Friday Finds #281

November 21, 2024
by Amy
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1

It’s funny—I was telling my students this past week, “You know how we don’t really have Thanksgiving music like we have Christmas music?!” (I was giving them a challenge to rewrite the Lyrics to Jingle Bells in homage to Thanksgiving, thanks to Christina Whitlock’s suggestion on this episode.)

I was chuckling inside as I said that, though, because I conjured up a list of some really fun Thanksgiving songs in my custom Thanksgiving playlist.

Songs like “Sweet Potato Pie” by Ray Charles, “Let’s Turkey Trot” by Little Eva, “Carvin’ the Bird” by Charlie Parker, and more. So fun!

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Teacher-friend Anna Haugen recently shared with me a resource she and her students enjoyed. It’s a series of improvisation prompts from Wynn-Anne Rossi. Check out the whole playlist called “One Minute Creations” on YouTube.

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Talking Turkey: A Holiday Special (podcast episode from The Daily podcast)

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Joy put together a nice blog post featuring collections of Christmas music she enjoys playing during the holidays.

Two of the books she mentioned have been favorites of mine as well: Christmas at the Keyboard by Mark Hayes. (Find it here: Sheet Music Plus Hardcopy, Digital) and Chris Rice’s The Living Room sessions, which is no longer in print is available digitally at MusicNotes.com.

5

One book I read this year and really enjoyed (thanks to the suggestion of Ashley Danyew) was Unreasonable Hospitality.

The author – Will Guidara was recently featured along with his wife Christina Tosi on Adam Grant’s Rethinking podcast. What a fun conversation!

6

I’ve always done my best to include some form of exercise in my regular routine. Yes, there are ups and downs in execution during various seasons, but one thing I’ve always lived by is variety. My three staples are walking, pilates, and weight lifting. In the summertime, I also bike.

During the winter months, I enjoy doing a “walking” video once a week. Here’s the YouTube Channel I’ve been using: Kat Gates-Buettner.

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Creatives and Copyright: What Every Musician and Music Teacher Needs to Know (Ashley Danyew)

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I just made a pot of hidden veggie chicken soup from The Modern Nonna. I’m not a big chicken and noodles person and this was the perfect substitute. I wasn’t drawn to the recipe because I’m averse to vegetables in chunks – I just like how the base of this soup is robust with the pureed vegetables. I chop the chicken very finely when cooked before adding it back into the pot and use pearl couscous instead of potatoes. We had it for lunch one day, and then I put the rest in containers in the freezer in anticipation for a day when we are under the weather.

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How to Create the Best Audio for Online Piano Lessons (Melody Payne)

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This is an intriguing idea! Not for me per se, but if you were a crafty person, it might be fun for you!

Junk Journaling Joy: How to Make Junk Journals Unique to You (Stampington & Company)

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A menu of foods we might lose forever (Ted Talks Daily)

It’s the end of the year, so the new Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting deadline is coming up quickly! Find details here from Music Studio Startup as well as Music Teachers National Association.

Friday Finds #280

October 25, 2024
by Amy
4 Comments

1

This is one of those “why didn’t someone think of this a long time ago?!” things.

Half gallon bags.

I don’t know about you, but they were new to my grocery recently!

2

Winning recipes:

Sheet Pan Lasagna (The Kitchn)

Nutter Butter Ghosts (an easy Halloween Treat from Dinners Done Quick)

Finnish Salmon Soup (La Cuisine de Geraldine)

3

This episode from Ashley Danyew on 3 Things I Learned From Hosting a Musical Informance, inspired my Fall studio recital last week.

I hosted two “mini” recitals in my studio  space with approximately 4 families  in each and 5-7 students. Some students performed one piece, and some two. Each recital only lasted 15-30 minutes and I had some fun Halloween snacks (see the link to Nutter Butter Ghosts above!)

As for the “informance” part, the goal was to give the audience a little more than just the music. For example, one student had his friend read a poem prior to his piece that set the stage. I had a studio mom sing along to the lyrics while I played “The Ghost in Our Piano” from Faber. One student played Piano Safari’s Stormy Seas Rote rote piece and I displayed photos of each part of the storm as she played it. Sometimes I simply made a statement prior to the piece of what they could be listening for (such as an ostinato in the left hand).

