In The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto, Mitch Albom chooses Music to narrate the life of Frankie Presto. We begin by finding ourselves at Frankie's funeral, his death surrounded by mystery and intrigue. As the book transitions between funeral-goers and their stories of knowing Frankie to Music's telling of Frankie's life, the reader gets an …
Author: McKenzie
Kinesthetic Learning Meets Ear Training
Kinesthetic learning meets ear training in today’s free printable! I recently saw an old picture my mom had taken of me from high school. In it I was reading a book. But I wasn’t sitting on a chair, in the grass, or on my bed. I was walking around my house in circles while I …
When music meets real life … July’s Roundup
If you've been around the blog recently, you've likely noticed that I have committed to taking hold of as many touchpoints with my students and their families as is possible - and as makes sense. Too much communication, and everyone gets frazzled and annoyed. Too little, and the same is likely to happen. So I …
Continue reading When music meets real life … July’s Roundup
Ninja Note Flashcards
This past weekend turned out with beautiful weather for the Fourth of July here in Ohio, and I took every opportunity to enjoy it! A weekend of biking, hiking, kayaking, and swimming later, I woke up today sore and feeling worn out. Thankfully in that I-really-enjoyed-it-all kind of way, but nevertheless worn. My neighbors probably …
Book of the Month: June 2021
On any given day, it’s easier to deal with what’s at hand rather than have a larger-than-self attitude. Today’s problems often either consume us or shut us down. But in a world where the everyday, mundane, and overwhelming seem like all there is, reading can offer us a fresh glance at the bigger picture. So …
Free Piano Ninja Game to Kick Off the Summer
Are you using the Piano Ninja Challenge with your students this summer? The only thing better than the challenge itself is having lots of fun extras to keep the theme going 🙂 We'll be keeping our ninja theme going all summer, but today I'm sharing a fun and engaging kinesthetic game along with a banner …
Continue reading Free Piano Ninja Game to Kick Off the Summer
Will your studio be crawling with piano ninjas this summer?
What will teaching look like for you this summer? It may be unusual, but my studio does not follow the school calendar. In part because I teach students from several different school districts, and it would be near impossible. But even more than that, it is my desire that my studio families view piano lessons …
Continue reading Will your studio be crawling with piano ninjas this summer?
How do you know if your studio is healthy?
What determines the health of a piano studio? Is it based on how the students perform at federation, competitions, or recitals? Is it based on the length of your waiting list? Or the number of students who continue music in higher education? Maybe you feel that the health of your studio is based on how …
Spring Recital-In-A-Box
Spring recital season is here, and I have really enjoyed keeping up with what everyone is doing on the various social media and blog platforms I follow 🙂 The past year has been nothing short of difficult, and I love seeing that piano teachers around the globe are showing up, pushing hard, and, to the …
Playing the Long Game
There are some things in life that are achievable in multiple ways. I can get to my parent’s house by taking the backroads or the highway. I can cut an onion by chopping or slicing. I can take a test on a book by reading the book or by reading the cliff notes version 🙂 …
