One of the great composers. A name everyone recognizes, even those who don't think of themselves as classical music enthusiasts.

Beethoven! The man who gave the world Fur Elise.

Moonlight Sonata.

The Choral Symphony, with the wonderful Ode to Joy.

And, of course (drumroll...

Have I ever told you how much I love teaching piano? Because I do!

Here are five reasons this piano teacher has found joy in the journey --- on a path which continues to be varied, thrilling, challenging, and full of opportunity for discovery of each student's unique gi...

Here in the United States, Thanksgiving is observed on the fourth Thursday of November. With that date rapidly approaching, I began reflecting on how much there is to be thankful for in the musical realm.

Following is a brief gratitude list of blessings I've experienced...

I'd like to welcome guest writer Neil Nguyen from Sublimelody to the blog today. He will share 3 secrets that will assist students and other players in memorizing music. Here's Neil:

“Is there any way to memorize music faster and easier, and learn it well...

In my Compose Yourself series of posts this summer, you've read about (or can check out here) how to craft effective melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic schemes. And maybe you've even begun writing down a composition.

Here is my encouragement, in this final post of the seri...

In this segment of my series Compose Yourself, let's take a look at how we can fill in our original compositions with thoughtful harmonies that get to the heart of our musical intentions.

Before we proceed from the melodic and rhythmic ideas proposed in the first two po...

 In Compose Yourself, Part 1: Make a Memorable Melody, we briefly discussed how an effective melody needs a rhythmic scheme that moves the tune forward. But how does a person create a rhythm with zest? A rhythm which supports and enhances a composition's other qualitie...

Dear piano-playing reader,

Have you ever found certain patterns in your repertoire, a neat turn of phrase, an unexpected harmony that makes you smile, and you wonder how the composer did that?

Does your curiosity fuel your creative juices and make you want to write music...

Your child has shown an interest in music lately. You've bought or rented a piano, or have looked into doing so. And now your thoughts turn to how to select a piano teacher.

Who makes a good first teacher? 

The nice, always-smiling piano teacher down the street?...

As a piano teacher, I am often asked how much a student should practice. The question can be thought of two ways: how many days a week to practice, and how many minutes per day or week?

This post will explore how many days per week is best. [See my blog post entitled To...