4D Piano Teaching is starting a new series called “Tuesday Teaching Tactics.” I LOVE that it truly was a short idea – one paragraph – simple. Follow the site so you don’t miss out!
This week I came across a Sheet Music Reviews website and their corresponding YouTube channel.
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In college, I recall one of my Bible class professors encouraging us to always read the foreward and other introductory segments of books before diving in.
There may be three different segments: the “foreward”—written by someone other than the author—explaining why readers should read the book; the “preface”—written by the author—explaining how and why the book came into being; and an “introduction”—introducing the main topics and what to expect.
Up until that point, I always skimmed over those parts.
Since then, I have tried to be intentional about taking a moment to read these opening words. Not surprisingly, I’ve found that – as is its intention – the words have not only prepared me for the book to come but have also, at times, brought more awareness of and gratitude toward the person whose “art” I am about to absorb.
When I recently purchased new sheet music, I was caught off guard by the usefulness of this practice, not just with books but with music! Taking the time to read the introductory segments of books (and music!) is a practice
My new purchase, Phillip Keveren’s 2015 Weekly Worship: 52 Hymns for a Year of Praise, had a preface written by Keveren that was touching and really resonated with me.
All it took was one moment – one moment to stop and read the heart and intentions of another.
Don’t skip the foreward!
(I would have called this post “Don’t Skip the Introductory Segments” but it didn’t sound as catchy! LOL).
After being on a Friday Finds hiatus due to my Piano Pantry one-year anniversary celebration and the recent trip to the MTNA Conference in Baltimore, I’m back and ready to go for another great year of finds!
I thought it would be fun to take a peek back myself at the first few Friday Finds posts. I imagine many of you weren’t around then so if you want to check them out see Friday Finds #1, Friday Finds #2, and Friday Finds #3.
Included in some of today’s finds are a couple favorites from those first few posts.
P.S. After I started this Friday Find post, I realized a color theme was emerging. Sometimes it just works that way!
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What a delightful time we had at the first annual Piano Pantry reader’s dinner!
Our party of 20 met on Monday night at the 2017 MTNA Conference in Baltimore at Ten Ten American Bistro. I was pleased to find such a great restaurant, a convenient 5-minute walk from the Marriott. The interior was fabulous, and the food matched the chic atmosphere’s quality.
After months of anticipation, four days of our lives have come and gone quickly. Another conference is in the books, and as always, we have a renewed spark for our profession, anticipation for trying something new, excitement for new friendships and connections, and joy in our own learning.
Held at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, we had access to a beautiful view of the harbor and quick and easy access to amazing restaurants.
Making the 12-hour drive (with stops) with my travel buddy, Joy Morin, of Color In My Piano blog added to the adventure.
In this photo, we are joined by our friends Daniel Patterson (blogger at GrowYourMusicStudio.com) and Christina Whitlock (who authored the 3-part series here on Piano Pantry The Varsity Musician’s Playbook).
I couldn’t have picked a better “kick-off” encounter than meeting and chatting with Wendy Stevens over lunch on my first day.
On my 12-hour drive to the MTNA conference, I take a moment to check my email. I see an email from “MTNA Foundation Fund.”
“Oh my, this is it!” I think…” Did I get it?”
The preview subject: “Dear Amy, The Teacher Enrichment Grant Committee has…”
Ah! The suspense. They’re going to make me OPEN the email to find out?!…
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The final day has arrived for the one-year anniversary celebration of Piano Pantry!
Thank you to everyone who entered Monday’s (day 4) giveaway! Congratulations to Elizabeth Poore (who has been notified via email), winner of a one-year subscription (Plus) for the Sproutbeat app! Thanks to all who entered.
Unlike the rest of the 24-hour giveaways, I’ve decided to extend the deadline for today’s giveaway to three days. It will close at 12:00 am on Friday, March 17.
Why you ask?
Today’s sponsor is the Music Teachers National Association. Thanks to their generosity, they agreed to sponsor the price of a National membership for a new member (someone who has never been a member). I want to allow plenty of time to get the word out! *(To further clarify, the award is the national-level portion, not state or local.)
Continue readingAt the turn of the millennia, while the world was rejoicing in making it successfully through Y2K without disaster, I was excited and rejoicing in my new world as a budding music educator. In January 2000, I attended my first-ever professional conference as a freshman in college, M.E.N.C. (Music Educators National Conference).
Here we are 17 years later, and since my professional focus has shifted to piano rather than choral education, I’m soon headed to the 2017 Music Teachers National Association Conference in Baltimore, MD.
Conferences.
Are.
Awesome.
I love every minute – I really do, and that’s why I want to share with you a bit on the topic today. You may be wondering, though, what I mean by “managing” conferences.
Put it this way – do you KNOW how many different topics are getting thrown into your brain before lunch?! Ha! If you’ve ever attended a conference, you know what I mean!
We are presented with so much good information it can be easy to walk away and not implement half of what we want to accomplish.
Michael Hyatt hits it spot on when he says:
Information you can’t find or use isn’t information. It’s noise.
So, we need to plan how to take in the information in a way that doesn’t just add to the stack of cool ideas that never get used. In other words, we don’t want all the information to get “lost in the noise.”
I want you to walk away from a conference feeling like all you’ve learned is easily retrievable and, in turn, useful. I’ll also give you a little peek into my own process, including how I utilize Evernote.
First, a little conference-attendance pep-talk.
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It’s day four of the one-year anniversary celebration of Piano Pantry!
Thank you to everyone who entered Friday’s (day 3) giveaway. Congratulations to Kathy Beemer, winner of the 1-year subscription to Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Magazine!
I’m only giving away items that I currently use and love. Unlike the rest of the days, because of the nature of the final ($75) surprise giveaway, entries will be open for three days and will close at 12:00 am on Friday, March 17. Curious? You’ll have to come back tomorrow for the final reveal!
Today’s sponsor is Eik Siang Mar, owner and creator of the Sproutbeat App. I first met Eik at MTNA 2016 and enjoyed getting to know her more at the Ohio MTA conference this past fall. If you know or see Eik at MTNA, please join me in thanking her for sponsoring today’s giveaway!
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It’s day three of the one-year anniversary celebration of Piano Pantry!
Thank you to everyone who entered yesterday’s (day 2) giveaway. The winner of Day 2: John Feierabend’s “Move It!” DVD was Christie Ventura who has been notified via email). Congratulations!
I’m only giving away items that I currently use and love. We have two more days to go. Monday and Tuesday of next week, (March 13, 14) will be high price prizes!
