Brunner Studios

This month in the studio we have been having a competition of sorts.  With the recital coming up, the students needed a little added incentive to work extra hard.  So I purchased a few small prizes and then declared that the grand prize would be a hand knit scarf of the winner’s choosing.  Pretty much saying Harry Potter scarf did the trick.    Here were the ways to earn points:

1.  Meet Your Practice Goal- 5 points

2.  Exceed your practice goal by 30 minute increments – 15 points per 30 min. interval

3.  Perfect Technique- 5 points

4.  Pass Ear-Training Test- 20 points

5.  Complete a Piece- 5 points per page

6.  Theory Completed- 5 points

7.  Theory Completed with no mistakes- 5 points per page

8.  Memorization- 2 points per measure

9.  Memorize an entire piece in 1 week- 20 points

10.  Memorize a recital piece by Nov. 1- 50 points

The students did really well in earning their points and trying to beat each other.  I can’t wait to tell them how they did at their lesson next week. 

No Comments » Posted by heather / Charlotte NC Piano Lessons and Charlotte Piano Students and Just For Fun and Piano Practice and Recitals and Theory and Voice Lesson Charlotte NC

This is just a reminder that Brunner Studios will be participating in NFMC Festival and Scholarship Festival in February of 2013.  Piano, voice, and oboe students are welcome.  This is a great festival to learn the ropes or to participate in a competition.  Students will begin receiving music next week to reduce the stress of learning music over the winter holidays.

If you are interested in participating in this event or beginning music lessons please contact Brunner Studios.  It is not unreasonable to think that a student could begin lessons now and participate in this event in February.  National Federation of Music Clubs is a nationally recognized music organization.

For more information regarding piano, voice, or oboe lessons please contact Brunner Studios. 

No Comments » Posted by heather / Charlotte NC Piano Lessons and Charlotte Piano Students and NFMC and Oboe Lessons Charlotte NC and Piano Practice and Recitals and Theory and Voice Lesson Charlotte NC

I am teaching a wonderful group of students piano lessons right now.  In fact, they are so great they aren’t giving me much material to write about on how to run a studio.  What a problem to have!  We are learning Halloween music and Christmas music started leaving the studio this week. 

I am so proud of my younger students.  I have 3 students who just started lessons last year and are about to move from 30 minute to 45 minute lessons.  These kids are really practicing and excelling in their art. 

More students are participating in the National Achievement Program and one will be playing in a Piano Sonata competition later this month. 

This group of students is working hard!

No Comments » Posted by heather / Acheivement Program and Charlotte NC Piano Lessons and Charlotte Piano Students and NCMTA and NFMC and Oboe Lessons Charlotte NC and Piano Practice and Recitals and Theory and Voice Lesson Charlotte NC

I just got home from a few days out of town.  Disney World is great this time of year, but it wasn’t just for relaxing.  I want to show you some of the ways music is integrated into the Disney experience.  First up was the hotel.  Since this was a last minute trip we stayed at the All Star Music Resort.  This is a value resort.  The rooms are quite small but are still themed really well.  These pictures are not mine since I forgot to take photos in the room, and it was pouring rain 3 of 4 days.

It is a little hard to tell from these pictures but the border around the room is music themed and the print on the wall is Mickey Mouse conducting an orchestra. 

The resort itself is totally decked out in music décor. 

I will be updating this blog series throughout the week.  I am very excited for fall lessons to get started back here at Brunner Studios in Charlotte, NC.  Brunner Studios offers piano, voice and oboe lessons.  At Disney World, I saw piano and vocal performances and heard many selections of oboe music.  It’s funny how much you notice different instruments in scores when you are listening for them. 

No Comments » Posted by heather / Acheivement Program and Charlotte NC Piano Lessons and Charlotte Piano Students and Just For Fun and Oboe Lessons Charlotte NC and Piano Practice and Recitals and Theory and Voice Lesson Charlotte NC

Last week I had a little bit of a snap.  My studio book cases are so full and there is literature on there that I just don’t use.  A few hours of work later, there was a huge stack of music that someone might like.  So this week I am having a music sale.  The students can pick whatever they want and the prices are 50 cents to $1. 

My book cases look a lot better now and it is much easier to find what I need.  Getting new music is always fun and getting new music cheap is even better.  How have you gotten rid of excess music or grown your collection in an inexpensive manner?

No Comments » Posted by heather / Charlotte NC Piano Lessons and Charlotte Piano Students and Just For Fun and Oboe Lessons Charlotte NC and Piano Practice and Theory and Voice Lesson Charlotte NC

I just want to give a big welcome to all my new students.  Brunner Studios is growing at a very steady pace.  I am excited that we added piano and oboe students to the roster this week.  Wednesday lesson times are now down to 1 available slot. 

Keep up the good work parents and students.  Don’t forget that you get a 10% referral discount for any new students that give your name.

