By: Renee Bordner
​NWE Music Director

​Over the fifteen years of Note-worthy Experiences Music Studio, I have been asked countless times if learning music theory is necessary.  This question has been asked by students, parents, grandparents, and nannies.  My answer is always the same with a bold and firm YES and then I state an assortment of solid rationales.  I decided to collect these rationales and put them all together for you in one place. However, I discovered this article that was already complete and easy to read.  So I share with your the 8 Benefits of Learning Music Theory as written by ThrivePiano.com  Take a moment to read through it and let me know what stands out to you.  Contact your teacher or me to chat further about how you can benefit from additional music theory study.

https://www.thrivepiano.com/benefits-of-learning-music-theory/


Musically yours,
Renee 

By: Renee Bordner
NWE Studio Director

​

Parents often ask if their student musician is ready to perform at our events.  Yes, is always the answer!  

I highly encourage our brand new beginner students through our professional students to perform as often as possible.  We offer many assisted living informal recitals to give all of our students a chance to play for others.  While adjudications and competitions are more appropriate for our students with more performance experiences.  For some of our students, starting with a casual recital for their parents and extended family can be thrilling.  We find that some students are very motivated to create their own recital for their teddy bears complete with construction paper homemade tickets and programs.  Some students, including my own son, can be very motivated by playing "Name That Tune" over the telephone with a family member.  For our students who are more technologically inclined, they can be motivated to create a video to share with friends and family who will share it on their social media.  All of these traditional and non-traditional performance opportunities can help a student develop more confidence in their playing.  These skills can also be transferred to other life events in which students need to "perform" such as job interviews, presentations at their school or work.  Whatever event your musician is preparing for, please connect with your instructor and work together to create a solid plan for preparing for success.  Happy practicing and performing!

Musically yours,
Renee 

By: Renee Bordner
NWE Music Studio Director

I am often asked if our studio requires all of our students to memorize their music for our informal and formal events.  The answer is always the same for me.  That answer is "it depends".  There is a tremendous value in learning and performing memorized music which is explained very well in this article.  https://mattixmusic.com/why-memorize-music/  However, not all of our students have the ability or desire to perform memorized music.  Students who wish to memorize music on their own are always welcome to do so.  Students who are preparing for adjudication or competition in which the music must be memorized are asked to do so.  For some students memorizing a piece is a long-term goal.  For some students, it is more appropriate to work on performance anxiety while reading music first and then work on performing memorized music.  Wherever the student is at with their music memorization journey, is where our instructors will meet the student.  We will set goals accordingly and celebrate the students' successes.  Thank you to Liszt, Schumann, and Paganini for forging the path of memorized musical paths.

​ 

By: Jessica Petrus 
NWE Voice and Piano Teacher

​I've taught music privately for the last 13 years, and one of the most common questions I receive from parents and students is: "Are we practicing enough?" As a parent myself, I completely understand this question! We want to see our children delve into their interests with tireless effort. But it is important to remember that a large part of learning a musical instrument is also learning how to develop the dedication for it. 

As a kid, I was not good at building a practice routine. This frustrated my teacher, who felt like a broken record when every week she informed my parents that I (yet again) didn't practice enough. The evidence she cited was that my assigned pieces always seemed under-practiced. I may never have mastered the 15-minutes-a-day practice, but I did find myself spontaneously engaged at the piano for long random stretches of time. Lost in my music books, I would start out playing an assigned song for the week, and then move over to a few previous songs, or even tackle a new one that looked within my reach.  

I share this story because while I'd love for my students to play all their assigned homework diligently every week, I know that's often not how it goes. And it's completely ok! So, as your student works on developing their relationship to music and practice, I encourage you to consider these questions: 

1. How has my student felt inspired by music this week?
2. Did my student have adequate downtime to enjoy exploring their instrument this week? 
3. Is there a song (or two) that I've heard my student play or sing a lot this week? If so, why do they enjoy it?  

I believe a student's dedication to music will ultimately come from their own inspiration for it. It is my job to help guide them towards that inspiration :) 

By: Jessica Petrus
NWE Voice and Piano Teacher

​As we get swept up into the giving season, you may be asking yourself if it's time to consider an instrument upgrade (and if so, what that looks like.)  With a wide array of options on the market, it's no wonder the task can feel overwhelming! 


My aim here isn't to sway you one way or another on any particular instrument (though I'm happy to make some recommendations, and can also point you in the direction of other opinions as well), but rather to share some insights I've gained for when a student is ready for that more premium instrument. 

I teach a lot of Beginning Piano, and the most common instrument I see is the five octave non-weighted-keys keyboard.  Their portability and affordability helps parents make a cautious investment to see if the hobby will stick. If this is yours at home, we likely talked about how it will work in the beginning while they learn very basic music literacy and technique. But eventually, I highly encourage an upgrade as your student is limited on this instrument. Developing musicianship (the expressive and artistic elements of music) will be a necessary and a very satisfying part of making music. So, how do you know if you're ready to make the leap into a finer instrument? 

I look for these clues: 

1. When a student takes their own initiative to practice and explore music on their own. This means that while parents may help initially set a practice routine, the majority of the time it is the student who follows through with it.**

**It's worth noting, however, that for some, the opposite is true! The self-motivation to practice may take an unexplainable nosedive. They may still love the piano and love the idea of playing, but get easily frustrated and bored when they play on their instrument. They are now looking for more than just merely playing notes on a page!

