Original Piano Music by Sarah Reaser O'Brien, NCTM

Hello, Friends! I am thrilled to announce that my original music for piano students is now published by the Piano Pronto Composers Community! Jennifer Eklund, a trailblazer extraordinaire in the world of pedagogical literature, has made it possible for me to share my music far and wide via digital sheet music download. Single copies as well as studio licenses for unlimited duplication are available for all of my titles.  I hope you enjoy! -Sarah

Click here to see my compositions at Piano Pronto!

DIY Marquee Piano Letters!

To say that I am excited about the photo backdrop I have created for my piano students' back-to-lessons portraits would be a huge understatement. Look...

Here's the side view...

I know, right?

* * *

Here's a brief tutorial.

Purchase letters and gold spray paint from craft store. The letters I found were at Michaels, and they were on sale for 50% off (which made them about $6.50 each). The brand is "Marquee Love". You will also need to make sure you have 2 AAA batteries per letter on hand.

When I got home, I immediately opened up the "P" and painted it. These letters are cardboard, so the paint absorbs and dries quickly. I was able to add the lights after just a few minutes of drying.

Here's what the spray painting looks like:

And the drying:

When the paint is dry, push little bulb covers (included) into the holes in the letters.

Turn the letter upside down and insert LED lights into bulb covers from behind using included diagram as a guide.

Add two AAA batteries to each string of lights.

There is an ON/OFF switch on each battery pack.

And that's it! So easy, and so cool!

How to make tiny file folders for your tiny papers!

Today I reorganized the way I store my little slips of paper showing fingering for the 12 melodic minor scales. In an earlier post, I showed you my previous storage system, which was a binder with little file pockets inside. Today, however, I think I have come up with an even more convenient way to store these myriad little slips of paper: tiny file folders that fit perfectly inside a drawer divider in my teaching desk drawer. The old way is still fine, but the new way will eliminate the need to grab the scale binder and thumb through the pages looking for the scale chart I need for any given student.

In a nutshell, the process I'm going to explain looks like this:

Here's how you can make these tiny file folders for your tiny papers. (Incidentally, I will include a link to the pdf file I made for the tiny folders template. It's FREE in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.)

Supplies Needed:

1. Scissors

2. Pen

3. Letter-sized File Folder (a new, pretty one)

4. My Mini File Folders Template (free in my TpT store)

It takes a little patience, but you will end up with 12 little files after you finish cutting.

NOW THE FUN PART...

To make your little folders look like their normal-sized counterparts, trim a little bit off of each corner.

Seriously, these little folders are adorable, right?

Now to see how they look in their future home...my teaching desk drawer.

I cut out and glued 12 tiny labels to my folders to identify which of the melodic minor scale charts is inside each one.

And here is the finished product! I can't wait for my students to see. The ones who love school and office supplies will get the biggest kick out of these tiny folders. Love!

Here is the link to my free mini file folders template: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Tiny-File-Folders-Template-2071449

Five Fun Finds at The Bandroom

I found the cutest things at The Bandroom last week, and I took pictures to show you.

1. Music Note Teacher. This nifty laminated manipulative features a movable quarter note for drilling note-reading. The reverse side has a movable note as well and shows the note names, so work with that side until you are ready to fly solo. It comes in lime green, yellow,  pink, purple, and white.

Here's the reverse side:

 

2. Handmade Musical Note Cards. These unique cards are made locally by music teacher, Diane Milan.

 Even the envelopes are adorable:

 

3. Without Music Life Would B-flat Pillow. I think I need this.

4. Piano Keys Hors d'oevres Tray. When I was in the store, I told the lovely proprietor, Naomi Bolling, that my friend Donna would swoon for this tray. Naomi said, "She's already bought one."

 

5. Sophisticated Music Bags. These are not your typical piano bags. They are understated, substantially-constructed, leather-ish, and chic. 

The Bandroom is located at 4212 Brambleton Avenue, SW, Roanoke, VA 24018. Their phone number is 540-989-8777.

Book Review: 101 Piano Practice Tips by Tracy Capps Selle

101 Piano Practice Tips is an ebook, meaning you must purchase it to read on a computer, tablet, or smartphone (not a paper book). It is sold at amazon.com for $2.99.

Here is a book that you can read quickly from start to finish. However, I recommend that you consult the table of contents and go directly to the tips which will apply most to your pianist's situation. The chapters are:

1. The Top Ten Things You Can Do Right Now
2. Create a Great Environment
3. Make a Plan
4. Attitude is Everything
5. How to Encourage More Practice
6. How to Encourage Good Quality Practice
7. Make it Fun: Accountability
8. Find Opportunities for Your Child to Perform
9. How to Help Older Students
10. All Practice Does Not Need to be at the Piano
11. Things to Remember
12. Tips from Kids
13. Tips from Parents
14. Help! My Child Wants to Quit Piano Lessons

I have read the book and have found many fresh ideas that could help a number of my students tremendously. But this is a book that would do far more good in the hands of a caring parent or grandparent than it will with the piano teacher as the only reader. Parents and grandparents invest a great deal of money in piano lessons. The return on that investment is multiplied exponentially when a consistent practice routine is in place at home. Many adults have no idea how to encourage a child to practice piano. This book provides the help you need in language that non-musicians will easily understand and in very practical terms. Obviously, with 101 tips, there will be some that help your situation more than others. If you find just one tip that does the trick with your child, you will have not only gotten your money's worth from the purchase of the book, you will have increased the benefits you and your child receive from piano lessons.

