By Meridith Johnson Practicing. This topic seems to be highly debated over the years under the umbrella of music education. With so many different opinions and approaches, what is the best policy or view of practicing? How much should we as teachers require our students to practice? Or what about students who put too much pressure on themselves and practice too much? Where do parents play a...
Read MoreWhen I was a kid, gymnastics was what I lived for. I practiced everyday in the backyard and in the front yard when I felt like showing off. I worked on my form when landing, trying to make it perfectly still just like an olympian and I prided myself on my ability to flip forwards or backwards with ease. I remember working on a roundoff...
Read Moreby Eric Nanz My name is Eric and I teach Praise and Worship classes through The Catoctin School of Music. I am excited to talk about the joy that comes with playing music for God. But to start with, let’s ask the big question…why should we play music to bring glory to God and not to ourselves? I mean after all, as musicians we’re pretty awesome...
Read More
In a recent blog, I discussed the phone interview. The next step is to meet face to face. Before I accept a student, I always meet with both parent and student in person. Whether you call it a consultation, initial mini-lesson or interview, this meeting is a crucial part of my studio procedures. It is an opportunity for both parties to discover if they are compatible; i.e., is it the “right fit?” I think of it as a two-way interview. Not only am I assessing the student, I am also providing them with a picture of what lessons will be like with me. In my studio, I do not to charge a fee for this interview. It is free for those with whom I decide to meet. However, one could certainly decide to charge a fee as it does take valuable time.
By Meridith Johnson Recently a friend of mine who also teaches piano lessons shared a story with me about a new student she began teaching for the summer. After her first lesson with the small wide-eyed five-year old boy, the parent immediately began to question her, “How is his musical talent? Does he have good rhythm? Can he understand how to read music? I just don’t...
Read More