2. When their practice starts to include more composing and improvising. The student wants to be expressive, but since dynamics are limited, they turn to other expressive qualities available on their keyboards (this is usually the many 'voices' which change the sound of the instrument).

3. When they play, their bodies are very wiggly. This is often because they are starting to develop the 'feeling' of musicality, but are not yet able to channel that energy into the piano due to their current instrument's limited expressivity. 

4. They ask me lots of questions about my instrument in the studio, in particular what the pedals do (a standard piano has three pedals). 

5. They simply ask for an upgrade! When it comes to making music, I'm a firm believer in intrinsic motivation and self-awareness. If your student can communicate solid reasons to you for why they want a better instrument, I say strike while the iron is hot! 

Keep in mind there are numerous ways to acquire a better instrument. While buying a brand-new acoustic baby grand piano at Steinert's is certainly an option, so too are electric pianos and uprights. And don't underestimate a good used instrument!  Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor, Buy Nothing groups, etc. are all great places to keep your eyes peeled for that next instrument. If you want a second opinion, you can send me the link and I'll take a look at it for you. If you already have an acoustic instrument but it needs a little tuning-love, I'm happy to help connect you with local piano technicians. 

If you do feel you're ready to take the plunge, what should you do with that smaller keyboard? I say keep it on hand if you have room! A spare keyboard can come in handy on a vacation or mix up a mundane practice routine by playing it in another room in your home (or outside). 

As always, I'm here if you have questions and I look forward to continuing guiding your student along their unique musical journey! 


Warmly,
Jess

By: Renee Bordner
NWE Music Studio Director

What is a metronome? 
met·ro·nome
/ˈmetrəˌnōm/ 

noun

1. a device used by musicians that marks time at a selected rate by giving a regular tick. per the Oxford Dictionary.


2. It is a useful tool for students of all ages and stages to practice keeping a steady beat.

If you do not already have a physical or virtual metronome, please take the time to ensure that your student has one.  Please also talk with your teacher about how to use it as each of our students should be practicing with a metronome.  Each instructor has preferred metronomes, but if you need a little help, here is a good list of metronome apps https://prodigies.com/10-best-digital-metronome-apps-for-musicians/  

Happy counting!

​Musically yours,
Renee 

By: Renee Bordner
​NWE Music Director

​Music can ease hearing loss.
We have all heard about how learning to play a musical instrument can help children increase their math skills, vocabulary, etc.  There are studies about how playing a musical instrument can help older adults with confusion and dementia.  Self-esteem and confidence are also skills we know that musicians can develop.  Here is a study link to learn about how music can help ease hearing loss!  Check it out for yourself! 
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/05/31/530723021/like-brain-boot-camp-using-music-to-ease-hearing-loss?sc=17&f=1128&utm_source=iosnewsapp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=app

Musically yours,

​Renee 

By: Renee Bordner
NWE Music Studio Director

​A mom of three of our terrific students sent me this link.  We all know about how music lessons can increase students' math and reading scores.  We all know about how music lessons can teach students about discipline, time management, etc.  However, this article has a different message about how valuable music lessons are for our developing children.
Please take a few minutes to read this and let me know your thoughts.
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/16/03/music-lessons?utm_source=SilverpopMailing

Musically yours,

Renee 

By: Renee Bordner
NWE Music Studio Director

I often hear from parents that they do not feel their child is "ready" to participate in a performance event with our studio.  Unfortunately, I usually do not agree.  When a student can play a piece as simple as "Hot Cross Buns" on the instrument and feel good about it, the student is ready! Students who are uneasy about performing in front of a large formal audience can start by performing for family and friends over a video chat in their home.  Teddy bear recitals at home for students' stuffed animals can be a terrific way for students to start performing.  Personal recitals for family and close friends are also a very safe and supportive environment for shy students.  We love to hear about how students create tickets, programs, and even refreshments afterward for their recitals.  We also encourage students who are extremely hesitant to perform to attend our events as our guests.  Seeing other students like them performing can be an incredible inspiration.

I believe in offering our students multiple performance opportunities throughout a calendar year.  It is important to me that we offer a variety of casual and formal events.  We have also added competitive events for our students who are motivated by competition.  Our Winter Holiday Recitals are very special as they are our most formal event that is open to all of our students.  We welcome our beginner through advanced students to perform and celebrate each other's successes.  Our spring outdoor music festival, Note-worthypalooza, is a light-hearted event with musicians performing at different stages simultaneously.

I encourage all of our instructors, students, and families to have conversations about performances throughout the year.  We find that many students are motivated by performing while some are inspired by dressing up, and others are motivated by the family celebrations after.  As an educator, I believe it is my role to help students discover their motivators and use them to help students achieve the next big goal!  Performance skills can easily be applied to future situations a student will encounter. Students can use this knowledge to identify and cope with performance anxieties to job interviews and presentations to coworkers or classmates.

If you musician has performance anxiety, please reach out to your instructor and me.  We would be honored to help create a plan for your musician to have a successful performance!

​Musically yours,

​Renee