Happy New Year!

Well, we're back to it once again. I hope your holidays were wonderful and that you are ready to approach the final 5 months of music with enthusiasm and perserverance :0) You've all shown yourselves to be fine musicians and I am so proud of your efforts and attitudes! Well done! Keep up the great work!

As you know, we have a GROUP LESSON coming up very soon. Saturday, January 27th from 9am until Noon. It will be an "Exam" focused lesson. Even if you're not taking an exam this year, it is a very beneficial exercise to chart our progress and focus our musical intentions :0)

I wanted to make mention of the amazing progress I've seen in all of you with regards to your technique. I have observed great strides in your attention to the importance of good technique and it shows in your playing. Be encouraged as you are rewarded with increased challenges in your pieces as we continue on this musical journey together.

From my perspective, TECHNIQUE is the foundation of becoming a pianist - dare I say, even moreso than Theory (although, that may be for my less than enthusiastic affinity towards that subject :0) Ah well, we do what we must, yes? Technique is so crucially important to the pianist because it is the very element that will allow you to make the sound required for each particular piece you play. You may be a fantastic sight reader or the most gifted ear player, but if you do not train your fingers, hands, wrists, arms and body to perform the tasks required, you will not produce the sound needed to give expression to your pieces in order to communicate with your audience. So what is TECHNIQUE?

Technique would include arm weight, finger dexterity and independence, proper hand position and posture and as you become more advanced, an increasing understanding of the wrist/hand/finger movements required in order to play with skill and ease. With this understanding, it is why I appreciate the options that the London College of Music provides for students to choose scales/triads/arpeggios, etc. or a Study as provided in the Graded Exam books. There are many ways to reach the same end! :0)

Simply said, TECHNIQUE + theory + sight reading + ear training + historical understanding = COMPREHENSIVE MUSICIANSHIP in piano (that means you have BECOME a pianist :0)

Here are a couple of links to the London College of Music WEBSITE for your review. There are some fantastic publications available for students as well as the new addition of CDs to accompany the GRADED EXAMINATION BOOKS. For months, I have been hoping to create my own CDs of the exam pieces for my students for ear and rhythm training. However, as day to day life often does, that project has been "put on the back burner" a few times :0) With gratefulness, I have found these CDs and encourage you to send for them according to your Grade. Please let me know if you have any questions!

http://mercury.tvu.ac.uk/lcmexams/LCMExamsHome.htm

http://www.stainer.co.uk/acatalog/LCMPiano.html

I hope you are enjoying your learning experience and I look forward to seeing you all again soon!