Piano Studio

When I had Walt, I took a break from piano teaching. Losing my (albeit meager) income and adding a dependent, we really felt a hit.

I had planned on teaching again in January, but between students moving and poor economy, I found myself with no students! That was a shock, but it was nice to continue spending unlimited time with my boys.

Now that fall is rolling around again, I'm trying to get my piano studio rolling again, bigger and better than ever (cross your fingers). I'm trying to ramp up my teaching implements, games, and theory. I'll also be accepting younger students than I ever have before. I will most likely join Plano Music Teacher's Association as well, though we'll see if they accept me without a bachelor's in music arts, teaching or piano performance.

I am going to teach 1 hour over lapping lessons. The kids will have a loose 20-20-20 system of piano time with me, theory worksheets/games/computer, and practicing at my electric piano with headphones. I'm trying to figure out the particulars with my living room set up since it's pretty small, but I'm pretty sure it's doable. I'm also hoping to trade out babysitting for lessons so I don't have any baby distractions while teaching. That will be VERY helpful since it was pretty difficult and distracting after I had Dean.

As I try and get my studio in order, I will probably be blogging less, crafting less, and hopefully working more efficiently to build a strong business. If you don't see me around often, that's where I'll most likely be.

My Reputation Precedes Me

I am continually amazed at the number of people who call me for piano lessons. Two of my students are dropping after Christmas because of monetary reasons, but I already have 4 kids on my waiting list. Additionally, tonight I had a dad call me (someone I didn't know) wanting 2-3 of his kids to start. Onto my list he goes. He told me that one of my student's (well, technically 3 of my students' since they're siblings) parents had HIGHLY recommended me and that I was an excellent teacher. It's nice to be appreciated. Word of mouth really is the best form of publicity.

Attempts at communication

Yesterday was my first Monday of fall lessons since last Monday was a holiday. I have been dreading Mondays because I have 2 hours of lessons that go right up until Dean's bedtime. He did really well during the first hour. He ate his dinner, played with toys, dumped out all of our recycling, etc. At 5 he started getting a little needier and luckily for me, daddy came home and took him. I don't think Dean counts himself lucky. He did ok for the first 15 min. And then he cried inconsolably for 40 min. The last five min. Matt got him a cheese stick to help distract and calm him down. At that point I could hear him in the other room saying, "Dada. Ok. Ok. gagagagagaga." The tone he was using clearly indicated his attempt at conveying an important message. He did that a couple of times with me after my lessons were over.

I have a feeling is going to be a very communicative child. Just shy of 11 months, I am pretty sure he's learned to say (though doesn't necessarily know the meaning and context completely) thank you, ok, mama, dada, cracker, yogurt, and drink. If I ask him to turn the light on or off he understands and complies, even if I don't show him or he's not facing the light switch. He gets excited if I tell him we're going outside. He waves a lot more and will even wave to his daddy now without promptings.

He anticipates things. Often when he's eating he'll close his eyes, open his mouth, and hold out his hands while waiting for me to bring the spoon in. Tonight when I was nursing him before bed, at the very end he started giggling. Right after his giggle, he gives me a sly look and bites me (not too hard, just testing me for a reaction I think)! I found it so funny, but I had to keep myself from laughing because he was totally anticipating a reaction.

Piano man? If I have anything to do with it...

Dean was fever free most of today and had an hour or so of happy time. This was part of that time. (He actually broke out into a rash all over his face and bum shortly after this.) We're starting lessons young. Hehe.

His only piano rule right now is "no eating the piano" (he is only 9 months!), but he often tries to push that one to the limit. We'll work on technique later (though his hand position is already better than some of my students. I mean, look at that first picture!). I especially loved his use of the fermata (I think he was watching the strings and hammers through the crack).

Piano performance

Hallelujah and Amen brothers and sisters! Our spring recital is over!!

Overall it went really well. The students I was most worried about did really well! A few of the students I wasn't worried about at all had some troubles, but they did well too once they found their correct starting hand position. I was really pleased since this was the first recital for more than half of my students! (It was actually my first recital as a teacher!--without my mom that is.)

