It’s scale month in my studio! This February, we’ve put a special emphasis on scales – building them, playing them, memorizing them… you name it, we’ve done it! Several of my students are preparing for spring theory exams, so it’s given us a good opportunity to review the foundations of scale construction. And thanks to our February extra credit incentive challenge that rewarded students … Continue reading
Edit: Unfortunately, this session was cancelled due to inclement weather. I’m still in Kansas City waiting on the snowplow to find our neighborhood instead of enjoying a day with colleagues in Wichita. I had set this message to auto-post while I was on the road, and forgot to un-schedule it. But… in case any of you might find use for the handout, I’ll leave it … Continue reading
Learning grand staff note names isn’t anyone’s favorite part of music lessons. It’s a long process that takes lots of repetition and patience… and a game or two along the way to spice that process up certainly never hurt! Here are some more game ideas to add to your note name-teaching bag of tricks: These game cards may look familiar to some of you who … Continue reading
Anyone up for a game of truth or dare? Don’t worry… unlike the version of the game you might have played in junior high, this new musical rendition won’t require any red-faced confessions or pranks worthy of the principal’s office. It will give you a fun way to review note names and intervals with your students! This game challenges students to demonstrate their knowledge … Continue reading
Looking for some fun Halloween-themed games and activities to use with your students this month? Here’s a quick reference guide to all of the Halloween resources and game ideas available on Pianimation.com. Enjoy! Games Pumpkin Patch Steps & SkipsTurn your studio floor or floor staff into a giant-sized step and skip game Build-A-Skeleton Interval Challenge A Halloween-themed game to play with interval flashcards Major-Minor Dash … Continue reading
Thanks to all of you who attended this year’s KMTA Conference! It was a pleasure to share some new games and “hands-on” musicianship resources with you. I hope you discovered some new things to try with your students this summer and fall. Click on the link below to open an electronic version of your session handout that includes clickable links to each of the games … Continue reading
Do you have new beginners in your studio this summer? This colorful new game is just for them! I like to give my beginning students numerous opportunities to work with the music alphabet and ascending/descending patterns before they are introduced to music on the staff. Diligent pre-staff preparation (especially on those pesky descending patterns) really pays off in the long-run. This game includes cards to drill … Continue reading
Here’s an update of an old favorite! This Build-A-Measure Rhythm Game isn’t original to me – I picked up this idea years ago and have used it with my students at many, many group lessons. It’s a fun, simple way for students to drill rhythm values, and practice counting and clapping rhythms. Here’s how it’s played: To start, each student will need a time … Continue reading
Ah… summertime! As I write this, I’m sitting on my back deck with my laptop, enjoying a little sunshine and fresh air, and a couple of weeks off of teaching before summer lessons start. It’s nice to have a little bit of downtime to get back to some creative projects for the studio… and also have a chance to share a few of the … Continue reading
It’s group week here at my studio… which means I have new games to share! I apologize for the lack of new posts as of late. The last few months I’ve been juggling a rather hefty list of “to-do’s” as a teacher, accompanist and event chairperson for a couple of local associations. Between those responsibilities and a wonderful trip to New York for last … Continue reading