Category - Friday Finds

 

1

Do you still need to put together your holiday recital program? Check out this really cool “vintage” one from Wendy Stevens at Compose Create!

 

2

I’m not a huge ginger fan, but I do use it a lot more in the winter for Hot Toddies and such. Even though using the back of a spoon makes it easier, it’s still a bit of a pain. I finally decided to quickly research if it was even needed and found it’s not!

 

3

Highlights from My Students’ Silent Film Festival (Joy Morin)

 

4

Three pieces of excellent related content from Rebekah Maxner:

What every piano teacher needs to know about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

What every piano teacher needs to know about Autism (ASD)

How to Help Students Who Are Not Reaching Their Full Potential (Episode 093 of The Piano Pantry Podcast)

 

5

Joy Morin recently released a new book of 88 progressive pieces for pianists of all ages called Keys at Play. I am currently using it with two students and love how it introduces the progression of both rhythm and note reading!

 

6

I love these O-Cedar Non-Scratch Scrub Sponges

Find this and more of my personal favorite “life products” here.

 

7

Busy Doing What? – A great article from Wendy Stevens.

 

 

 

1

I was so excited to see Sheet Music Plus’s updated website! I think they still have a few kinks to iron out, but it feels much cleaner, modern, and up-to-date.

 

2

A good topic in this day and age: Media Literacy in a Digital World (The Newsworthy)

 

3

A fall soup/bread combo you MUST make this season!

3 Sisters Fall Harvest Soup

I like to fry up 1 lb. cubed smoked sausage (like Kielbasa) first before adding all the other ingredients.

We first discovered this soup in a steak house in South Dakota. The name is derived from the practice of some indigenous communities that planted corn, squash, and beans (the “Three Sisters”) side-by-side because they helped each other grow when planted next to each other.

This Molasses Brown Bread was sooo easy and paired perfectly with the soup.

 

4

Thanks to Joy Morin’s early prompting, I purchased these wooden sheet music ornaments for my students for Christmas. Here’s her blog post from last year, where she featured them.

Here’s a peek at what I did for my students over the past two years.

 

5

Are you still on the lookout for Christmas music? Check out these resources:

Top-10 Must-Have Christmas Books for Piano Students (Creative Piano Teacher)

Trusty Christmas Favorites: Repertoire I Return To Year After Year (Amy Chaplin)

Christmas Collaborations: Recommended Piano Ensemble Music (Amy Chaplin)

Christmas By Ear: 8 Tunes to Harmonize (Amy Chaplin)

 

6

I’ve been through a few olive oil bottles over the years, but this one will be my last. I love the small size and the pour spout that doesn’t drip oil. It even has two pour speeds!

OXO Good Grips 12-oz Precision Pour Glass Oil Dispenser

 

 

7

A compilation of professional recordings to accompany Jane Magrath’s Encore! series. (Janna Williamson)

 

8

Here’s one of my custom playlists on Spotify to spice up your Thanksgiving mood.

 

9

An updated list from Jennifer Foxx on podcasts for music educators to follow. (Music Educator Resources)

 

10

9 Types of Clothes in Your Closet You Can De-Clutter Immediately (Becoming Minimalist)

 

11

A REALLY good movie worth catching! Love at First Sight (Netflix)

“Two strangers connect on a flight to London, only to be separated by a twist of fate. A reunion seems improbable — but love has a way of defying the odds.”

Even my husband enjoyed it. The two main characters have fantastic chemistry on screen that makes your heart soar for them! LOL

 

 

1

I’ve attended four music teaching events in the past three months: The Piano Conference (NCKP), Joy Morin’s Piano Teacher Retreat, and both the Indiana and Ohio MTA State Conferences.

While it’s fun seeing old friends and colleagues, it’s also refreshing to see new teachers who are experiencing it for the first time. That’s just one reason why attending conferences is beneficial.

Recently, Natalie Weber shared six more great reasons to attend conferences.

 

2

If you’re still looking for Halloween resources to use over the next couple of weeks, check out:

The Piano Pantry Podcast Episode 088: Top 10 Halloween Resources

Halloween Video Series and Listening Activity Guide

 

3

A delicious new soup we’re adding to our mix: Butternut Squash, Sausage, and Tortellini Soup (Gimme Some Oven)

 

4

The Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) are expected to be the most intense in 30 years.

