Teaching in my studio at last!

Sunday night (read LATE Sunday night), we moved the piano into the studio, and uncovered it. I awoke it from its slumber with Chopin and Brahms. It's out of tune, it was dusty, and it is heaven. I am so inspired by this space. I find myself now at a crossroad because what should go back in the room doesn't feel right anymore. I used to have an upright piano and oodles of books in there.
We drove the upright piano in there Sunday, but I had them take it back out. It just seemed so crowded. Right now, it's like a mini-concert hall; gorgeous, live and full of life.
All the many, many, too many books and music shelves are covered in sheet rock dust. It's making me rethink whether they "deserve" a place in this lovely space. Should I really take that old sheet music into this room, if I am not sure I plan to teach it? What about my older accompaniment books? Perhaps they should be donated to the MMTA Foundation or sold on Ebay? I just don't know.
Right now they are cluttering up my waiting area in the fireplace room, staring at me. Well? Are you going to get busy? Clean up this mess!
One of my students played a piano solo version of the "In the Hall of the Mountain King" yesterday, one of the first polished student pieces on the piano in the new room, and his pianissimo was stellar.
Anyone unsure of whether John Williams was influenced by Edvard Grieg, close your eyes and think of the castle in this video as Hogwarts! Right? Wow, movie music if I ever heard it.
I'm so excited to invite you all to come and play in my new room-stop by and see it soon!

Dance, Willow, Dance!

Minnesota is in the midst of a deluge of storms. Our pond is flooding the bike paths and walking trails.
Willow is dancing; her long hair is almost horizontal as she sways. The dissonance of the thundersong whips the cattails and reeds into joining the chaotic frenzy. All the trees are exhausted, even the ground is tired, but the wind continues. Dance, he bellows! DANCE! You must keep dancing! MUST KEEP DANCING

A Fairy Tale You Can Believe In

Once upon a time, on a bright and sunshine-y day, a lady had a car accident. There was a lot of broken glass, but no broken bones. The crash made a loud, metal twisting, screeching, scary noise. This noise must have been heard around the country, because people started coming to the lady's house. For weeks, friends and acquaintances, strangers and neighbors brought food to her and her family. Every day, meals arrived at the door. Beautifully prepared and ready to eat, healthy and delicious food came in cars to her front step. Cards and emails, phone calls and letters poured in to her home. One friend canned all her tomatoes. People visited, played games with her children, did her grocery shopping, and helped clean her house. They laughed and cried with her. They listened to her stories. They made time to be with her.

What is this, the lady wondered, that I should have all this love poured out on me? What does this mean?

One day, the lady was feeling so much better that she didn't need this much help anymore. People were not at the door, but the lady still wondered. What brought them to her in the first place? It is certainly not about who she is, so it must be about what kind of people THEY are.

The lady has repeated the amazing story of these people many times. Some do not believe her tale. They say, "People don't do that anymore." "People are too busy." The lady thinks there is a deeper question. "People wouldn't come to help me, would they?"

There IS a happily ever after. May we all be part of it.

Chapel Wall

I decided on the paint color "Chapel Wall" because I have so many ideas on what to place on them and it needed to be neutral! (Or maybe because I'll pray before every lesson.) We spent the weekend preparing, then priming and painting the studio. Today the lights were placed in their sleeves, tape was removed, and outlet covers were attached. Next on the list is door and window trim, floor trim, then carpeting. The final task is putting everything back so I can find it.
Students are finding their groove about their practice time. Many are bumping along through sports, homework and the reality of school. Making schedules and rising to expectations is stabilizing. I don't sense any dread yet, it's too early. However, a few students realized this week that piano lessons can not be accomplished on Sunday night. Many of my colleagues are challenging students to press ahead on devoted practice time. I'm giving out really great literature and hoping that the music will be the motivator. This week will be telling!

Crimson Creator

One bough, brought to crimson
though still late summer.
One arm of red, reaching for angels
to awaken, nudge, bedazzle.
"Look around, fair one, behold!
Whether you sleep or stir, the seasons move.
A swirling creation, set in motion in a word,
spoken into being in a breath.
It was good, it is good, but you,
you are
very good.
See me? I'm in red today.

Enrique, Lionel, and melodic lifting

It has long been recognized as a nod of compliment to a composer if you reference their work in your own composition. In the classical world, many composers not only saluted their contemporary colleagues, but sometimes roasted them as well. A famous example of this occurs in Debussy's "Golliwog's Cakewalk". In the middle of B section, Debussy musically quotes a Richard Wagner's "Tristan and Isolde" melody, tongue in cheek. He really pokes fun at the very long opera for 12 measures or so.

The other day the radio was on the popular contemporary station here at the house. I am not familiar with many of these songs. But I was startled to hear a lick I had heard in my wilder days in the middle of one of Enrique Iglesias' new tune. Yes, he's a son of Julio who has become very popular both in Latin and American markets.



I was startled in this video by the scantily clad women, by the way. I am terribly bashful and outdated about the club scene. I had no idea really. So, if you are offended, so was I, in a Midwestern mid-40s, had two babies sort of way. But did you hear it? Smack dab in the middle of this 2010 piece is Lionel Ritchie's "All Night Long". So, I had to show my own children the musical reference, via YouTube as well. Imagine my shock to see the following video right after the above. I thought that the dancing was so great and the styles were so great and the music was so great back then. It looks so comical and simplistic now, doesn't it?

I want to believe that Enrique was being complimentary in his salute to this song. The dance scene, the party, the women, the way he moves through the crowd similarly to what Lionel was doing seems a sincere form of flattery. I hope so. What do you think?

Fallow Lands are being tilled

Some of my students came back this week, sheepishly telling me that they took August off. They were full of guilt, and shuffled their feet or looked to the ground as they told me this.

My response? Fantastic! That's what the studio break was for! I relayed to them that farmers who want great crops will sometimes leave a field fallow for a time. They do this to refresh the field, to bring the nutrients back to the soil naturally. Leaving the field unplanted for a time gives the next crop energy. You were being fallow, I told them. This is now good soil in your mind and spirit to plant some new seed and watch it grow! And boy is it going to be a good crop this year.

They are coming back to me, older, with stories of cabins and vacation. They return with bumps and bruises from skateboards and soccer games. They are ready with a quick smile and giggles at the music set before them and the plans we make together about their upcoming year here.

I really appreciate the rhythm of the seasons and am thankful for soil to till.