The audience and I both LOVED this – it was so much more engaging to paint a picture of what to listen for. This is something I hope to incorporate more often into my recitals!

4

I recently purchased a second one of these coffee scoops for our camper. It holds 2 T. and is really comfortable to hold and scoop with!

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Halloween Lollipop Cards (Susan Paradis Resources)

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I have a student who requested to play Schubert’s “Ave Maria” for Christmas. Here’s a nice Intermediate – Late Intermediate arrangement I came across.

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I’m starting to feel like I can’t have enough tripods and such around these days. Joy’s review of this MagSafe Tripod Stand makes it a tempting addition to my wish list!

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40 Ways to Use Notion as a Music Professional (Joy Morin  | Color in My Piano)

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An interesting story of a young autistic man’s symphonic odyssey from CBS Sunday Morning.

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The Best Advice for New Music Teachers (Midnight Music)

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Teaching Pedal Technique at Every Level (Chrissy Ricker)

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Why We Need a New Stage of Audiation (Eric Bluestine)

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A book I recently splurged on adding to my home library during Amazon Prime Days. Books like this just bring me all the warm fuzzies!

The Little Book of Hygge

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I have a family of 4 students ages 10-17. The mom asked me a few months ago to teach her kids some of the fun little duets like chopsticks, Heart and Soul, and “Diddle-Um-Pum-Pum” so they can play little tunes like that for fun together. Her request made me extra tickled to come across Rebekah Maxner’s article: Rote Piano ‘Diddle-Um-Pum-Pum’: Learn the Shave and a Haircut Ending 4 different ways 

Friday Finds #279

September 27, 2024
by Amy
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1

I’ve always kept a small handheld vacuum in my studio to be able to sweep little things quickly (especially eraser junk off the music rack!). Our old Shark, though, got re-assigned to our camper since it had a beater blade on it we can use to sweep the rug.

I tried going without one but really missed it, so I finally went on the hunt.

What was I especially interested in?

  • Small and lightweight
  • Easy to clean
  • A stand it could be stored on
  • Minimal attachments – only really useful ones
  • Replacement filter so after I wash one, I can replace it while the other one dries.
  • Under $50

Here’s the one I went with. It charges on USB and has a little brush attachment that’s useful for gently cleaning around a keyboard or the tuning pins of the grand piano. There’s a tiny little brush intended to help you clean the mini filter, but I used it to brush junk from around the tuning pins so I could sweep better. Right now, it’s on sale for 40% off at a nice $29 price point!

2

Speaking of cleaning the piano, these Guardsman Dusting Cloths (tack-cloths) are great for dusting the piano case.

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I have always liked keeping track of the repertoire students study for various reasons, but mostly because it’s easy to forget how far you’ve come and all students have done. I recently updated my repertoire tracking sheet and am even happier with the results than before. Sometimes, small changes make a big difference!

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Friday Finds #278

August 30, 2024
by Amy
2 Comments

1

I would be remiss if I didn’t start this week’s Friday Finds with the most recent news shocking our community: The End of Finale.

While Finale was a leader in the industry for decades, I can understand the reasoning behind the decision. Several years ago, after doing a monthly subscription with Noteflight for years, I was considering whether I wanted to continue with Noteflight or move to Dorico or Finale. Between the latter two options, I would have chosen Dorico. My needs were minimal, however, so when Noteflight opened an option for a lifetime license, I jumped on board.

Natalie Weber has already written a helpful blog post on making her transition to Dorico.

Last year, it was Tonara, and now Finale. It makes me wonder… what will be the big shocker at the start of the 2025 school year?

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10+ Exciting Google AI Music Experiments for Music Teachers (Katrina Proctor | Midnight Music)

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My Go-To Plan for First Piano Lessons (Ashley Danyew)

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We are big-time into the whole “Chili Crisp” phase that’s been around the internet in recent months. So much so that I went searching for ideas on what to do with it besides just Chili Crisp Fried Eggs and came across this Miso-Parmesan Pasta with Chili Crisp. We liked it! There are a couple of ingredients you might have to track down, but if you enjoy the crisp and a little heat, you’ll like this.

