Greetings Piano People! :)

Today is February 18, 2013. My how time flies! Only 4 more weeks of winter term! 

This term I have been focusing on note reading, theory, sight reading and technique.  Great job, students - I see a huge improvement in note recognition for the new beginners and sight reading for my continuing students. Yay! :)

One of my continuing classes at the Community Music Center helped me come up with a new game. We are calling it:  "Mad Staff".  If you've ever played "Mad Libs", it's similar, but using the letters of the notes on the Grand Staff. 

I'm still working out the kinks, but it's grand fun! (Pun intended!) :)
I'll post the rules and results on my blog over spring break.

Speaking of which, Spring Break is March 19 - March 31st. If you are in one of my Saturday classes, I will be accompanying a violin recital on March 9th, so no classes that day. There will be a make up class on Saturday, March 23rd.

There will be no recital at the end of this term.  But I will be posting dates and times of my June recitals soon!

If students are wanting some extra fun music to play that is not in the lesson book, I highly recommend the website gmajormusictheory.org
The creator of the website, Gilbert deBenedetti is a piano teacher. He makes piano music available free online and even puts it into appropriate levels.  This is all public domain music and perfectly legal.  He also has music theory and guitar music. Just go to his site and click on "Free Piano Music". If you are a beginning note reader, 1st pieces and Primer would be a good place to start. You can listen first and then download and print! Feel free to look at more challenging pieces too. If you don't understand anything, remember you have a very helpful piano teacher!

Be cool, play music!  :)

Teacher Zita :)