As the weather changes and you find yourself more often inside, I hope that you'll take a moment to check out the recommendations below. "Books are a uniquely portable magic" that can lead us into deeper and more vibrant living! Students Allegro: A Magical Journey Through 11 Musical Masterpieces tells the story of a little …
Category: Books of the Month
Book of the Month: September 2021
Here in America, we are celebrating hard work by taking an extra day to rest this weekend on a day we call Labor Day. Thankfully, technology has allowed that this post be pre-posted, so you can be sure that I am not working to get this posted on the day where I'm supposed to rest. …
Book of the Month: August 2021
The music store I teach out of recently began a new partnership with a local piano store. This has many, many benefits. But by far my favorite is the beautiful, new, and shiny Yamaha they put in my studio. It is much more elegant, has great touch and tone, and is all around an exceptional …
Book of the Month: July 2021
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 …
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 …
Book of the Month: May 2021
I don't feel that I can properly convey my excitement about sharing these books with you each month. It may be because I am an avid reader at heart. It might also be because I love music. And when you put two of my loves together, I get downright giddy 😉 My excitement could also …
Book of the Month: April 2021
This month's book was published late 2020, and has already become a favorite of mine! It's complete title is Music and How it Works: The Complete Guide for Kids - published by DK publishing. This month though, I'm including it as both the student and teacher book recommendation. Why? Because I enjoyed looking through this …
Book of the Month: March 2021
As I write, it is one of those perfectly rainy days. I don't want to be outside - it's wet and cold. And the mood just screams that I should grab what I'm reading, find a cozy chair, and curl up for the afternoon. Growing up everyone thought I was so strange for liking raining …
Book of the Month: February 2021
In my humble opinion, this month's book recommendations are GOLD. Walt Disney says it best in this regard though. "There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates loot on treasure island." If you value learning and reading, and share this with your students, they are more likely to value it and find …
Encouraging a Musical Home Environment
How often do you have a parent accompany a new student and announce that they’ve never played an instrument? If your studio is anything like mine, this happens all the time. How often do you request a parent get involved in their child’s practice – only to be met with shrugs and looks of helplessness. …
