Last Lesson coming up!

Well, here we go to the end of the first semester. Many of you may have noticed that it went by very fast! I'm very happy with the progress all the students have made. For the beginner students it's hard to believe that 4 months ago music and piano were another language!
This upcoming class is going to be review and fun. I am sorry that I had to change the lesson time for the Wed. class. Thank you for being so cooperative for switching to tuesday or moving the time on Wed. There will be no babysitting available on Thursday - Waverly is away. But there is still the waiting room of course for older siblings.
Have a Merry Week shopping and preparing.
Mrs. V

Hear those bells, ringing, ringing...

Hello there! I am excited to get ready for Christmas. I love having a Christmas Recital. It is always fun to share our music with family and friends. It is good to expose your children to an atmosphere like this for many reasons. This teaches children that music is meant for sharing! This is one talent that will bless others simply by listening to it. Everyone loves to sing or dance or relax to music. This skill carries on to the future! Having confidence to play in front of others is like building a tower. You have to start at the bottom with little blocks. I hope that your children will love playing with others.

Some of you have noticed that the lessons are becoming challenging. Remember, practice makes predictability. Some times a song will require two weeks to master - and that is OK!! If it takes longer, it usually means that it will sound more advanced. That is cool isn't it! Practicing 5 days for around 15 -20 min. will get you a solid start in training. Keep it up!

Please note that the recital is on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. I needed to change the time to accomodate a few students. Hope this doesn't effect anyone too much.

SBI - Be sure to practise the ensemble, singing, patterns and keyboard. Your recital songs sound great! Try to play them without your book!
SBII - Practise is key for this level. It gets hard at this busy time to get it all in. Do your best and keep it Happy! Don't forget to clap your ensemble at home!
MBI - Give extra effort to your recital song. Try to play it without the book. You are doing great!

I can hear the bells ringing...it's the most wonderful time, of the year...
Mrs. V
p.s. ask me for a candy cane next class!

Christmas is coming

After a flurry of the flu I think our family is on the road to recovery. I'm sorry for not posting the previous weeks. No excuses.

I have assigned all classes their Christmas recital song. Please practice this!! You are supporting your child's performance by having them prepared. It's my goal to make the Christmas recital a positive one. Just a reminder that it's at my studio and you are welcome to bring your family to celebrate with you. Unfortunately I do not have enough room for extended family members. In May the year end concert is for friends and family.
Next week I will be starting a new practice incentive. Stay tuned...

SBI - the songs this week are focusing on the left hand. Go slow as this side of the brain requires new connections. The kids are playing great and I have utmost confidence in their ability!
SBII - I only assigned phrase 1 of the new song. The a minor scale is with 2 chords now. Once the kids see the pattern this will be a snap for them.
MBI - The c major scale is very important to practise. The scales are the foundation of piano playing and composing. Enjoy the Christmas songs.

Mrs. V

rule of thumb

I think about how much information the children absorb every week and I am amazed! Take time this week to praise your child's efforts and encourage their determination to continue.

As a general rule of thumb if you cannot come to class please phone me to let me know. Then you need to contact me about homework or someone else in your class for the assignment. Thanks for your consideration.

I saw snow today, so I'm thinking it's time to plan for Christmas! My Christmas recital is at my home studio and is a more private affair for the immediate family. The year end recital is for all family members at a different venue. This year the recital will be on Dec. 9 at 3 p.m. If this is not going to work for you I need to know ASAP! If the majority can't come I will reschedule.
Sunbeams I - Excellent progress. Play each song 3 times to create good practice habits and try to not be too grouchy or grumpy...like the groundhog!
Sunbeams II - Lots of songs to try playing. As for the C major scale. Review the left hand this week in bits. Day 1 just the LH, Day 2 add I chord, Day 3 add the IV chord etcc....Remember 3 times is the rule of thumb.
Moonbeams I - When looking at the staff notice patterns. Do not rely on writing the note names below. You can do it! I'm very proud of this determined group.

