On Sunday, June 5th, twenty -two students performed their favorite music for friends and family at the Monroeville Community Church in Monroeville, PA. This year-end event featured a variety of music ranging from classical to jazz and contemporary, played by students graduating from kindergarten through high school. Two of our students are moving on to college next year. Stephanie, who performed a piece called "Keep Rising", in the spirit of moving on to new experiences, will be studying chemical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh, and Madisson will be studying communications at Penn State. We've had many wonderful years of music together!
Piano Pals
What do Midnight Frosting, Nutcracker, Mystery Man and Princess Fiona have in common? They’re students in the Kerry Drombosky Piano Studio! This winter, in order to foster a sense of community among the students, each one created a new identity for himself and was matched with a Piano Pal. During the last eight weeks , Pals exchanged recordings of the pieces they were working on, composed simple melodies based upon the rhythm of the piano pal’s name, told teach other which musical instrument they’d like to be ( to be- not to play!), and older students brain-stormed fanciful musical technologies they’d like to invent. Next week is the “Big Reveal”- they’ll find out the true identities of Mr. Cool, Sportsy, and Pop Corn!
Spring Recital in Monroeville
Just a little over a month ago, we celebrated the end of the 2014-15 school year with our Spring Recital at Monroeville Community Church. Twenty-two students performed for an audience of families and friends. We were pleased to have so many new students performing for the first time this year! The students also received their music medals for completing this year’s “Thirty Piece Challenge”, and some even went for the “Forty Piece Challenge”! As a group, they learned over 700 pieces of music this year.
A group of students were recognized by the MTNA( Music Teachers National Association) for 5 or more years of piano lessons. Pictured here are Ava, Tim, Anna, and Tyler. Missing from the photo are Madison, Maria and Andy. Several of them have completed 7 years of study, and are looking forward to continuing on in the Fall.
2015 Great Performers Series Recital
On Saturday April 11th, two of our students participated in the Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association’s annual GPS( Great Performers Series) recital, East Division. Held at Beulah Presbyterean Churich in Churchill, the GPS Programs offer area students the opportunity to perform with other area piano students in a beautiful setting on a 9 foot Steinway grand piano. Our two participants this year were Madisson Biertempfel, playing Kirnberger’s Bourree #2, and Andy Fisher, who performed Haydn’s German Dance in D Major and James Hook’s Allegretto in C Major. Well done!!
February - Game Month
Surely “Spring is right around the corner”! Our students passed the time during February’s frigid weather by declaring February “Game Month”- each week, at the beginning of class, they’d spend a few minutes playing board games created by master teachers throughout the US and Canada. We developed our skills in key recognition, note reading, intervals and rhythm, while building snowmen, chasing snow flakes, playing hearts and clubs, and racing around a race track counting rhythms. We do play games on the studio computer and iPad, but sometimes, playing an old-fashioned board game (and eating your life saver game piece!) is even more fun!
Hurry, Spring!
We’ve been back to piano classes for a month now after our December break, and all of the students are well on their way to completing their “30 Piece Challenge”- in fact, seven have already completed 30 pieces and are closing in on the ultimate “40 Piece Challenge”! In the beginning of January, our studio-wide total for pieces learned was 432, and we’re going to be hitting the 500 mark soon. The Challenge ends in April, and the students will receive a music dog tag at the Spring Recital to commemorate their achievement. I’m in the process of scheduling our recital now, and hope to have approval from Monroeville Community Church for Sunday, June 7th.
Don’t be disappointed that the Ground Hog saw his shadow- remember, “6 weeks ’til Spring” means it really is right around the corner!
Featured Performer: Elizabeth
As we started back to piano this Fall, many of the students were working on folk tunes from the United States and around the world. One tune that was a big hit with many of them is “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”-as soon as they played the first few measures, everyone recognized it! Our latest featured performer, Elizabeth, recorded it for us on our digital piano and chose two instrument voices to create a more authentic African sound- the flute and marimba. We really liked it, and hope you will, too!
October Piano News in Monroeville
We have been off to a very busy start this Fall in piano class- many of our students have learned at least 10 pieces for this years “Thirty Piece Challenge”! We also started working on Halloween and Fall themed music.
A quick note about our up-coming Holiday schedules: before you know it, we’ll be taking our Thanksgiving break! As usual, we will have regular classes Monday, November 24th, and MAKE UP CLASSES for those of you who have missed a class (not many so far!) will be offered on Tuesday, Nov. 25, Wednesday, Nov. 26, and Monday Dec 1st.
If you haven’t missed a class , you’re on vacation- no class for you! No regular classes will be held during those days or the day after Thanksgiving. Regular classes will resume on Tuesday, Dec.2nd.
Practice Tips for Parents
When a new school years begins, parents start to focus on ways to help their child to be organized and be successful in their class work. With just a little help and support from their parents, children can achieve the same level of success with their music assignments. Piano teacher Alex Bowen, of Stepping Stones Music in Great Britain, has written a great article on some simple strategies parents can use to help their children practice at home. http://steppingtones.co.uk/stepping-tones-blog/2014/8/6/how-to-help-your-child-practise-the-piano
Here a few of Alex’s tips:
Practice should happen everyday-at first, even just a few minutes each day is enough to establish the practice habit.
Make it social- ask your child to play the pieces that you enjoy hearing him practice-ask him questions about them! Better yet, ask him to teach you how to play it! Practice can be a lonely experience- include other people.
Praise, Praise, Praise! Positive comments are fuel for productive practicing.
Children love to know that their parents are interested in and value what they’re doing-why not read Alex’s tips for sharing your child’s musical journey!
Free (yes, free!) Resourses for Piano Students
There are only a few more weeks left of summer vacation for most of my students, and sometimes these last days can be b-o-r-i-n-g! Why not give your children something fun to do by exploring the free resources provided by our friend, Kristin Jensen, on her Ear Training and Improvisation page?!