5

The New National Music Standards (Eric Bluestine | The Ways Children Learn Music)

I agree with what Eric has to say. The updates are disappointing overall.

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People Are Just Finding Out About the Major Difference Between PYREX and pyrex (We Had No Idea!) (Kiersten Hickman | the Kitchn)

7

Podcast Episode: The Science of Motivating Your Kids (And Any Young Adult) (The Art of Manliness)

From the description:

If you’re a parent, teacher, coach, or manager who lives, loves, and works with tweens, teens, and 20s-somethings, you know that young people sometimes act in seemingly head-scratching ways, that you don’t always feel like you’re being listened to, and that it can be frustrating to try to guide them in acting towards positive ends.

The source of these challenges is often chalked up to the underdeveloped brains and hormones that tweens through young twenty-somethings possess. But my guest would say that what’s more to blame is the ineffective way mentors often approach young adults.

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Piano Practice Assignment Sheet Roundup (Colourful Keys)

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10 Safety Protocols for the Independent Music Teacher (Jennifer Foxx | Music Educator Resources)

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6 Genius Organizing Tools for Music Teachers (Pianosaurus Rex)

P.S. One that she mentions is Notion! Organize Your Life With Notion, a 2-day workshop hosted by myself and Joy Morin, will be held September 20-21. Get more details here.

11

We have new neighbors next door that are building a small organic farm business. I’m in heaven! Every Friday or Saturday, I pop over there and grab a half dozen in-season veggies and other goodies like homemade wheat sourdough bread, local honey, and high-quality pork products.

I recently snatched a bunch of golden beets. We don’t eat them a lot, but definitely enjoy them. Here’s two of my go-to ways to use them:

After roasting them wrapped individually in foil in the oven for 30-45 minutes (depending on the size) and then cooling, I pull off the skin. Then chop large diced in salads or thick slice on top of burgers.

You don’t have to have recipes for either of those but here are a couple if that’s what you like:

Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken (What’s Gabby Cooking)

Sliced on top of grilled burgers (Food 52)

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Bulletproof Solutions for Make-Up Lessons (Rebekah Maxner)

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How to curate your own life (Yen Lin Kong | TEDx)

“Art is all around us, and all it takes is an open mind and an observant and appreciative eye to connect the dots.”

Friday Finds #277

July 19, 2024
by Amy
2 Comments

58. That’s the number of items I have saved up to share with you in Friday Finds! I hate to be cliche but this summer has been crazy! I keep thinking I’m going to sit down and write one (which usually takes a 75 minute work block), but it just kept getting bumped. *sigh*

On the positive side, I always have lots of great things to share with you, and the more I have saved, the choosier I become. So, you really DO get the best of what I think is worth your time.

I hope you’ve had a great summer thus far – enjoy what’s left!

~Amy

1

A New Tool for Lesson Planning (Daniel Light)

2

Hoping to do a Summer recital but don’t have any plans yet? How about a Picnic Performance?

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Piano Teacher ‘Monday Holiday Blues’: How to schedule piano lessons on Mondays (Rebekah Maxner)

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This was a cute movie. It’s not usually what I go for, but we enjoyed it. (Yesterday on Amazon Prime)

“A struggling musician awakens to discover that he is the only person alive who knows who the Beatles are.”

5

I can’t wait to try this!

I Used This “Magical” Cleaner to Remove Scratches from My Plates, and I Can’t Believe the Results! (The Kitchn)

6

Dining out with a big group? Here’s how to fairly split the check. (NPR)

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Make these grilled baby potatoes the next time you break out the grill! They’re so good! I don’t even bother to skewer them.

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Are you the crafty type? Did you know you can create your own stickers? Fun!

