Each Friday on this blog, I will share some of my favorite finds from the past week. I absorb a lot of content in Feedly so I’m looking forward to helping you as busy teachers see what’s worth checking out! You will find anything from teaching articles, podcasts, music news, recipes, favorite pieces, and more. I promise to try to keep it at 10 items or less!
1
Top 10 Tips for Tackling and Transforming Piano Technique
2
Jenny at theplayfulpiano.com has a cute free printable contract that emphasizes the parent/teacher/student triangle that is so important for the success of our pupil’s.
3
If you listen to only one podcast, this month I strongly suggest you listen to Personality Hacker’s episode on Generational Theory with Jessie Newburn. I would suffice to say it’s the MOST fascinating thing (besides Music Learning Theory) I’ve learned ALL YEAR. Did you know there are four cycles of generations that happen every 80 years? Did you know that the current generation/cycle (2004-2024) is experiencing the same cycle as baby boomers? Did you know the current generation are called Homelanders? If you didn’t, you do now, but you’ll learn a whole heap more if you listen to the podcast! Understanding generational theory puts so many things in life, politics and more into perspective.
4
English Muffins are one of my go-to breakfast foods, especially in winter as they’re nice with a warm cup of coffee. I’ve tried every brand under the sun and haven’t found one I truly loved until now. In Meijer freezer section I found these delicious Organic 100% Flourless Sprouted Whole Grain Muffins. They have more flavor than all the other brands put together and are really healthy to boot! While I only have one variety in my store, the company makes three varieties along with a whole slew of other products.
5
I was lucky to already have an authentic Brazilian meal by Joy’s husband on the way home from Boston last week, but since I know most of you probably weren’t so luck, here are 6 Brazilian Recipes to Cook for the Olympics.
We had lentil soup, short ribs braised with black beans and two other type of bacon/ham, chicken in butternut squash puree, chorizo crepes, and rice. Sorry, Paul if I didn’t get the descriptions quite right!
I hope you’re enjoying your last days of August. It’s been quite a rainy, overcast week here in Indiana. It feels like Fall is already upon us. I’m not ready!
~Amy
Thanks for the great finds! Loved the first article about piano technique:
“The best position is with a compact hand. It is the default position. The calmer the arm and hand, the more sure the motion of the fingers.”
This never really hit home with me until college and when I really applied it to my playing it made a huge difference. Great resources thanks again! Loved the video you did with Joy Morin btw about your trip and MLT. Very interesting stuff.
Hey Brian! Thanks for the comment. I agree – I’ve really been wanting to work more with my students on the whole compact hand thing. It’s so easy for them to want to spread their fingers out and keep them over the keys especially with 5-finger patterns. I tell them their fingers should almost touch each other on either side.
The video was fun – we were both a little nervous I think but we made it! 🙂
I’m a little late to finding this comment you wrote about the Personality Hacker podcast interview I did about generations, but thanks for the shout out!
Oh, LOL. No problem! 🙂