The holidays are nearly here. In November we caught a breather by relaxing for a bit with that easy-going Thousand-Year waltz. But the scurry-hurry of December is now reflected in the lists, boxes, recipes, wrappings, and lights that seem to be everywhere. For many, December also means a gathering of relatives. And here they are […]
Some of us may still be regretting (but happily regretting) October’s Sugar overload. November, however, gets serious. There is so much to prepare for! Thanksgiving, of course. But soon after, the holidays, and maybe holiday recitals. If we had a thousand years to plan and prep, we might not be fully ready. But wait—we do […]
October days can begin to seem grayer. The leaves, the ground, the sky all herald change. The Canadian novelist, Joy Fielding, calls October “the least dependable of months.” Yet, in October, we are bombarded with a single enticing message: Halloween! Sweets ahead! So now’s just the right time to sample Sugar, a bouncy arrangement of Maroon […]
Ready for this? Camille Saint-Saëns, born on this date in 1835, began composing less than a decade after the death of Franz Schubert, and only a smidge over that from the death of Beethoven. Yet this brilliant and prodigious composer lived to rebelliously storm out of the premiere of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring in 1913. […]
September brings mixed feelings. Reluctance—summer’s disappearing. Eagerness—the possibilities in a new school year. “What About Us?” We’re thinking of all of you who are with us in the adventure of reaching minds and hearts through making music. And what about you? Still in the flurry of launching your new schedule? Still planning? Still choosing? Time […]
“Feel It Still,” in FunTime Piano Hits, gives students a perfect chance to stretch out the pleasures of summer. Those friendly relatives, this time D Minor and F Major, are captured in a kicky bass that includes a visit to G minor before settling back to D Minor. When the melody joins in, the bass […]
In the words of Walt Disney, “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island.” This collection, arranged by Nancy and Randall Faber, offers musical treasure from contemporary to classic for today’s piano students. Enjoy teaching Disney hits from Coco, The Lion King, Frozen, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, […]
Summertime, and the feelin’ is… relax. Maybe “get lost” a bit. Is there, perhaps, a lost boy—or girl—in your studio? There are many ways to define that kind of loss: attention, practice, motivation, interest. But instead of going to Neverland, let’s take a trip into FunTime® Piano Hits and amble along a leisurely bass line […]
It’s been a month since we said, “Hello,” by way of introducing BigTime® and FunTime® Piano Hits. And we “Can’t Stop the Feeling” of wanting to play and explore these popular tunes. Yes, it’s the chord changes that color this music, and the syncopated accents that keep it dancing. But what a difference a note […]
“Hello!” And welcome to BigTime® and FunTime® Piano Hits, two collections that give your students a chance to play popular arrangements made famous by a variety of contemporary performers. Hello, also, to a fresh look at chords and how chord changes create color and affect mood. Adele’s wistful “Hello,” in BigTime Hits (Level 4 and […]