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A cool tool for building a word cloud of your writing: Wordclouds.com

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5 Tips for Organizing Your Sheet Music (Leila Viss)

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Organizing Your Hard Copy Music Books (Piano Pantry)

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One of my friends made this salad for our supper club, and it was delicious! Summer Peach Spinach Salad with Avocado, Toasted Almonds, and Goat Cheese (Ambitious Kitchen).

BTW, Is it just me, or is it like a rule that salads have to have super long names if they’re anything beyond a simple Chef or Ceasar? LOL

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Persian vs. English Cucumbers: Here’s the Real Difference (The Kitchn)

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Food art on Instagram from Paul Octavious – “The Soleful” – so cool!

Friday Finds #276

June 14, 2024
by Amy
2 Comments

1

What’s a spectrum, and why does it matter? (Dr. Elizabeth Davis | Creative Piano Pedagogy)

2

Why You Should Always Put a Coffee Filter in Your Flower Pots (Apartment Therapy)

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Financial Resources for Independent Music Teachers (Natalie Weber | Music Matters Blog)

4

Even though I love cooking, I don’t watch many cooking shows or competitions. I did, however, enjoy this chef competition series on Netflix where they were competing for the position of head chef of the Five-Star Langham Hotel in London

5

Do something special for yourself this summer and get a color consult! I’ve wanted to do one for years and am so glad I finally spent the money! I was very happy with my experience with Created Colorful. Use THIS link or the discount code AMYCHAPLIN to get $20 OFF all products, including consults, gifts, and the Love Your Closet Audio Course! (I am an affiliate, but it doesn’t cost you extra!)

6

In a recent Friday Finds, I shared some resources on women composers one of my teacher friends discovered while attending the 2024 MTNA Conference in Atalanta (Thanks, Shelley!). After seeing those, another teacher friend reached out with another suggestion. Thanks, Garreth!

“There’s also a wonderful compilation of women composers from Karen Marshall called Herstory; it’s a real joy! It’s progressively organized, like Melanie Spanswick’s series, but what I particularly like is that each composer is introduced in a really warm way. It’s also a very high-quality book. It’s worth checking out!”

7

If you’re fascinated by how the brain works, then you’ll definitely want to check out this two-part podcast episode with Gregory Chase on Keys to Music Learning. He shares some absolutely fascinating information on neuroscience and how we can use it to structure our lesson time, the impact of hormones, and more.

8

One thing I think it’s important for all piano teachers to own is some kind of foot prop for students’ feet so they can sit at the proper height and position at the piano. I keep a variety, and simple platforms work just fine, but it’s really nice to have an actual pedal extender so even younger students can enjoy using the pedal while sitting at a proper height. I have two different ones. This one is the one I would recommend first because it’s half the price of the other and very comprable in quality. CPS Pedal Extender

9

I’ve been making food plans for this week’s digital organization retreat in my home. Between catering both my own retreat and Joy Morin’s over the past few years, I have a few favorites that work well for these events. Food plans for every event always vary a bit depending on the dietary needs of attendees, but one thing that I make every-single-time is this delicious Herbal Iced Tea from Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten).

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My husband and I have really been enjoying Vitamin String Quartet on Spotify. They give a classical spin on pop tunes. If you’re one to play music while you work, this might be a fun option!

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Books Don’t Sell (Seth Godin)

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An interesting way to think about grocery shopping! TikTok’s “6 to 1” Grocery Shopping Method (Apartment Therapy).

Friday Finds #275

May 24, 2024
by Amy
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1

What Children Teach Us About Creativity (A Slight Change of Plans Podcast)

2

If you’re still looking for a professional development event to attend this summer, consider the Music Teacher Turboboost Nicola Cantan is hosting in July. My friend Christina Whitlock and I were both invited to share as part of this event—Christina on Saturday and me on Sunday—along with lots of other great sessions put on by Nicola and her team. Hope to see you there!

3

I tried the “6/10 Method,” and it’s Become My New Favorite Cleaning Method (The Kitchn)

4

A couple of months ago, I checked out a game from the library to play with my BBBS lunch buddy, Eliza, called Point Salad. It was so much fun! My mom and I even played it together one evening and she loved it too. If you like the game Sushi Go, I think you’ll like this.

