Friday, September 25, 2009
Last Friday of September. A true sign of the end of summer. Leaves starting to turn, chilly nights, change is in the air. The Halloween decorations are starting to go up, and I have to admit, it's not my favorite holiday. It signals an "accelerando" of time into Thanksgiving and Christmas, and that can only mean "GET BUSY!" Time for loafing is over. Boo-hoo. I had such a nice summer. Oh well, I do love that we have 4 seasons here in Ohio, and those frigid days make us appreciate the warmth of the sun, and walking around barefoot, even outside. I'm not sure I would like 100+ in Arizona in the summer any better. Humans are so fickle and love to complain, don't we?
The Chopin is coming along, and playing a freshl tuned piano is such a joy. I wish I could afford to have him come once a month. It's already starting to slip a little, and it's only been 4 days!! If you are reading this and wondering when to tune yours, wait a little until the house is closed up and the heat on. Just a little "note" from my tuner, Phil Gibson, who is the BEST around, and if you need his number, call or email me and I'll give it to you. My addy is loris3@sbcglobal.net and phone is 440-235-8743. Stalkers need not apply.
Have a great day! Get out and enjoy the last of what I hope is many warm days.
Lori
Friday, September 25, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Tuesday, September 21, 2009 - First day of autumn
Well, I think it's finally dawning on me that summer is over for good, and now even the calendar says so. It was 81 yesterday here in Cleveland town, so it didn't feel like it, especially with the humidity and subsequent rains the last few days. We sure needed it, but the pianos didn't. In fact, they're being tuned today, and unless I close up the house and run a dehumidifier (which is on loan to someone else at the moment) it will be for naught. The grand I have stays in tune about a week, and I have the BEST tuner in town! That week is pretty glorious though, and I have recently restarted work on the 1st Chopin Ballade, a beast of a piece if I ever saw one. It isn't the most difficult for others, but for me, who hasn't really worked HARD on a piece since college, it's tough.
Here's a link to Horowitz playing it years ago - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhnRIuGZ_dc
(Why isn't that underlined????) You'll have to copy and paste into youtube to see and hear it. It has the most exciting ending I can think of. Contrary motion octaves....some of you music students might know what that means. MYC students beyond Sunbeams 2 OUGHT to know what that means!!!
Gosh, as I listen to this, I don't know if I have the chops to play it anymore. Certainly not at this speed, but hey, I can do it for the enjoyment and exercise of it! No one said I have to perform it anywhere, right? Sometimes just the joy of working through a knotty run with fingering challenges is the point of it all. I certainly know how every measure and note should sound as I heard my father (William Buelow) practice it for hours when I was a child. In fact, I used to lay under the piano and pet the dog and listen. It was SO loud there, and the closest I could get to my daddy at that moment, since he was BUSY practicing at the time! It was wonderful. I know SO much music, but have no clue what it is or who wrote it, since I just heard it.
Anyway, if I knew ANYONE was reading this blog I might write more often. Now, it seems kind of pointless., except as a journal.....:-)
Hope you're ALL well.....
Waiting for the tuner,
Lori
Well, I think it's finally dawning on me that summer is over for good, and now even the calendar says so. It was 81 yesterday here in Cleveland town, so it didn't feel like it, especially with the humidity and subsequent rains the last few days. We sure needed it, but the pianos didn't. In fact, they're being tuned today, and unless I close up the house and run a dehumidifier (which is on loan to someone else at the moment) it will be for naught. The grand I have stays in tune about a week, and I have the BEST tuner in town! That week is pretty glorious though, and I have recently restarted work on the 1st Chopin Ballade, a beast of a piece if I ever saw one. It isn't the most difficult for others, but for me, who hasn't really worked HARD on a piece since college, it's tough.
Here's a link to Horowitz playing it years ago - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhnRIuGZ_dc
(Why isn't that underlined????) You'll have to copy and paste into youtube to see and hear it. It has the most exciting ending I can think of. Contrary motion octaves....some of you music students might know what that means. MYC students beyond Sunbeams 2 OUGHT to know what that means!!!
Gosh, as I listen to this, I don't know if I have the chops to play it anymore. Certainly not at this speed, but hey, I can do it for the enjoyment and exercise of it! No one said I have to perform it anywhere, right? Sometimes just the joy of working through a knotty run with fingering challenges is the point of it all. I certainly know how every measure and note should sound as I heard my father (William Buelow) practice it for hours when I was a child. In fact, I used to lay under the piano and pet the dog and listen. It was SO loud there, and the closest I could get to my daddy at that moment, since he was BUSY practicing at the time! It was wonderful. I know SO much music, but have no clue what it is or who wrote it, since I just heard it.
Anyway, if I knew ANYONE was reading this blog I might write more often. Now, it seems kind of pointless., except as a journal.....:-)
Hope you're ALL well.....
