Thursday 1 June 2017

Piano Lessons, Kanata Ottawa rowsellpiano


             What Can I Do For Your Child's Piano Education?



"Rowsell Piano Studio is the single best place to receive a music education. Nowhere else will you find a teacher with such an incredible combination of experience, talent, qualification, and motivation towards the success of every single student she encounters. " Shruti Raheja






I will give your child a love for music. I teach piano, as I know the joy of expression through music making, the thrill of moving your fingers over the keys with that 'is this really me' sensation, and the unspoken language that only music can convey.

My studio is fun, positive, and encouraging. I foster confidence and creativity, and since every student is unique,my lessons suit your child's individual needs.

What are you waiting for? Come join the studio to create your own success story!



rowsellpiano.ca 
rowsellstudio@bellaliant.net
Ottawa, Kanata






HOW TO MEMORIZE

                                             This blog is for you, students.

As festival time approaches, you all work hard on many things in your music, to include memorization.

                                                  How do you memorize?

                           First, I am going to tell you how NOT to memorize:

Don't rely on your fingers to know the way. When you play your piece for a long time, your fingers automatically move to the right notes. Or, do they? If your brain is not engaged, then this is much like going boating without a life jacket. You may fall in, and not be able to save yourself! Just when you least expect it!

So, what do you do? You make sure your brain understands the music. Know what key you are in, know the key changes, know what chord you are playing, and know what the pattern of notes is.

Compare like phrases and sections, for any subtle changes.

Know the starting notes of each section. This will create landmarks in the music, safe harbors that you can immediately jump to if you do forget the music for a moment.

Have a friend or parent play scrabble with you. Here, number the sections/phrases you have decided to be your landmarks. When mom asks for number 4, you start at that point and play forward. You then stop at the next landmark. Mix up the numbers, to be sure you can quickly begin at any point.

ANALYZING phrases and sections allows you to know the structure of your piece. You will understand the music better this way.

You can do some of this work AWAY from the piano, with your brain and a pencil.

So, be sure your BRAIN knows what comes next all the time, and you should be okay.

Mine is a short version. For an extended in depth

http://collaborativepiano.blogspot.com/2007/07/memorization-tips-and-hacks.html

view on how to memorize, try the link above:

                                      
Happy memorizing,

rowsellpiano

Choosing the Right Piano Teacher



Your five year old daughter is begging for piano lessons! What a thrill that her interest to learn a musical instrument has been sparked at this young age! You envision future years of beautiful music filling your home as she practices.

How do you choose a teacher?

Well, how do you choose a hairdresser? Shop for the freshest ear of corn? Find the perfect New Year's party dress?

Finding a piano teacher, then, needs time and consideration.

Above all, know that you deserve the best teacher you can find for your beginning child, as what she learns in the beginning stages will shape future pianistic development. Even if your child does not mature to become a professional pianist; the finest instruction early on will provide years of enjoyment for your child.

Find a teacher with a degree in music and specifically a degree as a pianist, and one that is a member of the local teacher's organization. Find a teacher who spends time developing professionally.

 Your teacher should have a good success rate with other students, and may have some student accomplishments to show for this.

Find a beginning teacher who will make learning to play the piano fun and easy for your child, as this is the key to success.

Find a teacher who will instill solid beginning habits in your children through sequential learning steps, and one that is not in a hurry to advance your child prematurely. The young student should live in the beginning stages for a while to develop a thorough foundation in basic skills.

Find a teacher who is enthusiastic, patient, and runs a professional business, whether that be an in home studio or a commercial set up .

Be patient yourself, as it may take the first year for you to see the results and understand the methodology of a fine teacher.  A few lessons to try things won't show you the wealth of knowledge your child will acquire over time through regular lessons.

 Whatever you do, don't settle just for convenience or lower price.

Happy Teacher Hunting!
rowsellpiano.ca

rowsellstudio@bellaliant.net



Piano Lessons Kanata

                                               Listen To  Sample Music:


Listen to performances from myself and students of rowsellpiano by clicking the links below.


"Sally Rowsell has a way of unlocking talent and inspiring dedication: the two keys to creating a truly incredible pianist." Shruti Raheja


Feel like joining my studio? We strive for the best, in a friendly, no pressure manner. The love of music and the joy of accomplishment is motivation to succeed!



https://soundcloud.com/rowsellpiano-rowsell/mendelssohn-sally-1

https://soundcloud.com/rowsellpiano-rowsell/student-performance-s-

https://soundcloud.com/rowsellpiano-rowsell/liszt-student-1




Email today!
 rowsellstudio@bellaliant.net
rowsellpiano.ca






Practise Advice for Young Pianists



                                                   How to Practise



This year my studio has a record number of young people under the age of 11. This is my great luck, as this age is so fun to teach and develop.

The hardest part of being 11 (or 9, or 10) is knowing how to practise, and for how long.

Therefore, this blog post was born to help those who are 11 and under, and, to help their parents.

What I know based on my personal reading and research is that the bulk of what you learn happens up to the age of 11. This is frightening, when you think about it! This does not mean you cease to learn past this age, but the rate at which you absorb and assimilate information decreases.

So, the more material you cover before age 11, the better. Work sequentially, but start early and cover as much as you can at this time.

Practise should be a daily habit, just like brushing your teeth. It is often necessary that parents supervise and encourage practise by setting aside a times(s) student and parent agree on to practise every day.

Work on a good quality piano. This is important.

Best are several short practise segments interspersed throughout the day. If you can not do this, at least take short breaks during your work.

Warm up with something simple, like technical exercises or scales, and then practise the WORST thing first, be it the worst piece, the worst spot, a brand new piece, or the most difficult section.

Finish with the piece you know the best, or have the most work completed on.

Set practise goals per day and per week and strive to meet these goals. Even if you don't meet your expectations, you will come closer than if you did not set those goals.

Set goals per year to move you forward in your learning.

Play lots and lots and lots of different music of any genre to expose yourself to as many technical and musical ideas as you can, and, to expand your reading ability.

                               How long should you practise?


This is a tough question.

At this age, the answer is anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour a day, depending on your attention and exact age.

For most students, anything less than 20 minutes will not get you far.

Ideally, a minimum weekly average of 150 minutes a week is a good starting point. Remember to use this time  dailyt, don't just cram practise 1 or 2 days of  the week. You will accomplish less by practising in this latter  manner.

Increase your practise amount inch by inch, to reach your desired practise goal. For example, move from 10 minutes to 15 minutes, and later to 20 minutes.

Most important is the QUALITY of your practise. Remember, 20 minutes of concentrated work is better than 30 minutes of playing last years' favourites and music not assigned at the lesson. By all means do this, but AFTER you have covered everything assigned.

Keep track of your practice minutes every day/week, and enjoy a reward every week for your hard work! Parents and students may think of their own method of reward to keep things exciting!

Finally, don't wait for your teacher to dictate every little thing you do! Be independent and move on to the next piece on your own, memorize, or cover the scale on your list not yet assigned. Pick a new piece, start the next section, finish the last page.......... you get the idea.

Above all, have fun, be positive, enjoy the moment, and love the fact that you can move your fingers and create music!!


     Age                                                       Minimum  Recommended Time 
                                     
        5                                                                          15 minutes
        6                                                                          15 minutes
        7                                                                          20 minutes
        8                                                                          20 minutes
        9                                                                          30 minutes
       10                                                                         30 minutes
       11                                                                         40 minutes
       12                                                                         45-60 minutes-




rowsellpiano