Saturday, September 28, 2024 by Mary O'Connor | parents

We have established that regular practice routines will not happen without proactive piano parents. So, how can parents be proactive practice assistants even if they have never touched a piano?

Day 4. The Lead Vocalist: Most people are not too comfortable with breaking out into song in public, but they will happily sing in front of their own children. Parents of your littlest piano students should be encouraged to sing along with song lyrics. Just make sure that the sing-alongs happen with songs their children already know quite well. Sing-alongs do not work when a song is first being learned.

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Thursday, September 26, 2024 by Mary O'Connor | birthday

George Gershwin lived between September 26, 1898 and July 11, 1937. He is considered to be a twentieth century composer.

If you hate homework but like roller skating, you have something in common with American composer George Gershwin. Born in Brooklyn, New York to Russian immigrant parents, George loved to play street hockey, 'cat', and punch ball. He didn’t even have an interest in music until his family got him a piano when he was twelve. Nine years later he had his first hit, "Swanee", with lyrics written by Irving Caesar. No one else in the Gershwin family was musical, but George was fascinated by music. When he heard a schoolmate play the violin, George struck up a friendship with the boy who introduced him to the world of concert music.

Gershwin's American in Paris and Rhapsody in Blue (featured in Disney's newly released Fantasia 2000) proved that jazz was powerful enough to combine will with symphonic music. Gershwin was only 26 years old at the time when he composed Rhapsody in Blue. No matter how you hear it, "Rhapsody in Blue" will remain the signature of one of the most influential of composers, songwriters and pianists in American music history.

His play Porgy and Bess has been produced as both a film and an opera.

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Wednesday, September 25, 2024 by Mary O'Connor | students

Interested early-primer OCMS Students may get this (in addition to all music used for lessons) free this week and next to be ready for Halloween

Bat von Flapp's Fairy Tales and Scary Tunes, V. U. Level D will delight your young piano players with SPOOKtacular musical twists on popular fairy tales.

Children using this early primer piano book will gain confidence playing with A, B, C, D, and E in middle C position.

Inside you will discover 8 piano pieces with lyrics (including two duets), note reading games, warm-up exercises, sight-reading activities, a rhythm activity, a practice tracker, and a certificate of achievement.

And, as with all V. U. Library books, supplementary activities like warm-ups, ledger line note timed tests, sight reading, and rhythm activities are included alongside the seven captivating piano pieces. 

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