Waiting for the tuner,
Lori
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
I received this via email from Frances Balodis, founder of Music for Young Children:
Who are your mentors? Have you thought about where you met them and how long ago they influenced and strengthened you? If you could talk to just one of your mentors, what would you say? If you could have another mentor, who would it be? Someone in your personal life or someone in your business life? Have you ever asked your child who is important to them? It might surprise you to have that conversation. Wouldn't it be interesting to hear your child say that their mentor was Mozart? Not surprising that practicing has picked up in your home recently! Mozart was a child wonder! Your child is a miracle - and with the magic and strength of a mentor, this little miracle can blossom and grow with the strength, not just on their own strength but on the fortitude and influence of others.
Frances Mae Balodis, MEd. ARCT LCCM(Hon) LCNCM(Hon) RMT
It got me thinking about those questions. We are pretty lacking in mentors these days as a culture. People ask sports and pop stars about being "role models", and frankly, as parents, we cringe if our child idolizes one that is less than stellar in morals and good character. I had my father, William Buelow, as a mentor for me musically, and then another teacher, Elizabeth Cummings when I was in my teens. Then my college professor, Robert Mayerovitch at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music was the latest. I learned from them all, and still hear myself using phrases and concepts in my own teaching that I got from them. Unfortunately, I didn't always choose great mentors in other areas of my life, but that is another story altogether. I would like to think that I have been a part of many students' musical lives through the years, hopefully for the better.
My favorite "past student" memory came from a gal who I had taught her 1st year or 2 of piano at age 6, who transferred to the Cleveland Institute of Music for some years, then the family moved to Colorado. She was incredibly gifted, and I was sorry to lose her. A few years back, she called me, at age 16, to tell me that she had just won the Denver Concerto Competition and would be playing with the Denver Symphony. She said she wanted to thank her very 1st teacher who gave her her start and a good foundation to build on all those years later. I was SO BLESSED, to say the least. I would have loved to hear her play. In fact, I think I'll look her up on youtube.......you never know..... If I find her I'll post it here soon!
Keep up the good work......whatever you find yourself doing today!
Lori
MYC Founder and International Director
I received this via email from Frances Balodis, founder of Music for Young Children:
Who are your mentors? Have you thought about where you met them and how long ago they influenced and strengthened you? If you could talk to just one of your mentors, what would you say? If you could have another mentor, who would it be? Someone in your personal life or someone in your business life? Have you ever asked your child who is important to them? It might surprise you to have that conversation. Wouldn't it be interesting to hear your child say that their mentor was Mozart? Not surprising that practicing has picked up in your home recently! Mozart was a child wonder! Your child is a miracle - and with the magic and strength of a mentor, this little miracle can blossom and grow with the strength, not just on their own strength but on the fortitude and influence of others.
Frances Mae Balodis, MEd. ARCT LCCM(Hon) LCNCM(Hon) RMT
It got me thinking about those questions. We are pretty lacking in mentors these days as a culture. People ask sports and pop stars about being "role models", and frankly, as parents, we cringe if our child idolizes one that is less than stellar in morals and good character. I had my father, William Buelow, as a mentor for me musically, and then another teacher, Elizabeth Cummings when I was in my teens. Then my college professor, Robert Mayerovitch at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music was the latest. I learned from them all, and still hear myself using phrases and concepts in my own teaching that I got from them. Unfortunately, I didn't always choose great mentors in other areas of my life, but that is another story altogether. I would like to think that I have been a part of many students' musical lives through the years, hopefully for the better.
My favorite "past student" memory came from a gal who I had taught her 1st year or 2 of piano at age 6, who transferred to the Cleveland Institute of Music for some years, then the family moved to Colorado. She was incredibly gifted, and I was sorry to lose her. A few years back, she called me, at age 16, to tell me that she had just won the Denver Concerto Competition and would be playing with the Denver Symphony. She said she wanted to thank her very 1st teacher who gave her her start and a good foundation to build on all those years later. I was SO BLESSED, to say the least. I would have loved to hear her play. In fact, I think I'll look her up on youtube.......you never know..... If I find her I'll post it here soon!
Keep up the good work......whatever you find yourself doing today!
Lori
MYC Founder and International Director
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Sept 8, 2009......
Had a couple of reminders that I hads a blog.....it gets busy around here! We're taking in a boarder; a NASA intern from Italy named Augusto. He said he used to play the piano years ago, so maybe we'll re-ignite an old inspiration. I sure have enough keyboards around here. Right now I have a baby grand, and spinet, 2 key Yamaha, and 2 smaller keyboards, both touch-sensitive. Each week the students rotate keyboards so no one has the same one every week. There are also 2 ukeleles, a mandolin, a guitar, and an old cornet, just for decoration. We did finally find a home for the rosewood marimba, thanks to craigslist. It went to a guy in Idaho.