This short book would be about 28 pages long if it were in paper format. It is a resource you can consult repeatedly and return to for fresh inspiration over the course of years during which your child studies piano.

Here are a few sample tips (shown here with permission from the author):

Number 17 - Once you know the weekly practice goal, you can come up with a plan. Perhaps your children could practice 20 minutes, 4 days a week. Or maybe 15 minutes, 5 days a week. Have your kids help! Remember, there's no wrong way to do this. Just set a goal and give your children some direction. Plus, they'll be much more likely to follow through if they helped create the practice schedule.

Number 29 - Rewards! All children are different, so spend some time thinking up a good reward designed with your child in mind. Perhaps you could offer a coupon to get out of a chore in exchange for an extra day of practice. Would your children like to earn more electronics time or maybe a sleepover with a friend? Believe it or not, I have one student who will memorize just about anything for a can of chicken noodle soup! Another student really likes our cats, so occasionally I'll reward her with a coupon to play with our cats for 10 minutes. The possibilities are endless and you could always ask your children for ideas, too!

Number 40 - Encourage your children to focus when they practice. Some kids are in such a rush to finish, they play incorrectly. A short, focused practice is much better than a longer one with no concentration.

Number 55 - What are you working to accomplish? Remember, your gift might not be playing music. At least let your child see you working on something. Crochet an afghan. Finish a woodworking project. Try a new recipe. Exercise a little more! Make a pact with your children that if both you and your kids accomplish your goals, then you all get to go out for frozen yogurt.

Number 65 - Teens don't like to be micromanaged, and yet they often need it! If your children are older, it might be time to work on transferring practice responsibility. A good way to accomplish this is to be "hands off" and still give them some subtle reminders. One idea is to take an index card and write the days of the week on it. Tell them that they need to practice 4 days that week and have them mark off the days when they practice. It's their responsibility to remember. Make sure you put the card in a place where your kids will see it every day. Maybe their desk, or tape it on the mirror in the bathroom. If they do this for a month or so with success, reward them! Most teens love iTunes gift cards.

* * *

There are 96 more tips in the book. I would love to think that all of my students have the sort of support at home that they need to succeed with and enjoy piano. Reading this book (and consulting it again and again as needed) is one way parents and grandparents can make that happen. I heartily recommend it.

The Piano School Masterclass

The Piano School will host its sixth annual masterclass for middle and high school students on Saturday, May 24, 2014, at 10:00 a.m., in Mrs. O'Brien's studio.

Students voted on the theme which will be Music from Movies, and Dr. Tracy Cowden from Virginia Tech will be our guest instructor.

Past themes and teachers were:
2009 - No theme (Dr. Tracy Cowden, Virginia Tech)
2010 - Amy Beach, American Composer (Dr. Lisa Withers, Emory and Henry)
2011 - Andrew Lloyd Webber (Dr. Lise Keiter, Mary Baldwin)
2012 - The Beatles (Kerry Morgievicz, Hollins University)
2013 - Disney Music (Dr. Brooke Dezio, Charlottesville)

This year's music selections are:
"Waltz for Peppy" from The Artist performed by Tess Drzymala
"Through the Eyes of Love" from Ice Castles performed by Urmila Bharathan
"Where Do I Begin?" from Love Story performed by Alisha Freitas
"Castle on a Cloud" from Les Miserables performed by Paris Eve Reinhard

Students may dress casually and should arrive by 9:55 a.m. The class will be over by 11:30 a.m.

Scenes from the 2013 Disney Masterclass

MTNA Studio Festival

The Piano School is hosting an MTNA Studio Festival on Saturday, May 3, 2014, with student appointment times between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The adjudicator for this year's festival is Mrs. Ashley W. Cundiff, a piano instructor at Ferrum College.

This festival provides an opportunity for students to play two prepared pieces for an adjudicator who will provide written feedback consisting of encouragement and suggestions.

Each appointment will last between 5 and 10 minutes, and students should check-in at the back door of Mrs. O'Brien's home 5 minutes prior to their appointment.

What to bring:
Music that the student will be playing. (Original, not photocopies) Although most students will be playing from memory, the judge must have music to view during the performance. The measures in the music should be numbered, and pages should be marked with a tab, paper clip, or post-it note.

What to wear:
Comfortable, neat clothing. There is no need to dress up for this festival; however, students should be tidy and clean.

What should parents do?
Parents are asked to remain in their cars while their children participate in the festival. This is so that the festival environment can be as quiet as possible for the benefit of student and judge.

How long will the festival take?
Each student will be at Mrs. O'Brien's home studio for as long as it takes to perform his/her two pieces plus the time of checking in and waiting to have music books returned. The total time is approximately 10-15 minutes.

Does the festival cost anything?
Each student's festival fee was paid with registration at the beginning of the school year. The festival fee covers the cost of hiring a qualified adjudicator as well as offsetting the expense of tuning the piano and purchasing medals to be presented to students at the Spring Recital.

Is the festival required?
Participation in one festival per year is required by Mrs. O'Brien. Students must either play in the VMTA Fall Festival in November or the MTNA Studio Festival in the Spring.

For more information about the MTNA Studio Festival program, please click here: http://www.mtna.org/programs/music-for-everyone/studio-festival-program/