Tag: piano teacher

  • My teaching method.

    Learning an instrument can take many forms. You can go get some books and go through the curriculum propose through the content. You can watch videos and be amazed at the mastery displayed. You can subscribe to a service and patiently wait a week for your next step. You can do all of that, and…

  • Finally!

    Tomorrow is Friday June 10th 2021. It might sound like any other day. It might sound like February 3rd or October 17th. But tomorrow is a milestone for the city of Chicago. Something is about to happen that will bring new force and new energy to the businesses. It will put people in a better…

  • Blending

    Ever since I’ve started to listen to music on high fidelity equipment, I’ve experienced something transformative. But, hold the press! before I get there, I need to tell you how I used to approach playing in a band. It went like this: look at me! Whatever song, whatever tempo, whatever mood, my goal was to…

  • White noise

    I just came back from vacation. We were about an hour and a half away from Grand Rapid, MI. Our little haven was closed to a small lake big enough for a row boat and a lot of fun. The location is the famous “out there”, where the tarmacadam is replaced by dirt roads, where…

  • Weird lessons of COVID-19: Pointing

    Once we were in the thick of the pandemic, I had to rearrange my studio. I had to be able to deliver comfortably as good of a virtual lesson as I possibly could. I discovered many things I could do for that. For example, I put my webcam on my computer screen. Not very original,…

  • An approach to dynamics

    Try this: start at m, meaning medium. Wait! I’m forgetting something. First either sit at the piano or go get a paid of drumsticks. Take your time. I’ll be here when you come back. Ok, got it? We ready? So, as I was saying: start with m, meaning medium. You want an exercise. Ok, for…

  • Like never before

    If you take lessons with me for awhile, you might come across a particularity of mine. I have already talked about it on my blogs, but that’s hardly a clue because I discuss a wide variety of subjects here. I love music. That’s the surprising fact. No, no, don’t quit on me yet with a…

  • Finding Vaccine in Chicago

    To anyone who still needs (or knows someone who needs) an appointment to be vaccinated, for example college students & teenagers: The huge FEMA drive-through vaccination site (at Roosevelt school in Gary, which is on 25th, right off I-94) is not very busy, and is a breeze to get to, and get through.  You sign…

  • Eddie and Michael

    Eddie Van Halen, the great, the dearly missed, played on Michael Jackson song “Beat it”. That guitar solo will be remembered for ever.  

  • Serious Sinatra

    Did you know that Frank Sinatra, after somewhat neglecting his voice, started doing warm-ups and exercises once he had Quincy Jones as his arranger and the orchestra of Count Basie to back him up? A wonderful recording is “Frank Sinatra at the sands”, a legendary album that needs to be discovered or re-discovered.