PIANO & MUSIC EDUCATION
Devoted to all aspects of music education, this page features music festivals, events, and venues, as well as piano master classes, exam preparation, and competitions.
The Piano Education Project: Vlog 6
‘Vlog’ 6 of The Piano Education Project addresses a common question. Students and parents often ask: what is the best way to find a piano teacher?
Music Lessons make you a better listener
Recent research at Northwestern University in Chicago has proved that taking music lessons for a short time makes humans better listeners. Those who have studied music are able to pick up conversations in loud environments with ease, and are, therefore, more adept at discerning social cues. Scientists tested 45 adults of similar age and intelligence…
The Piano Education Project: Vlog 5
‘Vlog’ number 5 in my Piano Education Project discusses the best age for your child to start learning the piano. It is never too late to learn to play. Many adults find it to be an excellent hobby. However, for children, there are slightly different considerations. I hope you find it helpful.
The Orff Approach
I’ve previously posted about different methods of learning music whether that be studying the piano or any other instrument, and today’s blog examines the Orff Method or Orff Approach. Carl Orff (1895-1982) was a German composer, conductor and music educator. Despite being a reasonably prolific composer he has become known for one work; the scenic…
The Piano Education Project: Vlog 4
‘Vlog’ number 4 discusses how long it could potentially take to learn to play the piano.
The Piano Education Project: Vlog 3
This is the third ‘vlog’ in The Piano Education Project series. It deals with the question of whether you need to buy a piano if you want to learn, and offers some advice about purchasing options.
Why is Grade 5 Theory important?
In this post I examine the importance of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music’s Grade 5 theory exam. The Grade 5 theory exam is significant to pupils because once a Grade 5 instrumental practical exam has been achieved it’s not possible to take a further graded instrumental exam until you have passed…
The Piano Education Project: Vlog 2
In the second ‘vlog’ of my series from The Piano Education Project, I’m looking at the benefits of playing the piano. Why it’s an excellent hobby and one that’s beneficial for the mind, body and soul.
The Piano Education Project: Vlog 1
I have set up a YouTube channel and will be offering a few practice tips to those who want to learn to play the piano. My ‘vlog’ series is called the Piano Education Project and I’ll be ‘vlogging’ about all aspects of piano playing. I’ll also be interviewing pianists asking them about their experiences and…
Would you adopt a piano?
I’ve never really considered a piano’s demise, in fact I always thought (maybe naively) that if you were lucky enough to own one, you would keep hold of it forever possibly passing it on to a family member or at least a good home. Apparently this romantic notion is far removed from reality according to…
Dalcroze Eurhythmics
Émile Jaques–Dalcroze (1865-1950) was a Swiss composer, improviser and music educator. He developed the Dalcroze Eurhythmics method in the early Twentieth century and it focuses on physical movement involving the whole body as a way of expressing and learning about music. This very creative approach to music education is useful for all ages. In Dalcroze…
The Kodály Method
In the last blog post I examined the importance and value of the Suzuki Method. Today I’m continuing my exploration of various music educational systems by highlighting the Kodály Method. Unlike the Suzuki, this Method focuses on studying singing, pitch, and musical notation rather than learning an instrument, however, these elements are crucial to musical…