And here is a funny picture.  This is so true.  Well, except for that time in college when I was so sleep deprived that I tried to play with my music upside down.  It still looked like the top example in that case. 

No Comments » Posted by heather / Charlotte NC Piano Lessons and Charlotte Piano Students and Just For Fun and NCMTA and NFMC and Oboe Lessons Charlotte NC and Piano Practice and Theory and Voice Lesson Charlotte NC

Today as I was looking through yet another piano method book, I came across a new way to count 4 quarter notes.  Use the word- ELEVATOR. 

                                                       EL             E              VA           TOR

I wish someone had taught me these tricks before I got to college. 

No Comments » Posted by heather / Charlotte NC Piano Lessons and Charlotte Piano Students and Just For Fun and Piano Practice and Theory

Czerny said:

“every pupil makes much greater progress when he plays all his lessons willingly and with satisfaction.”

As teachers, what can we do to help a student want to practice and to want to practice those pieces that they find less than fun?  We all know that once the piece is learned the student will admit it wasn’t so bad and that they might have even liked it after all. 

School starts this week here in Charlotte, NC and many piano teachers and other types of music teachers are starting back into their school year schedules.  I think we should challenge ourselves to help a student understand why they are playing particular pieces or works.  If the student can understand the reasoning they might be more willing to work through the problems to reach their next goal. 

No Comments » Posted by heather / Charlotte NC Piano Lessons and Charlotte Piano Students and Piano Practice and Theory

Brunner Studios will be participating in the NMTA Music Achievement Award Program for the 2011-2012 music year. 

The follows goals can be selected to be set by the students for the year.  Select all or a few for a customized achievement program.  This is a great opportunity for those students who do not wish to participate in the traditional festival circuit in the spring.

1. Set a required practice amount per day/days per week and follow. (Time to be
approved by the teacher.)
2. Complete one lesson/methods book or comparable segment of vocal literature.
3. Complete one theory or ear training book.
4. Complete one technical exercise book (or specific assignment as set by the teacher).
5. Complete a scale or vocalise assignment as outlined by the teacher.
6. Complete a sight-reading assignment as outlined by the teacher.
7. Memorize one to four pieces (or more)—to be determined by the teacher.
8. Learn one piece from several different style periods or learn several contrasting style
pieces.
9. Learn a complete sonatina/sonata (or suite or set of songs, and so forth).
10. Learn a duet with another student (or teacher). Or play/sing a piece with an ensemble.
11. If keyboard, accompany a voice/instrumental student on one piece. If voice/instrumental,
sing/play a piece with a student accompanist.
12. Perform as a soloist on a recital.
13. Perform for a religious event, nursing home, senior citizen center or civic event.
14. Participate in an event sponsored by MTNA on the local, state or national level.
15. Participate in school choir/band/orchestra or church choir/orchestra for one school term.
16. Write a report on a composer. (Composer to be approved in advance by the teacher.)
17. Read a book on some aspect of music. (Book to be approved in advance by the
teacher.)
18. Compose a piece.
19. Learn to play/sing a pop, blues, jazz, etc. piece of the student’s choice.
20. Purchase a CD, approved by teacher, and listen to it at least once a week for _______
weeks.
24. Arrange a piece to include other instruments with piano.
25. Attend a concert/recital/musical.
26. Watch a musical concert on public television.
27. Watch a video about a musical or composer.

For more information contact Brunner Studios in Charlotte, NC.

No Comments » Posted by heather / Charlotte NC Piano Lessons and Charlotte Piano Students and Just For Fun and Piano Practice and Recitals and Theory and Voice Lesson Charlotte NC

So you’ve signed yourself or your child up for piano lessons.  Now what?  What are you going to learn in that first 30 minutes?  Is it going to be overwhelming or a piece of cake?  How are you going to practice 30 minutes 5 days a week?  Let’s look at a very simple check list of topics that are usually covered in a first piano lesson.

1.  How do you sit and the piano and position your hands over the keyboard.

2.  The Keys.  There are black keys and white keys.  The black keys are in groups of 2 and 3.  Can you find middle C?

3.  If the student is going to begin reading on the musical staff, then the topic of lines and spaces is covered.  How do the treble and bass clef relate to the right and left hand?

4.  A musical note.  This could be quarter, half or whole notes.  What does the note look like and what is its value?

Believe it or not, it can take 30 minutes to cover those 4 topics with a new student.  I love it when a child comes in and recognizes some of the musical notation from their music school at class.  The student feels so smart and head of the game.

Students, be patient with yourselves.  Parents, help the students in any way that you can even if you aren’t a musician.  Read the directions and make sure they are using the correct hand for the piece.

Good luck with your piano lessons!

No Comments » Posted by heather / Charlotte NC Piano Lessons and Charlotte Piano Students and Piano Practice and Theory