Music which remains Beautiful

Minuet in G ( From Anna Magdalena Notebook BWV Anh116 ) Many musicians would have ever played this minuet. It is a piece which is not strange to most people too. During one lesson, this piece seems easy for the student for he has heard it frequently. Knowing the music does make learning it easier. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acFIQsSFNA4

No excuse for the one year's absence !!!

Have we been so occupied in that we find it inexcusable to be absent for one year ? 

Indeed much is happening since last June. 

Noah's Music Ark has been introduced to a new music education which has brought much changes to the studio as well as to the lessons. More actions , movements and exciting music had been playing during our lessons. 

A major shift from learning music through notations to experiencing music in movements, singing, imagination, vibrant toys and tools , fantastic music accompaniment and much more creativity is in the pipeline . 

All in all, teachers found interesting ways to approach music teaching and many students had as a result had much fun in learning through the wonderful experiencing approach . 

Photo shows Sarah who has been wonderfully enjoying music learning and playing with the new music education. Have fun Sarah ! 

Examinations Blues

Practical examinations this year starts in July . June school holidays will be maximize for students to perfect their performance as much as possible .  

Lessons may not end on time for the time being. Though teacher will be stretched, but let it be worthwhile ! 

Practical matters matter !

Reflecting on practical matters for students learning to play the piano.

Having fun is one of my top priorities. Student can engage better when it is fun ! Teacher can deliver the lesson better too.

As much as possible, I desire to see something new in every lesson! New focus, new note, new music, new interpretation , new technique ... Staleness is suffocating. Bring on the newsssssss !

Practical experience is one area which I am shifting the equilibrium towards. Instead of assigning assignments to be practiced , more focus are geared towards practicing during lessons. Though some time may be spent on one area, but the results can be far fetched rewardingly positive. Students could more likely "grasped " the technique rather than takeaway just a concept to be
experimented on their own.

Confidence and enjoyment came along with the successful music making. Motivation is a result. Naturally the student may likely play more at home rather than giving up or even putting off the difficulty till tomorrow and tomorrow and the tomorrow became the next lesson.

Simple Learning Materials

Simple materials from Daiso. The strips, magnetic sheets and magnetic notes all found and bought from IMM Daiso .

A Thousand Years

Playing music Can be fun especially when one likes the music .

I used to search for pop music books, broadway and Disney to play. Unlike the accessibility of information today, I had to use my pocket money. I am glad that playing all those music kept me on in my music path.

A Thousand Years is one of those familiar music playing in our studio now. Some play from the music scores while some play chords and sang along.

We could learn chords, arpeggios, chord progressions, harmony, improvisation etc

Best of it is we can have fun while learning .

Away from the Keyboard

I can't imagine myself teaching without the whiteboard.

A student was sight reading a piece of music. To help him with the rhythm, we drew the rhythm of the first four bars onto the white board. Together with another student, they learn how to clap and chant the note name.

After the rhythm was comprehended, we progressed to creating new rhythm for each other to clap.

Such teaching activities do not need to be derived from books. They should be at the fingertips of the teacher. Including such activities in lesson plans would be a good practice .

Honey , Chicken

Students played Carefree Waltz with an error in the rhythm. A minim and a crotchet were played as crotchet then minim.

Honey was used to pronounce in rhythm of minim then crotchet.

Chicken was pronounced in rhythm of crotchet then minim.

The error was corrected in the most yummy way !

Scales ladder - create your own teaching materials

Wonderful to see Wenen again after a week's break.

Instead of relying on printed materials in teaching, it is interesting to create your own.

On a blank piece of paper, this student drew a ladder with eight steps. On the right side of the ladder, I wrote 12312345( fingerings for right hand C major scales) . The same was done on the other side for the left hand.

Then I guide him through playing the keys, paying special attention to bring the thumb under the finger three.

This is just one way of engaging the student. Personalised material and done with no frills. Just paper and colours.

Student enjoyed while learning scales theoretically and practically. I enjoyed the teaching .

Well done !

Toy Piano

Found a website which markets some toy piano. Looks adorable and definitely suits the little toddlers and little hands. It would be nice to get some but it is definitely too expensive. I remembered I used to play something similar when I was a kid. Most likely those were made in China. Search begins !