 

5

Podcast episodes:

Lisa Damour on Understanding Today’s Teenagers (Everything Happens podcast with Kate Bowler)

A Blind Cook Becomes a Master Chef (A Slight Change of Plans with Mya Shankar)

The Curious Piano Teachers on Asking the Right Questions (The Piano Pantry Podcast)

 

6

In the last few years, my husband has become more interested in brandy. Until then, we enjoyed wines and beers but never really any hard liquor. His developing interest made us dig a little further, at which point we learned that it is distilled from wine. It made sense that he enjoyed it since we had already enjoyed red wine. Here’s an interesting article I recently came across on Brandy if you’re curious, like we were!

 

7

Thoughts on being a “special place” for your students and families. (PianoPantry.com)

 

8

My brother’s 40th birthday was at the end of September. He requested a chocolate cinnamon sheet cake – which is all we used to have growing up for our birthday celebrations. It was actually my first time making one as an adult, and it was just as good as I remember (just don’t look at the sugar ratio! 🙂 Forewarning that you will want a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a glass of milk to accompany!

 

 

1

Are you as underwhelmed with using iMovie for creating videos as I am?  Several years ago, I found a better tool and have since been using Camtasia very happily ever since.

Recently, though, I heard about ClickChamp. If I were in the market for an alternative video editing tool, I would definitely check it out! They even have a free version!

 

2

Thoughts on music literacy from Eric Bluestine, author of The Ways Children Learn Music.

 

3

While I’m not much of a breakfast eater, I still love cereal of all kinds. This homemade “Better Breakfast Cereal” from 101 Cookbooks has me really intrigued. Now, if I could only get my small local grocer to handle some of these healthy items…

 

4

For those making the Tonara transition, here are some recommended resources:

-A great compilation of information and the results of a survey from Leila Viss.

-Episode 085 Tonara Transitions: A Special Teacher Talk episode on the Piano Pantry Podcast

–Tonara Expats Facebook Group

 

5

An item I think everyone should have in their kitchen: Mini Tongs

I’m picky about the functionality of tongs. I don’t like the ones that release and latch from a lever at the back, as it requires two hands.

These have a little metal piece that slides up and down the handle, making it so much easier to open and close with one hand.

 

6

Recommend sightreading resources from Kate Boyd, YouTube’s The PianoProf.

 

7

Music Teacher Eats: A Week of Easy, Healthy Meals (Fall Edition)

 

8

Podcast episode recommendations:

How I plan a year of student repertoire (Ashley Danyew)

How to add notation to your worksheets and presentations (Midnight Music)

 

9

FREE Webinar – Diving in: An introduction to audiation-based instruction (October 2)

 

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Do you enjoy this Friday Finds series? Consider joining Piano Pantry over on Patreon! There are two levels you can support the blog and podcast. Find which works best for you!

 

 

1

Rosemarie Penner’s Unfinished Lesson blog got a remodel and is now Must Love Music

 

2

I’ve tried several Sleep Masks over the years, but my latest is hands down the best I’ve ever used. I am a light sleeper, and every night that I wear these, I swear I have slept more deeply than ever. They are incredibly comfortable and fit the nose and face just right.

 

3

Best Printers and Paper for Piano Teachers (Colourful Keys)

 

4

A 19-Foot Piano with the Longest Bass String (The Music Man)

 

5

I feel like it’s been a while since I shared some recommended recipes here on Friday Finds. It’s time to catch up!

Currently making once a week for lunch with Trader Joe’s pre-cooked brown rice: Chili Crisp Fried Eggs

We’re not normally pasta eaters, but I have two pasta-based recipes to highly recommend:

This first one sounds crazy, but Napolitan Japanese Ketchup Pasta is really easy and incredibly tasty.

Make yourself a few days of lunch with this creamy and delicious Thai Chicken Pasta Salad.

Sweet and Savory Shared Brussels Sprouts Salad is perfect for this time of year as we close out summer and enter autumn. It makes a pretty good size salad, so be prepared to make it for 6-8 people or halve the recipe for less.

 

6

Interested in some ideas on what to make for lunch? Listen to Episode 81 – What’s for Lunch of The Piano Pantry Podcast.

 

7

Easy Piano Lead Sheets and Chord Charts by Olivia Ellis and Davis Dorrough

 

8

New podcast!! The Piano Sensei Way by Clinton Pratt

 

9

I’ve been needing to invest in some larger storage containers. While I have a couple of different nice 8-cup ones, I really needed some larger sizes. After scouting out what’s out there, I ended up on these fabulous Sterlite 16-Cup Plastic Storage Containers. On Amazon, one container was $15, but there was also a set of four for $30, so… yeah, I now have four large containers!