I actually performed as well. I figured that most of my students (and parents) had never heard me play. I played Le Cavalier Fantastique by Benjamin Godard. I have to admit that I actually played it for the Miss Navajo County Pageant 9 years ago! I practically had to relearn the whole thing since it's been so long; I did learn new parts of the song since I had to shorten it for the pageant. I am glad my audience was full of very beginning pianists! I did fine, but honestly it was not where I wanted it to be. The very worst thing was I hit the wrong last chord! The chord itself sounded ok, but was NOT an ending chord. So I hit a few more chords and ended on one that had enough resolution to it! (I did this the last time I played in front of an audience--3 years ago--at a Stake Conference! What is my problem?!) The kids were totally unaware. I think a few parents may have suspected. Ah well. Such is life.

I really wanted the kids to be able to recognize their (and everyone else's) songs, so I arranged 5 of the 11 songs since I couldn't find pieces I wanted in the level I wanted. I arranged 2 more songs (the theme from Beethoven's 5th and Eine, Kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart), but those students were unable to attend. Here was the program:

Classical Program

Johann Sebastien Bach: 1685-1750
Cami.....Minuet #4
Lia....Minuet #7
Haley....Solfeggieto

George Fredrick Handel: 1685-1759
Jake....Hallelujah chorus

Joseph Haydn: 1732-1809
Mason....Surprise Symphony

Wolfgang Mozart: 1756-1791
Rachel....Alla Turka

Ludwig van Beethoven: 1770-1827
Kalee....Ode to Joy
Madison....Fur Elise

Franz Schubert: 1797-1828
Jake....March Militaire

Jacque Offenbach: 1819-1880
Lexie....The Can-can

George Bizet: 1838-1875
Drue....Toreador

Benjamin Godard: 1849-1895
Celia....Le Cavalier Fantastique

Post Op and Piano

We went in for Dean's post op. appointment to make sure he was healing fine. The Dr. said all was looking good. He's still a total drool pot, but he's mostly back to himself. He's been waking up 2-3 at night, though, and that's no fun. He's also had a harder time going down for naps since the surgery. Two nights ago he was in his normal routine of down by 6:30, up at 4:30 to eat and then up at 7:30 for the day. I just wish it would have lasted...I'm sure we'll get there soon enough.

I was nodding off during one of my piano lessons today. Dean woke up at 6:00 this morning, and I do not go to bed early enough to do that! Plus we had a nice long 4+ mi. run in the wind today. And we went "swimming" (in the little blow up pool out back) in the hot 90's. So I was a bit worn out by lesson time. (4 students today.)

And speaking of lessons, it looks like I'll have 16 students for the summer. During the school year I only have 12, so it will be a bit of a change. Summer's sporadic enough that I think it will work out ok though. I hope.

I decided to cancel my recital dress rehearsal that was supposed to take place on Saturday. One of my students was hospitalized all last week and this week (crazy story behind it!), and that family has 3 students. Then a couple of the other families' schedules looked really tight with it. I figured I'd just do a mini-rehearsal with each of them at their lessons this week. I'd announce them and sit in the "audience". I made them walk up, sit down nicely, play, bow and smile, and walk back to their seats. It really seemed to give a different feel for the students. Hopefully we'll pull it off on Monday!

Because I canceled the dress rehearsal, we will be able to go to the TEXAS SCOTTISH FESTIVAL! I'm excited. I hope it's not too hot and that Dean will be able to handle a messed up schedule!

Here's a post op video taken yesterday.

Celia the Saint

Last week one of my piano moms asked if I could turn the song "I heard Him Come" into a women's trio for girl's camp. I forgot how stinking long the song was! I didn't really know how big of a project this was going to be when I said I'd do it, but good heavens it took me probably 15 hours (maybe more) total!

I originally thought it was for 3 specific girls. I knew that they had some really musical young women, so I made the harmony fairly challenging. It sounded quite good, if I do say so myself. On Sunday the mom called and said they needed it this week and asked if I would be finished. Oh, and hopefully it's not too hard. I finished it up last night, hoping what I had done wasn't too hard. When she came to lessons today I showed it to them. She tried singing through the alto part while her daughter sang 1st sop. She struggled with a few of the passages, and then told me their whole young women's was singing the trio.

Ok. It wasn't going to work. Too hard for the non-singers in the bunch. So, I had to rework it tonight. After about 5 hours of additional work, I'm finally done. They have the 3 singing parts separately on their own staffs, and a piano version to play the parts easily while learning. I used the free finale notepad to do the musical notation. (While the free version has some limitations, it's a great program to have.) The song's printed up, and I wouldn't be sad if I never heard it again.

If I had charged the same amount I charge for piano lessons, this song would cost them around $375. Service is good for us, though, right?

I swear this song is probably available in an SSA arrangement that they could have purchased for a couple bucks. It would be just my luck.