Dorla's Piano Studio

If you have mastered the 5 finger warm-ups/scales, tonic and dominant chords, I assure you that you can play along with this video.

As you watch this performance you might think it difficult, but if you listen carefully the bass line, is simple, the rhythm is simple (even when adding the drum, which you have done in class), the chords are simple (students in Book 3-6 should not have a problem). Even the singing is extremely simple!

What makes this a good performance after breaking it down into simple, simple, simple?
The pianist’s skills and technique are NOT simple.
Even if he is playing simple chords, bass lines and melodies, he is accurate, clear and precise. Not an easy task while your foot is thumping, your body is dancing and you are singing. Plus his passion is contagious. It takes hours of practice – not many can do all these simple things at the same time and do it in ensemble with a partner.

Have YOU been practicing your simple 5 finger warm-ups, and simple tonic, subdominant and dominant chords during the summer? With the skills you are learning and daily practice your simple can turn into a great performance!

Lessons begin Monday August 17…make sure you have practiced something simple but accurate and beautiful to share in class!

Group lessons means working together! It is vital to realize that group piano lessons are not just several people in the room at the same time. Singing , dancing, drumming and playing notation games together are activities which capitalize on the psychology of group participation.

Consider these contrasts between group and individual musical learning:

*Singing with a group is relaxed and fun. Singing alone can cause anxiety since so much attention is fixed on accuracy.

*Beat and rhythm are best experienced as part of a group. How can one learn to move expressively to music or follow a conductor by only practicing alone?

*Dancing and drumming create a joyful dynamic within a group. Here, the group synergy produces a mutually-enhancing experience whose whole surpasses the sum of its individual parts.

*Motivation through peer interaction is most effective. Prompting from an adult clearly takes second place and self-motivation will come later with maturity.

*Thorough deep learning occurs as a result of the group’s multi-track approach to singing, moving, listening and discussing. Private lessons often end up dealing primarily with a student’s own technical challenges.

As a group approach to piano study, Musikgarten capitalizes on the child’s love for participating in activities with other children. The beginning piano student longs to be part of a group, especially one of peers. The group setting creates an ideal learning environment for children, and is especially ideal for music learning.
(adapted from Music Makers: At The Keyboard Teacher’s Guide year 2)