Keyboard Geography

When I started piano lessons with Ms Loh, I remembered much writing to learn musical signs, notations etc . Even drawing the white and black keys.

I have not impose much writing. Instead reinforcing as we go through the lessons . Only for certain students who really require more writing to grasp how the sign goes .

Drawing the keyboard often was one way I know the keyboard well . Finger positions have helped putting fingers in place.

During today's lesson, my student play scales with deliberate positioning of fingers on the respective keys. Feeling how the fingers sit on the keys is important.

There are plenty ways to ensure students has a good keyboard geography. Methods should be explored and time should be taken to achieve this.

Minuet in G ( Anna Magdalena Notebook )

Almost everyone plays this on their instruments ?

What is your say ?

Listen at www.makingmusicfun.net or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on1DDSLdDOo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Love,

Baroque Fans

Melody Shaping

Dominic was showing understanding and effectively played the phrase with dynamics shading. Well done ! Moments like that are like receiving distinctions. Raedan composed a music today. He intiated it. Glad that exposing children to composition has sown the seed to the small harvest. Teaching is just so rewarding. Sowing into lives makes the work meaningful.

Know your Music, Know your friend

I was trying out the new ABRSM syllabus pieces. And I realised this. The music appeals to me as I took time to play it. Getting to know a friend takes time, it took time for me to develop friendship with each new "music-friend " . Which friend are you playing with today ?

Count On Me

While introducing the simple chords progression in the NDP Song Home, Eugene shared Count On Me by Brunos Mars. Lively happy music with good lyrics. This sparked off the playing of this piece by quite a few.Jiazhi, Haiyun, Eugene, Ranen playing by ear with great enjoyment and a sense of satisfaction.Interests and passion is the best intrinsic motivation.

Every student is a Musician and Composer

This week, I am glad that two music compositions by two young musicians were written. "The Bus" and "A Peaceful Night" were written by two different students. Both students were elated when signing their name at the completion of their master pieces. Composing is essential in music learning. It helps student to apply the theory they have learnt into a very practical and yet creative use. As they play the keys, they are training their ears while relating to the written form of music. As they add the final touch of adding dynamic markings, articulations, performance directions etc, they have cultivated the awareness of the performance details which brings the music to life. Every student is a musician and composer. Encore !

Thoughts of a Friend

I was playing the keyboard this morning, improvising with some suggested chords which I have not tried.

Thoughts of a friend then inspired a new composition which sparks off from Joaquin Rodrigo.

Just like Schubert was influenced by Mozart in one of his Symphony, I was swept along by the ripples of Rodrigo's Pastoral .

Ride on the waves everyone :)

A Morning with Schubert

From Wikipedia .......

Franz Peter Schubert (German pronunciation: [ˈfʁants ˈʃuːbɛɐ̯t]; 31 January 1797 – 19 November 1828) was an Austrian composer.

Franz Schubert's Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, D. 485, was written mainly in September, 1816 and completed on October 3, 1816[1]. It was finished six months after the completion of his previous symphony.

Scored for one flute, two oboes, and two bassoons, along with two horns in B♭ and E♭ and strings. Of all of Schubert's symphonies, it is scored for the smallest orchestra. It is the only one of his symphonies which does not include clarinets, trumpets or timpani as part of the instrumentation.

In character, the writing is often said to resemble Mozart; Schubert was infatuated with the composer at the time he composed it, writing in his diary on June 13 of the year of composition, "O Mozart! immortal Mozart! what countless impressions of a brighter, better life hast thou stamped upon our souls!"[2] This is reflected particularly in the lighter instrumentation, as noted above. Indeed, the instrumentation matches that of the first version (without clarinets) of Mozart's 40th symphony.[3]

Colorful magnets Help Arpeggio Learning

Multi Purpose !

Place these colour magnets on the keys of the arpeggio this student is trying to perfect .

I would use those tiny dinosaurs erasers for younger students !

Fun aural exam

I played a simple two bar phrase for two students. Student A is supposed to play back the phrase. He played a little incorrect.

Student B was asked to identify the difference between student A and my playing . He did that and enjoyed the session .

The aural exam was not so uninteresting after all .