Conservatory Canada recently held a Creative Composer’s Competition and the top 6 have been posted here. You can vote for your favourite up until Oct. 28th.
When the opportunity comes up next year, I’ll invite my few private students and MYC alumni to submit a composition. After all, they have so much experience composing in MYC’s annual composition festival.
Happy Listening & Voting!
I have had a request to share some of this information in a post, so here it goes…
The “Bare minimum” for lessons with me is a touch sensitive keyboard with at least 62 keys. A standard keyboard/piano is 88 keys. Touch sensitive means that you can press softly on a key to produce a quiet sounds, and harder to produce a loud sound (and many shades in between).
There are several considerations and realistically I would have to say that budget is the defining and deciding factor. What are you willing and able to spend? Will that be worth the life of the instrument – how long will it be used and by whom? Will all or one child/ren take lessons? Do you like to play sometimes?
On a used keyboard, you can expect to spend anywhere from $60- 200. But it is important to make sure that it has the minimum requirements. You can always email me to ask, but to be sure, see the keyboard in person before you buy.
For a used piano it’s buyer beware! The range here is anywhere from FREE to $5,000 (or more depending on the brand). Always remember there is a reason that the person is getting rid of the piano. Are they moving, want more space, don’t have children living at home who play anymore? The same thing applies to pricing: is it overpriced because there is an emotional attachment to it?
Don’t forget the care and maintenance of the piano. It will need tuning (at least twice a year) and the temperature that it sits in should be monitored. Too much humidity will cause the wood to absorb moisture, swell up, and cause the tuning to become sharp. Too much dryness can crack the wood and cause a vibrating bzzzzzzz effect. Here are some tips for keeping a piano in tune through it’s environment.
The most important thing to do when buying used is to see, play, touch and hear a piano. You don’t buy a car without a test drive, so this is the same. In fact, the safest thing to do is have a technician inspect it (look up piano tuner/technicians in the phone book and ask if they have this service). It’s very easy to fall in love with an beautiful antique, but remember that it’s function is vital to your child’s learning. It will be mighty annoying for your child to press a defunct middle C each time they play! (I am speaking from experience– BEFORE my parents had our original piano professionally restored). My upright piano on the main level is simply a piece of furniture for my daughter to discover. If I want the best tuning, I’ll go downstairs and play a digital…. it can’t fail!
So, let’s discuss digital pianos. I think it is a practical compromise. Many people will argue that they can NEVER recreate the warmth of an acoustic sound, but those people have underestimated new technology. I’d have to say the sound is definitely getting closer. Roland digital pianos, for example, record the sound from a concert piano- like a Steinway, in a concert hall, played by a professional musician – painstakingly note by note. See this video (go to 1:35′ to see what how they’ve taken sampling to a new level).
Furthermore, if you play a high quality one, you’ll feel the weight of the keys similarly to a real piano. Some prefer the touch of ivory under their fingers, but that material has been out of use in piano keys since about the 50’s.
Disclaimer…
Let me remind you that some teachers will REQUIRE the use of an acoustic piano for study with them. This usually applies to those studying at higher, performance levels. If only we could all look into the future and see what our little ones will be doing when they’re 16 year old Mozarts… Another decision for you to make!
What do you use at home? How did you come by the instrument? Any tips or suggestions for your fellow music parents? Please comment below.
Hello everyone,
I hope the first week back is going well for all! I have a few things to share:
1) With regard to Holidays– There will be no classes held on the following days:
2) Singing on Parliment Hill – We will be singing the MYC Theme Song (found within the first pages of any MYC book) Sunday Oct. 2nd, at 2pm (Rain date is Oct. 16th). This event is for level 2 and 3s only.
If you are interested, please download and complete the video release form. You will need to take it with you that day to hand into Janice Reade (PR Manager at MYC). PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU’RE PARTICIPATING BY Friday Sept. 23rd. (maireadfrizell@hotmail.com) or post here.
3) Music Games on TonicTutor.com – I am currently using a trial subscription which I see may not meet the full needs of the studio right now. Some have had trouble logging in. In the meantime, use the trial games. Please continue to provide me with your feedback. It may be worthwhile to get the full subscription to use as a review/practice too. There are also features for incentives, whereby challenges are rewarded with “stickers” in an online book that belongs to each student… there are many possibilities!
I guess that’s all for now! Happy playing!
-Mrs. Frizell
Many have asked, so I think it is only fair to extend the deadline for the bonus assignments. Please return the completed sheets with your name on it.
The due date is now when you come to class the week of Sept. 14-17.
It’s September. Some schools have already been back at it for a week, and the rest will be up and running by the next. As the air turns crisp we start into frantic back to school shopping sprees (Clothes? Check. Coloured pencils? Check. A box of tissues… what?! As if I need to buy those supplies, grumble, grumble… Okay, check.) We also begin to go to bed earlier, get up earlier and begin to plan carpools, after school care, and a variety of extra curricular.
Could I add one more thing to the back-to-school shuffle? Let’s talk to our kids about music class. For some, it’s a first, and it goes along with the first time at school ever. My daughter, almost 21 months old, will be going to Montessori Daycare next week. This is the first time away from Mama, Dada and the occasional care of Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles. So I am doing my best to “sell” the concept to her. At first she looked shocked, but now she participates a little more each time it comes up. She needs consistency, and to trust what her parents say is going to happen, WILL happen.
It is no different for older children. Obviously, your conversation length and content will depend on the child’s age. For younger newcomers, explain where you are going, who will be there (your new teacher, Mrs. Frizell, Mommy or Daddy, new friends and their Mommies and Daddies, etc…) and what you will do- we’ll have fun learning about music, singing, dancing and eventually playing piano. If you had negative experiences taking music as a child, do limit talk about the bad experiences, but instead try to show what you liked about it.
Returning students usually know the drill and can be excited or loathing to come back. Check your feelings on the subject: are you dreading practice sessions? (“But WHY do I have to? It’s not Fair!” etc…) Are you wondering what new things we may be learning this year? (“Mrs. Frizell said that Moonbeams 3 would have Canadian folksongs. Do you know any from school? Which ones? I used to sing Land of the Silver Birch in Brownies.”
It’s always nice to know what’s around the corner, and the same is true for our children. Let’s make sure we keep them engaged, interested, and in the loop.
Musically,
Mrs. Frizell
Tempo Drive Music Studio 