I hope you all are enjoying this long weekend with your families.

Stephanie Riley, parent of one of my lovely beginner students has this to say:  “While Hannah loves her actual 30 minute lesson with Louise, she’d often rather skip the daily practicing part.  So far, we have negotiated 10 minutes a day, sometimes broken into 2 x 5 minute session and sometimes all 10 at once.  Hannah gets 1 sticker for every 5 minutes practiced and when she reaches 100 stickers, we head to the local toy store to pick out something she has been keening over (monetarily reasonable).  I think the intrinsic satisfaction from practicing is really noticeable when she plays well at her lesson and gets kudos from Louise. ”

What a great idea and Hannah is reaping the rewards as she is very prepared for each piano lesson and is able to move on to a new level of learning consistently.

A reminder that there is a Piano Performance Class next Sunday February 26.  We will listen and talk about 19th century composers like Wagner and Verdi.  Did you know that Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” was based on the four Ring Cycle operas composed by Wagner?  What wonderful stories these operas tell and the music is exquisite.

I also want to remind parents that there are no piano lessons Monday February 27 to Monday March 5 as I am off to the Bahamas to visit my brother who has a condo on the beach…lucky me.

Last weekend I attended a concert at Koerner Hall given by Yasmin Levy and Omar Farouk.  After the concert there was dancing in the lobby area…Hungarian, Turkish and Romanian music…Great fun!!  If you have never been to Koerner Hall it is worth a visit!!

Last weekend I attended an amazing concert at Koerner Hall in the Telus Building at the Royal Conservatory of Music.  Maurice Steger played the recorder with Les Violins Du Roy and it was incredible  I had no idea the recorder could be played that way.  It was a feast for the ears…

Two of my parents have had great ideas lately about their children and the art of piano practicing.  I have asked them to blog about this and hopefully will post this next week.

Happy Valentine’s Week!

Family support is so important and we are blessed to have that in abundance in our Colour Outside The Lines Music Community.

Just a reminder that theory lessons are from 1:00-2:00 this Sunday February 5. I am going to Koerner Hall to hear Les Violins du Roy and am very excited about this concert.  I will report back next week.

Please get dressed up..this is an event and a celebration of music!!

Bring your music with you even if it is memorized and relax the day of the performance. Try not to do too many activities the day of the performance so you are not tired..or stressed.

The day of the performance, eat a banana as it calms the nerves and if you must practice, play your music once or twice slowly using the music.  Don’t keep reviewing it over and over.  You want to have “fresh fingers” for the concert.

Bring a treat for our after party.

I am looking  forward to sharing music with you once again.

Also a reminder that group classes (Piano Performance) and theory classes will be held at my home on Sunday January 29.  We will chat about the concert, talk about the Romantic time period of music and listen to some music and play games.  Please bring your Student Organizer!!

Maxim will be writing Advanced theory in May as well.  He is tackling two grades of theory.

A reminder that our annual Winter Concert will be held at the church this Saturday January 28 at Queen Street East Presbyterian Church at 6:30.  You may park behind the Riverdale Community Health Centre and use the Queen Street entrance as usual.

Please bring something for our party in the Banquet Hall following the concert.  I will provide water, juice and warm apple cider for the event.

Piano Performance Class will be held on Sunday January 29 at my home.  We will discuss our concert performances, the Romantic time period of music..Chopin..and playing games to enhance our theory and musicianship skills.

A Group should come at 4:00 and B Group at 3:00.Theory class takes place at 2:00

It will be a busy music weekend.

Break a leg Hilary

Continue to enjoy your holidays and a very Happy new Year!!

My wish  is that the life of  the music student is  made richer by the experience of learning and understanding  music at a deeper level…

“We are not teaching piano playing.  We are teaching philosophy and life and music digested”……….”What is Intuition?  Knowledge that has come inside”…. Anna Goldsworthy

Happy Holidays to all!!!

I will send invoices for the Winter Term by the end of next week complete with term start and end dates.  For now, I want to inform you that I will be teaching theory classes to students who qualify to take them, on Mondays at 4:45-6:00 and Sundays from 1:00-2:15.  Feel free to choose your preferred time slot.  Sundays seem to be the most popular at this time.  Let me know so I can schedule these classes.  We will begin the second week of January.

Also, our Winter Concert will be held on Saturday January 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Queen Street East Presbyterian Church (corner of Queen and Carlaw).

Xmas baking and tree decorating for me today….Enjoy:)

I am sorry I have been unable to blog for the past few weeks.  Now I am back.

Check the Piano Performance  and Private Piano Lesson Schedule, and Tuition.  all of these have been updated.  I have a cold, but at least I am organized!!

Please take a look at some of the pictures from our Annual Hallowe’en Concert  It was so much fun.  Thank you to everyone who helped to make it a success.

The make-up class for Piano Performance Class I cancelled on November 27 will be held at my home on Sunday January 15.

Next week I will be contacting everyone about upcoming Music Theory Classes.  Where do you or your child fit in at this point?