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Updating our Stuck Interactions (Seth Godin)

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I’m always a sucker for articles like these:

33 Things You Absolutely Need to Be Buying at Trader Joe’s (and 3 You Can Skip) (Pinch of Yum).

I shared my own Trader Joe’s shopping list here on the blog a few years ago if you want to see some of my favorites – many of which are still the same!

Of Lindsay’s list, I’m in agreement that these six are absolute must-haves:

  1. Frozen Roasted Corn
  2. Unexpected Cheddar Cheese
  3. Fried Rice (Vegetable and Chicken)
  4. Frozen Brown Rice
  5. Sea Salt and Turbino Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds
  6. Trail Mix Crackers

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Utilizing ForScore App Features: A Visual Guide (Piano Pantry)

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I am way behind on the whole “Rush E” wave. If you’re clueless like I was, check out the story here.

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5 Tips to Organize Music Games (So You Can Use Them!) (Music Game Club)

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Piano Studio Organization – Stationary Edition (Colouful Keys)

Friday Finds #274

May 3, 2024
by Amy
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1

Earlier this year, I splurged on something I’ve wanted to do for a long time: get a color consult. My wardrobe has been in need of attention for a few years now, and I wanted to approach it with a better process.

I hope to blog about this in more detail someday, but until then, if you’re interested, use THIS link or the discount code AMYCHAPLIN to get $20 OFF all products from Created Colorful, including consults, gifts, and the Love Your Closet Audio Course! (I am an affiliate, but purchasing through my link doesn’t cost you any extra.)

2

A new reporting requirement from the US Treasury Department went into effect in January. Andrea Miller’s podcast episode #139 on the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting Requirement was a great source of clarity on the subject.

3

One of my teacher friends recently shared some interesting info and resources she discovered on women composers at the MTNA conference:

A Grade Anthology of Women Composers (Melanie Spanswick)

Women Composers: Three Centuries of Keyboard Works (in three volumes) (One Eye Publications)

boulangerinitiative.org

aseatatthepiano.com

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Friday Finds #273

April 12, 2024
by Amy
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1

It is so sad to hear of Susan Paradis’s passing. Susan was a gem in the early world of online content for piano teachers.

 

2

In early May, a new ruling by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will go into effect, putting a cap on late credit card fees.

 

3

I’ve gone back and forth on keeping energy/snack bars in the house and haven’t had any in a while. In preparation for last month’s ‘MTNA conference, though, I grabbed some and found a couple of new favorites!

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle LÄRABAR 

KIND Blueberry Almond Breakfast Bars

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Friday Finds #272: MTNA 2024 Conference News

March 29, 2024
by Amy
8 Comments

Welcome to a special edition of Friday Finds! I thought it would be fun to follow the 2024 Music Teacher National Conference in Atlanta with a list of announcements, favorite new products, and special features. (Thanks to all the teacher friends who sent me items to add to the list! You know who you are! 🙂

Let me know in the comments which item(s) you are most excited about!

1

Announcing: The new CEO of Music Teachers National Association

Effective July 1, 2024, Brian Shepard has been named MTNA’s new CEO. Shepard began his career at MTNA in 2003 as the Director of Marketing and Public Relations. In 2008, he was promoted to Chief Operating Officer.

2

Announcing: Faber’s Piano Adventures Exams.

There will be a free webinar on Tuesday, April 23, @ 1:00 pm EDT for those who want to “get an overview of the exam requirements, explore fun ways to prepare, and learn how to get started.

3

The one piece of material I came home most excited about is a new publication from Piano Safari called Friends at Last: Tuneful Rote Pieces for the Beginning Pianist by Amy Glennon. Here’s the description from their website:

“Friends at Last: Tuneful Rote Pieces for the Beginning Pianist is a collection of ten rote pieces woven into a story about what it means to be a friend. This format is perfect for a recital performance with a narrator telling the story and a group of beginning pianists performing the pieces. It is also provides supplemental repertoire for Piano Safari Friends and Repertoire Book 1.”

Here’s a quick review I did of it on Instagram:

 
 
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