(Note: M. Steinert & Sons asked veteran piano teacher Elizabeth Reed to put pen to paper regarding the kind of piano she would recommend to the families of her students. ) What a piano teacher wants you to know when choosing your instrument by Elizabeth Reed As a teacher, I delight in sharing my knowledge and experience with parents who … Read More
BOSTON GLOBE MAGAZINE PERSPECTIVE
PERSPECTIVE | MAGAZINE How the pandemic brought life back into our living rooms They were where we played games, read, and performed music before TV took over. As a piano teacher zooming in, I see family life thriving there once again. By Elizabeth Ann Reed January 8, 2021 Piano teachers like me travel back in time to the 17th, … Read More
APPS with APTITUDE
When choosing apps I evaluate them using educational criteria. Does the game reinforce concepts in the same way I have presented to the student? I want consistent input. Is the content educational, or just entertaining? Games can be addictive. An educational purpose is key to any app. Are there different levels? I group students into very general levels: Elementary, Intermediate, … Read More
MENTORING
Mentoring! A Proud Tradition All independent music teachers learn to teach through live interaction whether or not they have a strong pedagogy background. This process often involves trial and error. Imagine if we could reduce the trials and errors by sharing successful teaching sessions with our colleagues. It would certainly reduce the number of times we have said or heard, … Read More
Composition
The Composition Book is my favorite project to work on. This year I created visuals to go along with the design terms I’ve been using for years, from Carol Klose’s excellent book: Piano Teacher’s Guide to CREATIVE COMPOSITION, published by Hal Leonard. She relates composing a piece to building a house. I used a felt board and cut out felt pieces … Read More
Continuing Education
I am a firm believer in Continuing Education. There is always something to learn, no matter how many years I’ve been teaching. On October 14th, 2017, I attended a Quad State Conference in Concord, New Hampshire. Four MTNA State chapters participated: Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. These conferences serve two important needs – reconnecting with our colleagues and learning, … Read More
IT’S SKELETON TIME!
When my students see the skeleton they know it’s EAR TRAINING time. To add, or take away, a bone, students have to identify intervals, chords and sing/hum/whistle back a tune that is played for them. Too bad this skeleton doesn’t have ears; it would learn a lot from my students!
Is it time to update your piano?
When is it time to upgrade your piano? I think that beginning students who have studied for a year, or two years maximum, on a digital keyboard, need to play on an acoustic piano. The differences in touch and tone are incomparable, no matter how good a digital piano you have. They need to hear the resonance of wood and … Read More
Contemporary Piano Music
Play INSIDE the piano!
Computer Lab
Technology and the Piano
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