 

10

The Best Way to Clean a Dishwasher

I’m looking forward to trying this and hopefully stop buying dishwasher cleaner tablets.

 

11

A new collection of improvisational stories and rote piano pieces that are worth checking out!

 

 

1

The Piano Teacher Reset with Dr. Elizabeth Davis

A virtual retreat for teachers to come and be refreshed, rejuvenated, and enjoy collaborating with fellow teachers!

 

2

After reading an article by The Kitchn on the best way to store blueberries, I was pleased to discover I was already using the best method! Who wouldn’t want berries that lasted longer?

 

3

Unconditional Teaching: A ground-breaking journey toward a new style of music teaching by Paul Harris

Already, I am considering if I should stock up on the rest of the books in his series. I loved this easy read. It’s such a simple concept, yet we often place more “conditions” on our students than we may realize.

 

4

Teaching Piano to Your Own Children (Janna Williamson)

 

5

I can’t wait to try these Cottage Cheese Pancakes from 101 Cookbooks!

They sounds similar to a high protein oat waffle I’ve made several times and love that also has cottage cheese as a base.

 

6

I 100% agree with Tim’s list of what is and is not working with teaching music lessons in 2023.

 

7

I enjoyed this conversation with singer and songwriter Audrey Assad on her story and faith journey.

 

8

Musical Storybooks for Kids (Dynamic Teaching Podcast)

I love hearing about books other teachers love! There are so many out there, I’ve tried over the years to focus on only purchasing those related to piano. If you’re interested in seeing more, check out these posts here on the Piano Pantry blog:

Building a Lending Library of Piano-Themed Children’s Books

Listening Playlists to Accompany Music-Themed Children’s Books

Music-Themed Comic Books for Your Lending Library

 

9

By the way, there are a few newer podcasts for piano teachers that have popped up in recent months:

Dynamic Music Teaching with Rachel Ehring (mentioned above)

For the piano teacher who wants to go beyond the method book.  

New Harmony with Amy Elmore

Thoughtful conversations with music teachers, striving to live in wellness and balance as business owners.

Piano Teacher Primer with Angela Toone

For piano teachers just starting out.

 

10

What is Kindle Unlimited? The Ultimate Guide (Simply Rebekah)

 

 

1

The Science of Making and Keeping Friends (A Slight Change of Plans Podcast)

 

2

Wow – this is really thorough…

The Best Apps Every Music Teacher Should Have(Oliva Ellis and Davis Dorough | Creative Piano Teacher)

 

3

Movie recommendation! Barefoot on Netflix is so cute! My husband even enjoyed it.

The ne’er-do well son of a wealthy family enlists a young woman he meets at a psychiatric hospital to pose as his girlfriend at his brother’s wedding. (Description from Netflix?)

 

4

Guide to Contemporary Educational Composers Websites (Natalie Weber | Music Matters Blog)

 

5

How to Know When a Student Has “Finished” A Piece (Nicola Cantan | Vibrant Music Teaching)

 

6

Embrace a Lifestyle of Slowing Down in a World of Hurry Up (Michael Horner | Medium)

I love how he calls it an “art.”

 

7

How to Use Notability for Assignment Sheets in Your Studio (Ashley Danyew)

 

8

Double-Duty Music (Daniel Light)

A beautiful Late-Intermediate piece that is perfect for introducing your students to 3 against 2 polyrhythms.

 

9

Tick Tips: How to find them, how to remove them, and what to do if you’re bit (NPR)

 

10

How to (deep) Clean Your Piano (Josh Wright)

 

Happy Friday, everyone! Wow. It’s been quite a few weeks since the last Friday Finds post. I have a big stash ready to go, though, so you can look forward to one this week and next! Have a great weekend!

~Amy

 

1

New-ONLY Classical Music App from Apple Music (Violin Judy)

 

2

Broadway’s Longest-Running Musical “Phantom of the Opera” Turns Out the Lights (The Daily)

 

3

Recently, I discovered Canva has a desktop client! I’ve always loved using desktop apps for Evernote and Notion, so I’m curious to see if I’ll like using Canva more on my desktop or will stick with it on the web.

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