Category Archives: CFMTA 2011
Lament for the Polar Bear
This stunning artwork by Alaskan artist Bob Patterson is on the cover of Susan Griesdale’s book of Piano Solos called Arctic Voices. She has captured the sound and feel of the Arctic in this collection – with pieces like Arctic … Continue reading
Posted in Canadiana, CFMTA 2011
Tagged Canadian piano music, Lament for the Polar Bear, Red Leaf Pianoworks, Susan Griesdale
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A Year of Blogging
Today this blog is one year old. It’s been way more adventurous than I could have imagined. I started it for two reasons: one, to record some of my impressions of the Artistry at the Piano method – a method … Continue reading
Hand Positions
I’ve been on a Fix-Your-Hand-Position kick this week. Shelagh McKibben-U’Ren, moderator of the RCM Piano Teachers Yahoo group, posted a while ago that she takes pictures of her students sitting at the piano with a good posture, then prints the … Continue reading
Wisdom from a Workshop
Under the category “What you assume your students know,” we can add the key and time signatures of their pieces, without looking at the score. Shocking – but true, even for some advanced students! Just try it with your students. … Continue reading
Posted in CFMTA 2011, Piano pedagogy, Practice Tips
Tagged Piano method books, Piano pedagogy, Practice Tips
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Pedalling Beethoven
If you’re like me, you usually ignore the pedal markings in the Beethoven Sonatas and just do what sounds good. Turns out, this is the right way to approach it! Dr. Christine Vanderkooy, Associate Professor of Piano at the University … Continue reading
Sound Drama
What if there were no theory exams? What would I, as a theory teacher, do? Exams are only a tool, emphasized Jean Auger-Crowe in her session on teaching SATB as sound drama at the CFMTA Convention. Plan your lessons this … Continue reading
Posted in Canadiana, CFMTA 2011, Theory
Tagged Bach chorales, functional harmony, music books, RCM exams, Theory
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Teaching Adult Students
Susan Griesdale, a Red Leaf Pianoworks composer and author of an excellent Rhythm Practice book, spoke on a topic she knows well at the recent CFMTA Convention. She started piano lessons as an adult herself, and now teaches many adults. In … Continue reading
Posted in Canadiana, CFMTA 2011, Technic
Tagged adult piano methods, andragogy, music books, Piano Technique, Rhythm Drills
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TITANIC – A Voyage in Piano Music
We are fascinated with the story of the RMS Titanic – its voyage and its fate. Rebekah Maxner has written and arranged music for Beginner-Elementary students that recount the tale of the Titanic. This is “original music that captures the … Continue reading
Colourful Music Theory
One session I attended at the CFMTA Convention was a presentation of a new product designed to make music theory colourful and memorable. The Pianotekneek Notebox is a highly visual and tactile way to teach and re-inforce note names, intervals, … Continue reading
Listen to Your Inner Voices
Dr. James Parker, pianist in the Gryphon Trio, as well as faculty member at the University of Toronto, presented a session on voicing the inner lines at the CFMTA Convention last week. “Music is not a democracy,” he said, “There … Continue reading
Posted in CFMTA 2011, Performance, Practice Tips
Tagged Piano Performance, Piano Technique, Practice Tips
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CFMTA: “Turning Over a New Leaf”
I was excited to meet the composers from Red Leaf Pianoworks at the CFMTA Convention in Regina, SK last week. Red Leaf is a collective of composers from coast to coast in Canada. Co-incidentally, not intentionally, they are all female. … Continue reading
Posted in Canadiana, CFMTA 2011
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