Who Wants to Practice Keyboard Skills, Anyway?

As a young student, I wasn't much for practicing my keyboard skills. It really took until I entered college as a piano performance major before I began to understand their importance. Perhaps the following analogy will help students appreciate their keyboard skills earlier than I.

Think of a basketball team, or soccer team. Do they spend their entire practice time playing a game? Or do they spend time on drills; dribbling, passing, and shooting the ball? Of course they must practice! How good would a player perform in a game if the only time they practiced making a shot was during a game? The player who practices their skills will most likely perform better in a game.

Whether in sports or piano, the importance of skills development is critical to success. Sure, practicing keyboard skills isn't as much fun as playing a piece. However, knowing keyboard skills makes playing more fun. How? Because we encounter them so often in our music! Clementi's Sonatinas are full of C Major Scales. Burgmuller's Arabesque contains many 5 finger patterns, just to name a few.

Practicing keyboard skills every day will make a piano student more confident and comfortable at the keyboard and more ready for each new song. They’ll progress faster and with more confidence, and will have a strong foundation of skills to build on as they advance in their piano studies.

I love the fall. While difficult to say goodbye to summer, I am a creature of schedules and organization. After a summer of researching music, creating new materials and reviewing techniques, I am excited to try them with students. Of course I never complete all the projects I envisioned, but each summer gives me renewed ideas and energy, making me a better teacher. Here's to a great year!

Another Year Winds Down

Each student a treasure, a gift; each a child of God. Different learning styles, different personalities, different abilities. Much accomplished, more to do.