Just heard a great quote, "the second dumbest thing I ever did was forgetting the dumbest thing I ever did." Isn't that hilarious???
That has absolutely NOTHING to do with the first paragraph, or music or anything, it just struck me as funny right at this moment.
I'm in the 2nd week of classes and lessons this week, and it's as fun as ever. We'll see how the homework that is to be turned in tomorrow looks. I'll know if they "got it" then. I decided to divide the Moonbeams 3 class into 2 years, due to the young age of the students. This way they'll have half the "normal" work load, which is significant, considering their ages. Some of this stuff I didn't really study until I was in BW Conservatory of Music! They're 7, 8 and 10!!!! Plenty of time to make sure they understand. Anyway, I have my oldest AND my youngest students tomorrow.....a range of many decades! Proves it's never too late to learn!
Off to bed....
Enjoy some great music!
Lori
Had a couple of reminders that I hads a blog.....it gets busy around here! We're taking in a boarder; a NASA intern from Italy named Augusto. He said he used to play the piano years ago, so maybe we'll re-ignite an old inspiration. I sure have enough keyboards around here. Right now I have a baby grand, and spinet, 2 key Yamaha, and 2 smaller keyboards, both touch-sensitive. Each week the students rotate keyboards so no one has the same one every week. There are also 2 ukeleles, a mandolin, a guitar, and an old cornet, just for decoration. We did finally find a home for the rosewood marimba, thanks to craigslist. It went to a guy in Idaho.
Just heard a great quote, "the second dumbest thing I ever did was forgetting the dumbest thing I ever did." Isn't that hilarious???
That has absolutely NOTHING to do with the first paragraph, or music or anything, it just struck me as funny right at this moment.
I'm in the 2nd week of classes and lessons this week, and it's as fun as ever. We'll see how the homework that is to be turned in tomorrow looks. I'll know if they "got it" then. I decided to divide the Moonbeams 3 class into 2 years, due to the young age of the students. This way they'll have half the "normal" work load, which is significant, considering their ages. Some of this stuff I didn't really study until I was in BW Conservatory of Music! They're 7, 8 and 10!!!! Plenty of time to make sure they understand. Anyway, I have my oldest AND my youngest students tomorrow.....a range of many decades! Proves it's never too late to learn!
Off to bed....
Enjoy some great music!
Lori
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Tuesday, September FIRST, 2009!
WOW! Is it possible that it's September already? I've been neglecting this blog, being on vacation last week and in a flurry of activity yesterday getting ready for the 1st classes and lessons of the year. They came, and what a great group of kids and parents! I'm really looking forward to this year. Ran across this quote this morning:
“A teacher is a compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge, and wisdom in the pupils.”
―Ever Garrison
Kind of stuffy language, but you get the idea. "Activating magnets".....hmm...I like that idea. I do believe that they are they in everyone, young and old, just waiting to be activated. I'll do my best this year to bring that into fruition for each and every one of them. There is nothing like all those sets of eyes looking intently at me, wondering what new thing I'll tell them, or ask them to do. I told one class yesterday it wasn't like school, at least not always, since to demonstrate the word "forte", I asked them to shout it LOUDLY. They did a GREAT job! Loudly and with great enthusiasm. Can't wait for the next ones. Today is all private lessons, and they are a whole different cat altogether.
Does anyone think that teaching is a God-given gift, or just a learned set of skills, magnets, if you will that OUR teachers activated in us? Perhaps a combination of both? Food for thought.....
WOW! Is it possible that it's September already? I've been neglecting this blog, being on vacation last week and in a flurry of activity yesterday getting ready for the 1st classes and lessons of the year. They came, and what a great group of kids and parents! I'm really looking forward to this year. Ran across this quote this morning:
“A teacher is a compass that activates the magnets of curiosity, knowledge, and wisdom in the pupils.”
―Ever Garrison
Kind of stuffy language, but you get the idea. "Activating magnets".....hmm...I like that idea. I do believe that they are they in everyone, young and old, just waiting to be activated. I'll do my best this year to bring that into fruition for each and every one of them. There is nothing like all those sets of eyes looking intently at me, wondering what new thing I'll tell them, or ask them to do. I told one class yesterday it wasn't like school, at least not always, since to demonstrate the word "forte", I asked them to shout it LOUDLY. They did a GREAT job! Loudly and with great enthusiasm. Can't wait for the next ones. Today is all private lessons, and they are a whole different cat altogether.
Does anyone think that teaching is a God-given gift, or just a learned set of skills, magnets, if you will that OUR teachers activated in us? Perhaps a combination of both? Food for thought.....
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