Now that spring break is over, I’m sure you are thinking about your summer plans. Why not put a piano teaching seminar, workshop, or conference on your agenda? No, not the ones where someone is trying to sell you something, but the ones that are designed to equip you to be a better teacher, business person, or musician! Here is a list of opportunities, including 2 where I’ll be presenting the “Best Stress-free Business Practices for Your Studio” in case you missed it last year!
Dollarhide Piano Store “Stress-free Business Practices for Your Studio”
- When: July 25th 8:45-1:15
- Where: Dollarhide’s Music Center, Inc., 41 Palafox Place, Pensacola, FL
- Who’s presenting: Wendy Stevens on “Stress-free Business Practices for Your Studio” and “Making Rhythm Fun!”
- Who can come: Anyone! Just let Valerie at Dollarhide know you are coming.
NFMC “Stress-free Business Practices for Your Studio,” “Rhythm Explorations,” and “Best Ideas”
- When: June 28th 9:00-4:00
- Where: Portland, Oregon
- Who’s presenting; Wendy Stevens on “Stress-free Business Practices for Your Studio” and “Making Rhythm Fun!”
- Who can come: Anyone! You don’t have to be an NFMC member. It’s only $50 to attend!
- More information Sign up for Jr. Day
SMU Institute for Piano Teachers “The Creative Piano Teacher”
- When: July 8-11
- Where: Souther Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
- Who’s presenting: Forrest Kinney (of Pattern Play), Bradley Sowash, Leila Viss
- Who can come: Any piano teacher
- More information
88 Creative Keys “Four Chord Wonders”
- What: 88 Creative Keys is the only piano camp to focus solely on improvisation
- Where: Denver, Colorado AND Columbus, Ohio
- Who’s presenting: Bradley Sowash, Leila viss
- Who can come: Students (in the Denver workshop) and both students and teachers (at the Ohio workshop)
- More information
The Savvy Musician in ACTION
- When: Dates: June 5-8, 2014
- What: This workshop is recommended for independent teachers who could benefit from earning more money while making a bigger difference. Think “shark tank” meets higher education! Opportunities to collaborate with other musicians to come up with good business ideas, plans, and sharpen your business and entrepreneurial skills.
- Where: Columbia, SC
- Who can come: Any independent music teacher, but space is limited
- More info: Here’s an interview I did with David Cutler about the opportunity
- Website
Ohio University Piano Pedagogy Seminar
- When: June 13-14, 2014
- Where: Ohio University, Athen, Ohio
- Who’s presenting: Christopher Norton, Kristin Yost
- Who can come: Any teacher
- More information
Practical Piano Piano Pedagogy
- Hosted by The New School for Music Study
- When: August 7-9, 2014
- Where: Kingston, New Jersey
- Who’s presenting: Marvin Blickenstaff, Amy Glennon, Rebecca Pennington
- More information
NCKP?
No, sorry. The National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy is so great that it happens only once every two years. So, put it on your calendar for 2015 because it’s going to be very hands on and unique!
Whew! What a great summer for music and piano teachers! If I have any updates, I’ll let you newsletter subscribers know! Are there others that I’ve missed? Please do tell!
READ MORE:
- The REAL Reason Teens are Quitting Your Studio
- New Games in the Store! Look for them under the Games tab.
- Controversial Things We Don’t Discuss: Memorize or Not to Memorize
This list is fantastic! Wish I can make all of them. Just seeing all the workshops, it is taking the fatigue out of teaching for me. You must let us know when you are in NYC!
Excellent resource, thank you Wendy. Also, as an aside, I just watched your video for “The Booger Song” and it made me smile. I think it tied perfectly into the guest post Tim did about essentially why teens are leaving some piano studios–because the music they are asked to play isn’t fun and relevant.
Great job–glad I found your blog!
Thank you for your helpful blog, Wendy. I am the author of Gigs: A Beginners Guide to Playing Music Jobs. It is out in its 3rd edition. and is already in 1400 libraries. If you would like a sample copy contact my email.
Regards,
Sharon Black
Hi Wendy,
I have just completed my first year of teaching and my first recital. I’ll be attending the NKCP conference this summer. I was hoping to meet you there. Maybe next time.
I like your business practices! Thank you for all the ideas, it has helped me pave the way. In a years time I have almost 30 students so it has been very helpful to read your newsletters and use your music and other tools.
I also love your music. Two pieces were performed at the recital, Something in my Piano and Royal Invitation, a third student decided not to perform this year, the Bold Escape. Next year I hope it will get in the mix! I can’t wait to pass around your music now to everyone now the recital is over. They will really enjoy the experience!
This summer I would like to have a one or two day camp and expose everyone to rhythm cup explorations. I tried to do it this spring on Saturday’s but I did not have any interest. I’m hoping to do a summer camp day or two and launch this. Did I see a lesson plan for this sometime this winter?
I have a new adult student who is catching on real quick so I’m looking for music to supplement the Alfred All In One Adult lesson book. She is moving along very quickly. Page 35 in 3 weeks! She needs me to provide music to keep her interest. There is another niche! Adults! I’m planning on reaching out to senior communities. (I go to students homes, I teach on Saturdays at my home).
It’s an exciting time for me. Thanks for all your tools, music and ideas.
Best wishes as you reconstruct your website!
Hi Sally,
I’m so glad you are going to NCKP! You’ll have a wonderful time, but I’m sorry I won’t be there to meet you! 🙁
Thank you so much for your kind words about the ComposeCreate site and about my music. I so appreciate you purchasing it and using it in your studio and your recitals! 🙂
It’s a great idea to have a camp to introduce Rhythm Cup Explorations and work on the one skill that will help all students…rhythm! I don’t have a specific lesson plan for this, but some of the things you can do include:
1. Obviously, teach them the appropriate levels of rhythms without the passing feature first.
2. Teach it with the passing feature.
3. Teach it with the beats.
4. Have students compose their own rhythms
5. Have students make up their own passing routine based on the cup tapping notation used in the books.
6. Have students “dream up” just one new cup tapping technique that they haven’t seen used yet.
7. Listen to and watch the Americe the Beautiful Cup Tapping Training video (this comes with the purchase of this: https://composecreate.com/store/music/america-the-beautiful/
8. Practice the appropriate level of America
9. Perform America the Beautiful for parents, at a mall, in your neighborhood, etc.
Those are just some of the fun things youcan do!
For your adult student, have you considered these pieces to supplement your Alfred book?
https://composecreate.com/store/music/amazing-grace-easy
The Bold Escape (adults like this big sound too)
https://composecreate.com/store/music/a-royal-invitation/
https://composecreate.com/store/music/up-sandy-ripple-road (one of my favorites for adults…inspired by a novel by Wendell Berry)
I hope that helps! Thank you so much for asking about these things. Sorry for the delay in responding!
Warmly,
Wendy Stevens