all of my students.  On February 21, I had two recitals, both piano, and on February 22, I had one recital, piano and vocal.  All three recitals were such a success!  I heard many great compliments from family members, friends, and other guests about how well the students did.  All of the students were so well prepared with their music, and some even decided to perform their pieces completely from memory!

At the first recital, there were students from ages 7-17.  Two of the students that performed at this recital were getting ready to perform at the festival the following weekend.  The second recital had students from ages 5-10.  One student who performed had only been taking lessons from me for a little over a month and a half!  It was great to hear all students and to see the confidence as they played the piano.  I saw many proud parents, grandparents, and other family members as well.  

The recital on Sunday had both vocal and piano students.  These students were all in high school, ages 15-18.  This recital had everything from students singing, students playing and singing at the same time, students playing piano, a vocal trio, and a concerto!  For those who are not familiar with a concerto, it is a classical piano piece that is accompanied by another person at another piano.  It is different from piano duets, which is written for two people at one piano.  My student, who is a senior, performed Joseph Haydn's Piano Concerto in C Major, III-Finale.  If you would like to look it up online, it is pretty amazing to see!  My students did a fantastic job at this recital as well, and this teacher could not be prouder!

Below are a few pictures and videos of some of the students from the recitals.  It is truly amazing to see how much a student progresses in one year, and a recital is definitely the best way to show off his/her talents and how far he/she has come!  Congratulations, students, on a job well done!

Kennedy and me before her recital!

Kennedy performing at the recital!

Ava!

Carson!

Alexius performing at the recital!

Vocal Trio--Emily, Addie, and Elise

Piano Concerto, Macy at the grand piano, and me on the other piano

Ashlyn, Addie, me, Emily, Elise, Macy, and Teagan

The following weekend, February 28, two of my students performed at the North Dakota Federation of Music Club Festival.  This festival is held once a year in Valley City.  Any student can perform and is scored on their own performance, not against other performers.  There are different categories the student can be in, such as piano solos, piano hymns, vocal solos, piano duets, piano concertos, etc.  Every year you get a rating from superior, excellent, satisfactory, etc.  The higher the rating, the higher your points are, with 5 points being the most.  Once each student receives 15 points in any category, that student receives a gold cup.  I had been in this festival for 14 years and performed in all the categories mentioned.  It is such a great experience for the students and it gives the student something to work toward to get a gold cup.  It can be very scary to perform in front of a judge, but it is such great experience.

Both of my students performed in the hymn category, and both received superior ratings!  I couldn't be prouder!  They are well on their way to receive a gold cup!  I felt so proud to see the students play and have such high confidence in themselves.  I would love to have even more students perform in the festival next year and work towards earning the gold cups!

Kennedy with her superior rating certificate!

Kennedy ready to perform with her hymn book!

I know I have said this numerous times, but I am so truly proud of all of my students and all the hard work they have put into the recitals and festival!  It is so amazing to see the growth in each student and the success of their performances.  I truly love what I do and how I have the opportunity to work with such bright students every week.  Thank you to all the parents, grandparents, other family members, my family, my husband, and everyone else for all your support you always give me.  If it wasn't for you, these wouldn't be such a success!!

Preparing for Recitals!

It's almost recital week!  There are many things to think about as you prepare for your recital.  Here are some things that can help you so you feel more than ready for the upcoming day! 

There are always "trouble spots" in songs, whether you are singing or playing.  Go through just those spots a few times in a row.  Then, play/sing the whole song together.  Did it feel better?  If not, try this technique again.  Step away from it for a while and come back to it after doing something else.  Before you know it, it will become second-nature.  

Try practicing your songs at medium speed and slow speed.  This will allow you to really look at what you are playing and if you are playing and/or singing the correct notes.  Are you playing with the correct fingering?  Are you singing with the right vowel shape?  Also, concentrate on relaxing as you practice.  As you know, when you perform at a recital, we tend to not be relaxed.  Try practicing your piano pieces hands separate.  The day before your recital, practice your piece at performance speed.   How did it go?  Did you finally get that spot you have been working so hard to improve on?  Even up to the last day before the recital, we can always be improving and making the music sound "musical"!

What shoes are you wearing at your performance?  Are they too high?  Are they too "clunky"?  Try practicing your pieces in the shoes that you will be wearing at the recital.  Sometimes, what we think may be comfortable, actually is not.  You don't want to be thinking about your shoes when you are performing!

If you make a mistake at the recital, it is ok!  I was in numerous recitals from elementary through college, and during those recitals, I made mistakes!  It's perfectly normal to make a mistake.  The best way to recover is to move on and continue with your piece.

Please remember to adjust your bench as you sit down.  Before you start playing, take a deep breath.  You don't have to start right away!  Since you will be playing on an unfamiliar piano, it is fine to play a few notes to get the "feel" of the piano before you start your piece.  Even though all pianos make the same sound, every piano feels differently.  Do you need to push harder than what you are used to?  Is the touch very delicate and you don't need to press the keys as hard as what you have been practicing?

Vocal students, please remember that you will be in a much larger area than where we practice in my studio.  As a result, you will need to have more breath and support to fill your voice within the whole space.  Imagine you are singing to someone at the back of the sanctuary and they are not able to hear as well.  You want to make sure that your audience can hear everything!  Also, adding more diction to your words will make a big difference.  When you sing, even if it is in a different language, you want to be sure they can hear every single word.

Remember, performing at a recital is very exciting!  This is such a great time to show your family, friends, and other students all of your accomplishments you have made throughout the year.  Be proud of your accomplishments!  Every piece has a meaning behind it.  They aren't just notes on a page.  They are a song, a melody, a phrase, a story.  Whether you are singing, or playing the piano, there is meaning behind that piece and why it was written.  

I am very proud of all of you and everything you have done to prepare for this recital.  You have come so far, and I am so proud to call you my student!