Kristin has loads of colorful theory sheets and composing ideas that you can down load and print or view on your tablet to get a jump-start on reviewing for the start of our fall session. Lots of our students enjoyed entering her “I’ve Got the Blues ” lyric writing contest last October ( 6 were finalists!) – the Ear Training and Improvisation materials are always a treat!
Monroeville Spring Recital YouTube Video
It’s finally online! My computer was giving me a lot of trouble putting this one together (something about an imported wall paper that was shutting everything down!) The students performances are posted alphabetically by last name- of course, for privacy sake, their slides show first name only. But if your last name begins with “Z”, you know you’re at the end of the show!
The Fall class schedule has almost been completed. Only a few students need to confirm their times, and I have only 4 openings in the schedule for new students. Parents often wait until school starts (and they have their other activities scheduled) before they call about lessons, so I expect to fill these spots in September or early October. If you have a friend or relative who might be interested in enrolling, “the sooner, the better”!
Spring Recital in Monroeville
It’s been two weeks since our Spring Recital when 19 students entertained their families and friends with wonderful music. Afterward, the moment they’ve been waiting for finally arrived-they received their Piano Olympics medals for our year-long project of the 2013-14 school year. Gold, silver, and bronze medals were awarded based upon completion of up to 12 music “events”, ranging from memorizing music, composing, organizing their own recitals at home and many others! In case you weren’t able to be there, the students each recorded one of their pieces for a slide show recital that will be making it’s debut to our YouTube channel soon. The Summer session begins this week, and we’ve got a great new incentive program planned for September!
Monroeville/Churchill GPS Recital
On Saturday, May 3rd, three of our students participated in the first Great Performers Series (GPS) recital presented by the Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association for East suburban members. These recitals have been offered in the past in the North and South Hills, but never here out East. Beulah Presbyterian Church in Churchill graciously offered their facilities and had a reception for all participants and guests afterwards in their Fellowship Hall. Eight teachers entered students into this event, ranging from the youngest beginners to graduating seniors. Our representatives were, Tyler, Tim, and Andy. Congratulations!!
National Music Week
May 4-11, 2014 will be celebrated across the country as ” National Music Week”. The National Federation of Music Clubs ( The Pittsburgh Piano Teachers Association is the local chapter), has created the theme “Music… The Dance of Life” for events being held through the nation. Here in our studio we’re asking all of our students to see how many different dances they can name . From the waltz to the Electric Slide , every generation has had it’s favorites. Each student will be bringing home a sheet with 12 spaces to fill out -let’s see how long of a list we can compile. Dance is universal – feel free to add the national dances from your family’s homeland, as well the popular dances from your, or your parents, high school days. We’ll be adding them all to a wall chart in the studio next week-how long do you think our list will be?
Spring is Finally Here!
If the Flowers in your yard aren’t brave enough yet to poke their heads out of the ground, head on over to Phipps Conservatory and see the Spring Flower Show, ” Rhythm and Bulbs”- you won’t be disappointed! Music and the smell of spring bulbs fill the air.
Music has been filling the air in our studio, as well. We’ve just completed our major project of the year, “Piano Olympics”. The bronze, silver, and gold medals that the students have earned by completing various music events will be awarded at our spring recital in June- so mark your calendars for Sunday, June 8th at 1:00. We will again be enjoying the hospitality of Monroeville Community Church on Tillbrook Road in Monroeville for this event.
Featured Performer: Andy
Andy is a fourth grade student who is active in music and sports. He plays basketball on his school’s basketball team and is on a swim team in the summer. Along with being an enthusiastic piano student, Andy joined the school band this year where he plays saxophone. Andy is playing a piece called “Ragtime” by Margaret Goldston on this recording, and used a ragtime piano voice on our digital piano for an authentic ragtime sound.
Elena learning the musical alphabet
Kindergarten student Elena decided this year that she wanted to learn to play piano just like her big sister, Anna. Her she is placing small flash cards and alphabet blocks on a large floor chart of the piano keyboard. Little ones need to spend time “off the bench”, and our floor activities give them lots of opportunities to move around while learning about music.
There area few slots available for the Winter term, but they generally fill up quickly-Santa often brings pianos and keyboards for Christmas! If you’re interested, please drop us a line.
Aubrey playing 'Wishing Well'
Aubrey is a fourth grade student who started playing violin at school last year, and decided to learn to play piano this year, too! Here is Aubrey demonstrating how we use midi accompaniments that we load into the digital pianos on-board computer. All first year students play along with these recordings while learning to play with a steady, even beat. These background recordings make entry level recordings exciting to play!
Featured Performer: Tim
Tim is a seventh grade student who plays violin in his school orchestra as well as studying piano. Classical music, jazz, rock and roll- Tim enjoys them all! The piece that Tim has recorded for us is “The Chinese Doll” by Vladimir Ribikov.
When he isn’t at the piano, practicing violin, working on his school work, or enjoying a good book, Tim often has a classic motor cycle magazine in his hand. One of these days he’ll be using his fine musician’s ear to keep those cycle engines humming!
Happy Halloween!
The piano studio has been a busy place in October!! Some of the students worked on composing pieces based upon a theme and text called “It’s October!” We printed their finished projects using Final notation software and our young composers are exchanging their creations with each other . Of course, it wouldn’t be October without some Halloween music! Even our youngest beginners were able to tell a Halloween story with music.
This month, our Featured Performer is Maddie. Maddie is a sophomore in high school and an avid runner. She just completed cross country season and is looking forward to beginning training for track in the spring. Maddie also plays piano with he high school jazz band. She’s going to scare us all with a piece called Midnight in the Museum.