If you don't want to forget it, write it down. How many times have we heard that statement? It's good advice for a lot of things. For buying groceries, for example -- so you don't go to the store to get one important item, get distracted by those other things you see that you really should pick up, then make your purchases, get home, and find . . . you forgot that one thing you meant to get. I have also found, as a musician/teacher who loves to compose, that it's a great idea

How did you learn to speak in your native tongue? If you are a hearing person, then your language acquisition likely followed this path: hearing speaking reading What does this have to do with music? It describes what I believe is the ideal order in which to approach the study of music -- a language worth learning to speak. But for many piano students (maybe you were one of them?), the hearing and "speaking" (playing without reading music) parts of the process were largely or

Get your child to want to practice? Does any child routinely want to do that? Beyond the honeymoon period, of course, when the instrument is new and full of exciting possibilities to discover? How can we, as parents and teachers alike, help keep the musical experience fresh and fulfilling for our children? How do we motivate them to keep coming back for more, day after day after month after year? Teachers do have a responsibility in this -- selecting appropriate and inspiring

"Practice makes perfect." You've heard the saying. Do something often enough, the statement seems to imply, and you'll become perfect at it. Is that true? It's a catchy phrase, I'll admit, but, in my estimation, it's simply not true. Why not? Because we're human, and mistakes happen. And that's not always such a bad thing. It is possible to learn and grow from our errors. For now, let's set aside the "practice makes perfect" mindset (or, rather, let's dispense with the saying

Welcome to the Piano Panorama blog! Do you want to find fulfillment as a pianist, or help the budding piano student in your household grow musically? Do you have a creative flair, interested in improvising and composing? Whether you are or have been (or want to be) a player, musical creator, or encourager, or you simply enjoy music in any capacity, I invite you to join the conversation as we discuss a broad panorama of ideas to enhance joyful music-making, especially at the p