Will we be together when it's "SNOWY"?
Mrs. V

Busy Beaver Weekend

I have been away from my desk since Thursday! Yes it has been a busy beaver weekend. October is birthday month for us. Parents as you practise at home remember that Good body Position is essential for balance, strength, accuracy and expression with playing any musical instrument. Keep tall backs at the keyboard and relaxed shoulders.
Sunbeams I - review where the critters live on the tin sheet and clap lots of busy beavers!
Sunbeams II - Lots of new notes coming up. We will do plenty of review so don't worry if they don't get all the notes immediately!
Moonbeams I - C major scale is new so go slow and steady. It is essential to start the scales off with correct fingering now, rather than having to correct later.

Enjoy the last few days of brown because I feel the snow in my bones...

Mrs. V

Having fun

Group lessons like MYC are such a lot of fun! The kids and the parents seem to enjoy themselves and in this hectic world sometimes the one on one with parent and child is all they get per week. Thank you for choosing MYC with me. Your decision will have lasting results. My oldest daughter who is now in private lessons often looks back at her fun MYC years. She wishes she could go back! Like every endeavor it matures and takes on new forms. In music it becomes private piano. The discipline of practicing sometimes becomes a chore when life gets busy. That is why a good foundation of hard work with rewards is necessary. The next few weeks I will be rewarding 5 days of practicing with a sticker. This will mean that parents you will need to create the time. Young children have to be taught to go practice. Your attitude toward practicing will be reflected through your child. Children are the greatest imitators!! Have fun while practicing.

Sunbeams I - Practice patterns at the keyboard. Enjoy decorating Edyth the Elegant Elk!
Sunbeams II - C major scale is completed with all the chords! both hands! I'm proud how well they're playing!
Moonbeams I - Remember to review each song 3 times each day. Repition is how musicians progress! Good work!

Mrs. V

In the Groove

Today is Wes' - my dh's- birthday. Of cource we headed to Botanica to get our free lunch! Thanksgiving is also around the corner. Many of you will likely have family over or be visiting family. I hope you can celebrate this holiday and encourage your child to play a song that they love for someone. This builds confidence and teaches them to share their talents!

Some happy practice tips:
1. use warm-up songs to get them in the groove of practicing.
2. Take a new piece slowly and in chunks.
3. Laugh at your mistakes!
4. You try it!
5. Practice at a good time. ie. after snacks are done, when they have your attention.

Thanks for all your hard work. I give the ingredients - you get to bake the cake!

Happy thanksgiving,
Mrs. V

SBI - practice time is about 5 min. Try to vary your practicing with singing, keyboard, rhythm, and tin sheets.
SBII - Practice time is about 10-15 min. Remember to use techniques like the igloo push - not the strangle hold! Please don't worry about W - 8. I did not have time to explain this warmup so we'll look at it next week. Practice the Clowns piece in chunks.
MBI - Review the jump up high patterns and play them for fun. Use the right hand and the left hand on the piano. Good work!

Balancing music in your life

Hello everyone! I wanted to encourage everyone to find a good balance of working in practices with your life. Although I would love it if music was your child's passion, sometimes the discipline of practicing gets hard. Find a good mix of activity with your music practice. Keyboard should be done on each of the five days, however, sometimes you just need to sing or have a game on the tin sheet. These elements are music!! MYC is a complete musical experience, keyboard, singing, theory, movement and composing. Feel free to use all these methods.

I am always amazed at how children will rise to a challenge if you put it before them. Last week was a heavy week but everyone did great! Way to go!

Mrs.V

Sunbeams I - Keep clapping and practicing the turtle beat. Remember to practice 5 days for a sticker. Parents you'll notice that I'll allow some 4 days, but not many...
Sunbeams II - The C major scale is important to do each time you practice. Also, work on the 2 note slur with the hand rolling forward. Find ways to have I can do it practices!
Moonbeams I - The kids know their rhthyms well but need lots of keyboard time. Play each piece through 3 times when you practice. Good job everyone!

Welcome to fall music!

Last year I created this blog to help parents with questions about the classes and to encourage them in their efforts of practicing at home. This year I will do the same however I decided to maybe ramble in some of my thoughts because you might get a laugh out of them or even challenge a current notion you already have. After all, a blog is technically an online diary. Don't worry I won't get that personal!



This fall is so exciting! Music lessons have begun and the kids seem to be settling in nicely at class. I hope that everyone is able to figure out when to practice and that these practises are happy. At some point practices become work and who really likes work? Parents this is where your role comes in to remind them that hard work pays off. Have them play a song they know well and remind them of that.



