Category: Summer Piano Lessons

What is the piano teacher is practicing this summer?

6/19/2021

With the teaching schedule reduced over the summer, it is time to catch up.

The “Breakfast piano minutes” video series has been a revelation. I’ve really enjoyed creating these short 1-minute videos for social media. Over the summer, with more non-teaching time available I plan to tackle more challenging repertoire. And learn to create multi-screen videos.
Practice the drums like crazy. I will soon be able to play in bands again. Here are some of the areas of focus:
1. Snare drum studies and solos.
2. Mastering and applying the material from the last 15 months of lockdown drum lessons.
3. Learning new repertoire.
Update my music playlists.

David

A rudimental etude I've been teaching drum students this year.

6/18/2021

Sight reading new material. Step outside your normal area of focus. Explore some new corners of Jazz and Classical music.
Written piano music, short pieces. 1-2 pages. Work up a few to performance standard. Builds discipline and focus.
Listening to music in a focused way. Ask yourself, “what’s going on here?” Read a book on music jazz appreciation.
Jamming with friends is an ideal activity.
Reading about jazz. Downbeat magazine. Track down on YouTube the folks you read about in Downbeat.
Start memorising your core repertoire. Using play along software, play the melodies with the app piano, then play the chords without the app piano, then add the hands together.
1. C jam blues
2. Autumn leaves
3. Killer joe
4. Blue bossa
5. Satin doll
6. Summertime
7. Mac the knife

Autumn leaves: walking in 2 with iReal pro playing the piano chords and drums. You play the bass and the melody along.

See you in September.

David

6/11/2014

Why study in the summer?

Keep your skills sharp.
Explore new things like making music on your iPad.
With the extra time available you can really go deep and accomplish a lot.
Get an early start on Rotary Fall Festival pieces. Who knows, maybe you can earn a spot in the Grand Concert in November.

Cheers,

David Story
www.davidstory.ca