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Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I’m so thankful to have a business that has kept
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Happy New Year
I’m so thankful to have a thriving business through the pandemic season. Last year I
Special Greetings
Give the Gift the Music
Give the Gift of Voice Lessons this Holiday Season to a loved one, friend, or
How To Practice Better
Singing Through the Ages: How Vocal Training Changes as You Grow
It’s crucial to understand the profound connection between aging and voice in singing. The human voice represents our most intimate instrument, deeply affected by voice changes with age through every life stage. As our bodies tell unique stories, aging voice changes create distinct vocal signatures that demand specialized attention. Vocal
How To Practice Better
The Psychology of Singing: How Confidence Impacts Your Vocal Performance
The intricate relationship between singing psychology and vocal performance has been a focal point of research and discussion among vocal
Online Lessons
Mastering the Art of Belting: Techniques for Beginner Singers
Proper belting technique forms the foundation of powerful vocal performance. Effective singing lessons for beginners should focus on breath support
How to Effectively Teach Music Lessons
Praise more than Critique
I noticed the more I correct what my student is wrong, the more discouraged they
How to Effectively Teach Music Lessons
Giving more Detailed Instructions Help Improve Students Practice
I have found that giving a estimated time to practice may not be sufficient to
How to Effectively Teach Music Lessons
My New Ergonomic Studio Set Up
In order to teach several hours in a hour, an ergonomic studio set up is
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Patience Goes Far When Giving Piano and Voice Lessons
When teaching children especially. patience is key. Sometimes the student has difficulty registering a concept or correction and no matter how many repetitions, he/she is still “not getting it.” So what do you do? Past history has taught me that you can’t expect the same results if you’re teaching the same way The solution is to change it up or take a break and come back to it. There’s no benefit in having two people frustrated especially me as a
Listen to Your Students
Music is A LOT about listening so it’s just as important to listen to your own students. In my 11 years of teaching, I’ve learned that my students communicate to me how effective I am at teaching with verbal feedback as well as what is not said. Students progress much faster and better when 1. You affirm them 2. You attune to how their day is/was 3. You are sensitive to their needs. Teaching piano/voice is not just about improving,
Let it Go!
As a music instructor who’s been teaching almost 12 years, it’s my natural tendency to correct my students right away when they are doing something wrong(playing the wrong note, rhythm, or not finishing their phrasing correctly, etc) to avoid developing bad habits. However, I’ve noticed that when I try instruct immediately, it doesn’t always produce better results. In fact I’ve found that it can disempower the student to take ownership of their craft. Although it is necessary to instruct a
The Art of Tuning In
At the beginning of a lesson, I always try to tune into my students before “teaching.” I have found it to be essential in setting the tone for the rest of the lesson. A simple question as in, “How are you doing?” Or following up on an interest they have, a special event or just even giving a compliment can go a long way. Based on how the student responds, I can read the mood of the student ie. if
Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I’m so thankful to have a business that has kept running well during the pandemic. By taking lessons, each one of you have allowed my business to stay alive and thrive. I’m thankful to every one of my students and their families. Take a moment to reflect on what you’re grateful for and see you next week!
Compliment Your Students
I notice the power of compliments. As teachers, my default is to point out what the student can improve on. That’s just my job right?! However, what I’ve found is that if I’m doing so much constructive feedback without complimenting, the student may just think they are doing a poor job at singing or playing the piano which decreases their motivation to keep practicing. So I’ve now make it to point out what they are doing right or have made
Zoom In-Class Winter Recital
Every Winter time, I host a semi-formal recital where the student has prepared two songs to perform to their parents, relatives, or friends during the last part of their lesson. I ask them 2 questions usually. 1. What are they learning in their lessons? 2. What do they enjoy most from taking piano and/or voice lessons? Then they perform their two songs and conclude with a bow. This year, instead of in person lessons, I conducted them over zoom. Although
How to Empower Your Students
Often as a teacher, I am tempted to always instruct, correct, and give them solutions to their mistakes. I become the judge of how well they are doing. I grew up with this method. It’s traditional. Although it produces skillful students, it creates a sense of monotony, robotic playing and most of all, leaves creativity out. Unfortunately, it enables the student to rely on the teacher to direct their learning and evaluate if they are doing well or not. I
Use Alexa or Hey Google to Help you Practice
One of the biggest challenges of playing any instrument is finding time to practice consistently. The best tip I have is to set aside a scheduled time to practice daily and consistently rather than in random bulks of time sparingly through the week. Studies of shown it’s better to practice 10 min every day than one hour one day out of the whole week. So how do you get in the rhythm of a regular practice routine? ALEXA or Hey
When all else fails, Use humor!
Life is too short to not have fun. During my 12 years of teaching, lessons can turn into monotony from back to back lessons. Or doing lessons in your sleep. Especially when you’ve been doing something for so long, you can grow to love it or hate it more. Without joy, it’s hard to be motivated to do anything in life. You have to have fun to keep doing what may seem like a challenging activity. Learning an instrument takes
