Basic Piano, Please

I have been interviewing a few families as I increase my studio size. One of the interviews this week included the statement, "we're really looking for basic piano lessons, you know, no frills, teaching them to play." I regret that I didn't probe that question further.What did the Dad mean by that?
I think I didn't question him more because I sort of DID know what he meant. I have an active studio with many opportunities to be involved. I like offering contest, exams, recitals, festival and other events. I want the students to feel joy and success when they performed something well.
What I have been asking myself ever since is: what is "Basic" to piano study? What constitutes "no frills" piano? Do I want to teach students who are looking for this type of lesson? Do I want students who are hungry to pounce on every event placed before them? So many questions. These are topics I will be pondering the next few blogs. I really hope you will share your thoughts with me as the topics come up.
(Picture - Joe Friday, from Dragnet, whose favorite line was "Just the facts, Ma'am."

A New Day, On Leap Day

I think I'm ready to begin blogging again. I've been keeping pictures on Facebook under Wolf Piano, for those who would like to view them. It's a weird ol' year, isn't it?
There's an extra day.
It's not just the Year of the Dragon, but the year of the Water Dragon, which only happens every 60 (six-zero) years.
March 1st you will be able to see all 5 visible planets with a naked eye at dusk.
It's an election year.
It's been rumored the world will end.
My first born graduates from High School.
It's my 30th class reunion in July.
And I've had the studio 20 years, in September.
I'm pretty sure I missed a few details.
Somewhere in here is a song.

The Obituary

Dad. My dad. My only dad. I am smiling for his sake. I weep for mine.

A Poem

After an inspirational tour at the Minneapolis Institute of Art in May, I wrote a poem and sent it to my friend who had led the tour. It just made their docent newsletter! I think I'm going to start encouraging my students to make trips to wonderful places this year. I always get more out of these field trips than I ever anticipate.

Here is the poem:

The Inner Spirit
Chris Wolf
A prince and an eagle, soon Zeus’ cupbearer
12 years, artist’s labor
Portray an ideal-smooth skin, and preened feathers
Yet devoid of inner emotion, we search their faces in vain.

Her covered face, her arched back
A sense of flight, fleeing, agony, yearning
Will she fall to her bed in tears
Or be raptured by the unseen?

Oh blue stone, we want to swaddle you
Tucked in, fetal and vulnerable
Yet with your birth we embrace
All the future you represent.

Battle scarred and seated
We sense your power, defiance and valor
Still strong, you raise your shield
Bloodied, beaten, but not retreating.

Red glow of molten earth and sunset sky
Embodying the creatures of water and air
We are drawn to your chakra glow
Petroglyphs still inspire.

Our mothers above us, our mother below us
We kings are sandwiched between
Sitting in the visitor veranda
We face forward, and we ride.

Fierce, truthful abalone eyes
Center post of the house and
Lifeforce link to ancestors
Our home is safe under your gaze
and on your shoulders.

It is as natural as breathing to plant the land
His face content, he will feed his people
As many have before,
children will sow after him,
He has high hopes.

And here is an exerpt of what the mentor, Mary Grau, wrote: "...Last May I participated in Linda's... (class of ’09) final check-out tour. The theme of Linda’s Mostly Modern: 19th and 20th Century Art tour was Seeking the Inner Meaning in Human Sculpture. At each object Linda asked us to write down – on paper that she gave us, with pencils that she provided, on clipboards that she had made for the occasion – the single word that we felt best described the inner meaning of the sculpture that we were viewing. Then we all shared our choices with each other. The tour was wonderful; Linda’s creative use of interactive touring techniques, her thoughtful selection of objects and her own keen insights into them resulted in a delightful touring experience.

What those of us on the tour, including Linda, didn’t know was that one of the participants, Chris Wolf, was keeping track of all our responses. After
the tour Chris went home and turned our words into the poem you just read. Each stanza of the poem corresponds to one of the objects we discussed."

Here are the pieces that were on the tour.
1. Ganymede and the Eagle, Thorvaldsen
2. Torso of Adele, Rodin
3. The New One, John Flannagan
4. Warrior with Shield, Moore
5. Untitled,Whiteman
6. Ancestral Post, Agbonbiofe
7. Post Figure, unknown Maori
8. Farmer Sowing Grain, unknown, Japan.

Each of these pieces is still at MIA, I believe. I was able to obtain a photo of the #1 above (for the first stanza) from a "free photo of everything" website. I don't want to break on any copyrights of pieces, so please google them for a peek!
I think each of these stanzas could be a song, don't you? Thank you for appreciating my poem, Mary and Linda, it was such a moving tour.

Maybe Piano Teachers are Gullible

This was an email I received today. I have received several emails just like the one described below. Consider this a public service announcement today.

Dear music teacher:
Here's a timely reminder about internet scams directed at music teachers.

As many of you are likely aware, there has been a marked increase in the efforts of individuals performing acts of fraud via the Internet. Until recently these acts were not specifically targeted to independent music teacher; however, over the past few weeks many music teachers have received e-mails inquiring about having international students study with them. The person sending the e-mail poses as a parent interested in having their child or children study with them. The music teacher is offered prepayment for a certain amount of lessons, and once a cashier's check is sent and in the bank the teacher is asked to refund a large portion of the check because of some emergency or to pay for the fees the "parent" incurred in transferring the money and obtaining the check or for their children's travel. The cashier's check is an elaborate counterfeit and it takes the bank longer than usual to discover the fake.

If you receive an e-mail similar to one of those above do not respond to them. Due to the high number of these scams, it is impossible to investigate each e-mail. If you or someone you know have lost funds because of this type of fraud, please contact your local field office of the Secret Service. A list of field offices is available at http://www.secretservice.gov/field_offices.shtml.

For more information about common types of Internet fraud, visit the FBI website at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/cyber/cyber/.

You need to B Sharp!

A student needed to work on a few measures, isolated. I wrote in her notebook, #12-16, hands alone 2 days, then together like a turtle. She cocked her head, and said, "12-16 pounds?" Can you just see her trying to figure out how she was going to lift that much hands alone then together? She's 8! Oops!

It took us both a minute to stop laughing. Then we made the long list of all the things a # might stand for! We got the following list:

Sharp
Number sign
Pound Sign
Measure Number
a Hashtag for Twitter (currently)
and her favorite: tic-tac-toe

It's even on your telephone, "after entering your pin, please press Pound (#)" for example. It doesn't say press "sharp", or "measure number". No wonder why she was confused!

Sometimes, it is all a matter of perspective. And sometimes, I still need to state the obvious because it may not be as obvious as I thought it was.

Happy Monday!

A Welcome Address

I thought this was worth reading. Should I post this on my blog or on my Facebook "Wolf Piano" page? This time, I'll try both!http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif