Category Archives: Piano

PERFECT PRACTICE RULE #25: SHORTEN THE FEEDBACK LOOP AND RULE #26: USE THE POWER OF POSITIVE

conveyorBaggage claim can be stressful. Did my luggage make it? You think that it is yours and as you go to grab it another person snags it up. If you miss your bags, not to fear, it will come around again.  Some uncomfortable moments.  Feedback can be uncomfortable but is vital to improvement.  I want feedback with my students to be like the baggage conveyor … a constant loop between my choir and myself. I need feedback from them and they need feedback from me. So, how do you create and maintain a productive feedback loop?  (more…)

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PERFECT PRACTICE RULE 23: PRACTICE USING FEEDBACK (NOT JUST GETTING IT) AND RULE 24: APPLY FIRST, THEN REFLECT

  Last summer, I had the privilege of attending the Choral Director’s Workshop attached to the Oregon Bach Festival. Several sessions were devoted to tweaking one’s conducting.  Dr. Sharon Paul, of the University of Oregon, led the sessions which consisted of each participant conducting a piece and receiving feedback.  In preparation, I felt confident that […]

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PERFECT PRACTICE RULE #21 MODEL THE PATH AND #22 GET READY FOR YOUR CLOSE-UP

  #21 Model The Path My student teacher landed in my classroom the second semester. She saw a well-oiled-machine.  The technique time had very littler verbal instruction.  I was communicating with hand gestures. To her it seemed almost telepathic. Hand gestures for the primary vowels, tone placement, rules of transfer, and dynamics. All maticulously taught […]

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PERFECT PRACTICE RULES: TRY SUPERMODELING;INSIST THEY “WALK THIS WAY”;MODEL SKINNY PARTS

#18 SUPERMODELINGWe have all had moments when our modeling for students was less than super and the student performance reflected it.  When I model vocally a passage from a piece and tell my students “like this,” I better make sure my body alignment, breath, vowels, soft-palate, diction, and body language are what I want.  Students […]

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PRACTICE PERFECTS RULES: NAME IT, INTEGRATE THE SKILL, MODEL AND DESCRIBE

  PRACTICE PERFECT RULE #11: NAME IT Name each skill or technique you have identified as an important building block for outstanding performance. Monitor the use of this shared vocabulary: use the names, ask staff to use them, and then ensure that the names are being used correctly. Create a name for warm-ups, technique drill, […]

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