Monthly Archives: April 2017

2017/12 Prep Tests and Teaching by Rote

Rote is how I learned to play piano – I had a “knuckle-rapper” teacher to start with. “It goes like this, dear” she would say, playing the first phrase. If I copied it right, all was well and good. If … Continue reading

Posted in Lessons that have happened, Piano | Leave a comment

2017/11 The New ABRSM Prep Test

I’m a fan! I can’t remember how long the old prep test book had been out, but if I never teach “Boating Lake” or “Jogalong” again I won’t mind a bit. Not to mention “Walking”, “Rocking” and “Hopping”. The new … Continue reading

Posted in Piano | Tagged | Leave a comment

2017/9 When they stop practicing

Here’s an insightful blogpost from www.teachpianotoday.com for dealing with those times when a student is unable to practice. Not so much for when they’ve lost the motivation or interest as when, through circumstances at home or at school, they are … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

2017/10 Ocarina problems

I’m teaching a year 3 /4 class the ocarina this coming term. What could go wrong? Here’s the excellent tutor book that came with the ocarinas; which I have used with great success all last year. Ah, now you may … Continue reading

Posted in Class Teaching, Ocarina | Tagged , | Leave a comment

2017/8 More Music for Ensembles

I teach a couple of mixed-age, mixed ability keyboard ensembles. Finding suitable mixed-age, mixed-ability ensemble music is a perennial challenge. The BBC Ten Pieces resources includes several arrangements of classical music for ocarinas, and I have selected the Mozart Horn … Continue reading

Posted in Keyboards | Tagged | Leave a comment

2017/7 Beethoven’s Fifth for Ocarinas

Last term I achieved a long-held ambition. When I stumbled across an arrangement of the themes from the first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony for ocarinas I simply burst into laughter. Then I decided that it was something that HAD … Continue reading

Posted in Class Teaching, Lessons that have happened, Ocarina | Tagged , , | Leave a comment