by Rachel | Uncategorized
Every year, I struggle with what to give my students as a token of my appreciation for their hard work when the holidays roll around. This year was no different, but as it turns out, I didn’t have to look any further than the top of my piano.
These framed signs (which I wrote about here) have been conversation pieces amongst my students since I decorated my piano with them back in June. So as my holiday gift this year, I gave my students their own “keep calm” sign in a simple frame, to be placed in their practice area. Kellan (pictured above, thanks to his mom!) and most of my other students have been happy to receive their gift, and excited to display it just as I do in my studio.
I gave different framed signs to my students, based upon whether they study piano, voice or guitar. For my music therapy students, I went a bit of a different route:
A tambourine might not be the definition of “calm” (quite the opposite, actually!) but hopefully it will inspire my students to keep making music during the holiday break.
I still have some gifts to give out this afternoon, after which my studio will officially be closed until 2012! It’s hard to believe that the first semester of the school year is coming to an end, but I’m looking forward to a fresh start in January. I’m also looking forward to lots of zen-like, well-practiced students, thanks to their “keep calm” gifts! ;)
by Rachel | Uncategorized
As much as I hate to admit it, these words actually came out of my mouth recently. But I have a good reason, I promise. Hear me out, okay?
I have a middle school student who has been taking piano and voice lessons from me for over two years now. This particular student is very sweet and always tries his best, but has told me on numerous occasions that honestly, he just isn’t that into playing the piano or singing.
However, his tune had changed when he came for his lesson last week. He looked at me very seriously and said:
“You know, Miss Rachel, I’ve been thinking. I really want to get more into singing, because I think I could be really good. You know, like Justin Bieber.”
I’ve never been struck by Bieber Fever, nor really seen the appeal at all, but I’m all for my students getting their inspiration anywhere they can find it. So I went with it. After sharing my excitement with my student over his new-found passion for singing, we got down to business.
One of the things we’ve been working on during his voice lessons is projection. I’m always searching for ways to help him turn up his volume, and today I knew just what to say. You guessed it:
What would Justin Bieber do?
My student answered that Justin Bieber would probably sing louder, and with more confidence. That he would smile, relax, and take bigger breaths from his diaphragm. Most of the directions I’ve been giving him for the past two years came tumbling out of his mouth, all because of this simple question.
He was a different singer for the rest of that lesson, and I’m hoping the trend continues. Thank you, Justin Bieber — not for your bubble gum pop songs, but for inspiring my student and countless other kids, I’m sure.
(Yes, I really did just thank Justin Bieber in a blog post. What is the world coming to?!)
by Rachel | Uncategorized
In all my years of voice lessons — beginning at the age of 12, all the way through college — I don’t remember singing any “pop” songs. My repertoire was made up of foreign language arias, art songs, and show tunes. And while I’m a lot more lenient with my own students’ repertoire choices than my teachers were with mine, I like to maintain a little bit of tradition (no pun intended).
It doesn’t get much more traditional than Fiddler on the Roof, where the song “Far From the Home I Love” comes from. Emma did a beautiful job singing this song, and even used it as an audition piece for the musical in which she was recently cast.
Though many of my students would be perfectly content singing Taylor Swift and Greyson Chance songs exclusively, I love that they humor me by balancing them out with songs that won’t be on the radio anytime soon. The best is when they end up actually enjoying those songs, which is usually the case!
by Rachel | Uncategorized
It’s no secret that I <3 Taylor Swift. Maybe she’s not the best live performer or most diverse artist, but she writes catchy songs that are fun to sing and I don’t mind my students looking to her as a role model. There is no doubt that her music is the most frequently requested in my studio.
One of my favorite Taylor Swift songs is “The Best Day” — and that is the very song my student Jenna chose to record this past week. She’s been working very hard on it for the last couple of months, and I think she did a wonderful job! Take a listen:
It makes me so proud to hear my students’ practicing pay off, but not as proud as they are. I love playing back a recording after they have finished singing, and seeing their faces as they realize how great they sound. That’s one of the best parts of my job.
by Rachel | Uncategorized
Last spring, I chronicled the renovation of my new studio right here at Listen & Learn. I asked readers for decorating and organizing suggestions, and was thrilled to receive a boatload of ideas from the wonderful Susan Seale, who has a music and movement education studio of her own.
The pictures Susan sent me of her studio sparked a fun idea: why not showcase the places where my readers create, teach, and facilitate musical experiences? So this is the inaugural edition of a new series called “My Musical Space” — beginning with Susan’s beautiful studio. (Click the pictures to view larger versions.) Let’s start with the entrance and waiting room:
“These are photos of the hallway, looking into the office with it’s busy-ness and the organized but extremely busy storage beside the office (and thankfully out of view of my clients…when I have the curtain drawn).”
“I have a ton of equipment and movement props that are organized into cupboards made for me:) Storage for ukuleles and orff instrumentarium, puppets, percussion, rainsticks..super long ones!”
“The floors are fun here…specially designed pattern in the music room to facilitate movement with the very young. Two pianos. I don’t know if you can see in the photos, but I have a tree net scrunched up hanging on the wall beside the ball bag. I hang the net across the opening to the piano area and store big instruments like the cello and such behind the net during my baby classes…to keep babies and instruments safe.”
Thank you so much, Susan, for giving us an inside look at your amazing musical space! You can learn more about Susan, her studio, and all her brilliant ideas by visiting her blog, Make Me Musical.
Readers: if you’d like to submit pictures and captions of YOUR musical space for an upcoming feature, please email them to me. Keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be a studio; maybe your musical space is your car, or a corner of your living room, or the closet-sized office where you work (I used to have one of those!). Whatever it may be, I’d love for you to share with us.
