Dorla's Piano Studio

Ten piano students have just finished participating in two Keyboard Gymnastics events: Creative Project which is my favorite and Sight reading which is nobody’s favorite.
The judge for this event was Irene Herr, Music and Drama teacher at KISD and former Keene Church choir director from when Ms. Dorla was not yet married (has it really been 20 years?)
Anyway, the students did a lovely job, their scores were good and I have kept their displays up at the Studio for this week, so that you can enjoy their hard work and maybe be inspired to participate next year.
Congratulations!

Brian Evans- ” Awadagin Pratt”

Brandon Evans – “Scott Joplin”

Lauren Turk – “Music about Horses”

Kaylin Thurber – “Mozart’s Letters”

Vincent Davis – “The Lion King”

Christopher Turk – “Music and Computer Games”

Jasmin Jones – “Jean Phillipe Rameau”

Veronica Jones – “Classics with a Twist: Interpreted in Art”

This is a miracle piece. In the Fall of 2007 Tyler began studying this piece and he had the most difficult time getting the rhythm right. For weeks he tried separate hands, with the metronome, without the metronome, playing by rote, tapping his foot, etc. and nothing seemed to work.
I finally gave up and assigned him a new piece. And wouldn’t you know? Tyler came back to the studio proclaiming that he could finally play Conestoga blues (Baily). I was doubtful, but I listened anyway, and was pleasantly surprised!
Congratulations Tyler on a job well done.

The Singing Circle is part of every group piano class. This is where we learn the melodic patterns of the songs we will eventually play and one of the ways to get the music firmly cemented in our brains. In this video you will see Jared, Ismael, Mikayela, Kelsey and Taylor, paddling their canoe in duple rhythm, while singing a melody line and an ostinato (dip, dip and swing) which changes from girls to boys at my prompting. Did you understand any of this? Well, this class of 8 year olds knows this is the way to make music. Our next step down the road will be to transfer it to the piano.

As I write this it is 23 degrees outside with a beautiful blue sky and bright sun.
However, it is still COLD!
I invite you to grab a cup of something warm and delicious, click on the video below and listen to Sean Aqui (age 11) share a composition by Catherine Rollin titled Solar Wind.