Teaching Piano Classes Rocks!
This week so many stellar moments happened in the piano classes. Thanksgiving was last week, and I don’t want to leave this month without remembering how appreciative my soul feels. I pinch myself every day that my livelihood is making music with other humans.
I want to close out this month with expressing some genuine thankfulness that I have this incredible job teaching piano classes. I love getting to do this every day.
This past week my students were playing in keyboard ensembles. It was so fun to see them light up when we were finally able to put our music together. Up to this point, they had been working independently on headphones for their unique section.
This week we got to take off the headphones and play together. Being in a keyboard orchestra is the bomb-diddly. It really is the coolest thing. Yes, we had to play slow, and we were a little out of sync. But the Pollyanna in me knows that this is a work of progress and we are on track for our Christmas recital in two weeks. We are going to be great- In case you are wondering we use the Hal Leanard Student Piano Library Christmas Ensembles. They are awesome sauce!
look inside |
Christmas Piano Ensembles – Level 2 Book Hal Leonard Student Piano Library. Arranged by Phillip Keveren. Educational Piano Library. Christmas. 48 pages. Published by Hal Leonard (HL.296339). |
I Get to Help Make Kids Feel Important!
Somebody got to be a cello, and someone else was the french horn. Someone else was carrying the melody, or had a lovely little sequence. I love playing in ensembles and so do they!
My Choir Club singers are small in number this year. I needed more voices to boost the group and give them more of a choral experience. I also wanted them to be able to sing in 2-part harmony. Because all of my piano students have been learning to sing in piano class, it was no problem. They are going to sing with the fledgling Choir Club at the recital and boost their sound.
The piano kids felt like rock stars when I told them that the Choir Club needed their voices! Tomorrow morning I get to work with all of them together for the first time in a special Saturday morning rehearsal. I only work Saturdays a couple times a year, as a makeup for a lesson I missed or to call a special workshop rehearsal. So, it’s a little exciting to the kids to get to come on a Saturday. I know they are going to sound amazing. The purity and beauty of children’s voices is certainly something to celebrate.
The Adults Around Here Are Fantastic!
I am so thankful for the awesome adults that walk through these doors. This week I got to have a blast with my teaching assistant who is a long standing friend. Having her around to help with all the piano students makes me feel like I went to a spa.
Seriously, I didn’t realize how much I needed her until she was here. Now, that she is on our staff, I hope I get to keep her here forever. Because we have worked together in the past, I didn’t have to train her.
She just knows what to do. If I need extra song lyrics or practice sheets she is already at the copy machine doing it before I can think to ask. She helps kids on headphones with their pieces. She plays card note games with the kids while I work with another group. She is wonderful. Having her here is restorative and fun. Speaking of wellness…
My Adult Clients Care About My Health!
One adult student convinced me to get a flu shot. I honestly thought I would never get one, but her career as a scientist has her actually working on the flu shot every year.
She knows everything about it. She was able to debunk some myths that I have heard. (No, they don’t put mercury in the flu shot.) She also had some strategies for me. Because of her important job, she sees germs everywhere. She wanted to help me protect myself and my students and their families.
With her advice, I now have some solutions for keeping the germs at bay in the studio. I already had a policy for not coming sick, but she reminded me of the importance of keeping things sanitized. (You can read more about this here: https://musicalmocha.com/10-ways-to-stop-the-cycle-of-sickness-during-cold-and-flu-season/)
Every kid upon entry to the studio will now be sanitizing their hands. I also went out and got a flu shot the next day. The pharmacist assured me that you don’t get sick from the flu shot- that is also a myth. So, I let her stick my arm with a needle. That was two days ago, and I’m feeling fine!
On Tuesday my allergies were flaring up. Unfortunately, amongst other things, I am allergic to house dust. Two of my parents were concerned because my eyes were red and swollen behind my classy blue spectacles. (I had taken out my contacts and was sporting my very fashionable glasses.) I said I thought that maybe I needed to get my air filters changed.
One mom suggested that we get our air ducts blown out. When was the last time that we had done that? Especially since we have pets…all of that gunk comes blowing right in. As it gets cold, our houses are closed up and all of that stuff is trapped inside. Aha! That was it. I bought a Groupon for getting the air ducts cleaned that very night. I will be getting those air filters cleaned!
Our parents keep our students on track. Having a relationship with them is vital. Plus, I have gained a great many friends over the years from these adult students and parents. I am really thankful for that.
I could go on and on all day- really I could. I love this work, and I love these people of all ages that come to my house every week. They are a joy. My cornucopia of love overfloweth- what are you thankful for?