Sometimes in MYC classes you may not understand a concept being taught. If your child has understood it I usually move on to the next activity. Each concept is reinforced throughout the lesson or the weeks following so do not worry if you don't understand immediately! Lesson time is packed so sometimes I might field your question to here so that I can teach everything in the hour I have. Thanks for your patience!!



Sunbeams I - Correct posture at the piano and keep playing the dens/firehalls. Use your tin sheet to reinforce where Dino D lives. Keep up the good work!
Sunbeams II - When starting practicing begin with warmups - legato/staccato and the C Major Scale (c,d,e,f,g,a,b,c), remember to add the hugging chord as well. Lots of songs, do what you can maybe 3 per day and eventually you'll get them all in! Keep up the great singing!
Moonbeams I - Patterns, do lots of this on the keyboard. The more you play the more comfy you'll get with your keyboard!


Housekeeping - reminder to parents to pay the studio fee. If you choose to pay this year with cash per month please let me know, I prefer post-dated cheques so I don't have to hassle you - I'm a musician not a banker!!


Enjoy the beautiful fall days with all their color!

Mrs. V

Summer time fun

Here it is, summer already and I haven't written much. In fact, it's been so long that I pretty much forgot how to use this blogger thing. That tells you that my last months of teaching were hectic. The May recital was very good. Thanks to all the students who participated.

I'm now preparing for fall lessons. If you know of any interested MYC students I am accepting a few more. Class times are still tentative. I am very excited about the new technique toolbox for next years classes.

I may not be back on this blog for a while because of holidays. So have a great summer and see you in the fall.

Mrs. V

Spring is coming!

You should all be very proud of your past year in MYC. Look at how much you learned in 8 months. From singing solfege, note naming, rhythm keeping and theory you are all amazing. For the last month the focus is on maintaining good pianoship. - is that a word? I mean to say that keeping good hand position, and rhythm even when your child is having fun at the piano is still important. It is much easier to do it correctly first than have to relearn after doing it incorrectly. In fact it's twice as hard to re-wire your brain.

Good news! Next year my 10 year old daughter has agreed to babysit any siblings during music class. Her charge is a great big $1 per child per hour. One of my rooms will be set up with a TV, toys, and some beanbag chairs for any person that has to wait while lessons are in progress. Hopefully this will make music lessons possible for more people in the rural areas!

I can feel the warmth of the sunbeams... quite literally. Hope you can too.
Mrs. V

Half Way There!

Congratulations on being committed to your child's music education. We have finished over half of the curriculum. Music is a step by step process where you build on what has been learned. Music is a journey, you will never "get" there. Your child will continually find new creative things that sound cool or excite them. Importantly, music training is a discipline. It requires lots of diligence and effort. For some adults this may come easy, for others this will have to be 'learned' as well. I am living proof however that the discipline of music is soo worth the time it takes. It nurishes my spirit like nothing else.

Way to go on completing the compositions! I am amazed at how unique each song is and very excited to send them off to enter the festival.

Practise tips this week - Bridges!! play them all without a book CG, CA, and BG. The children need to get their hands comfortable moving from one to the other. Parents have a go at it too! Remember the first note is the bottom one. ie. C - G C is played below G.

See you at music lesson next week - Wear red if you have it!
Mrs. V

January begins

I've had the opportunity to talk to many of my student's parents and I am thrilled to hear that their children are 'playing' the piano. Having access to the keys, hearing them, singing to simple melodies is all great at creating a real love for music. This week pay attention to the left hand as it learns how to walk up the keys, fingers 54321,321. Don't let new concepts frighten you or your child. Remind them of different things they have already learned this year and with each week they will continue to learn with baby steps! If you are concerned that they already know more than you, ask them if you can 'practise' with them. Children love to teach their parents!

Compositions - The first step is to have a motive, now we are learning tricks like repitition. Be sure the motive is 4 beats, and starts on C. (Their song will end on C too.) Some children might feel they're creativity is being stifled but it's kind of like grammar. There are rules in grammar and when you fully understand and accept them you can really push your writing; same with music. By the end of January they will learn 3 tricks and can use these in creating their own song - one that they can play!