Piano Lessons: For Vocation or Avocation - Volume 25
November 3, 2022
New session of Crescendo Kids Online begins Tuesday, November 8! For $20 discount, use coupon code: FALL2022
Condoleezza Rice with Yo Yo Ma
This Memo includes
Feature Article: Piano Lessons: For Vocation or Avocation
Student Hall of Fame
Practice Tip
Parents Ask Pam - Our regular lesson time is on a holiday next week. May we reschedule for a different day?
Feature Article - Piano Lessons: For Vocation or Avocation
Condoleezza Rice is a prominent African-American woman in our country’s politics and education. She is probably best known as Secretary of State under George W. Bush in 2005-2009, the first black woman to hold this position, and National Security Advisor in 2001 - 2005, the first woman to hold this position. Since then she continues to serve on various company’s boards as well as teaching political science at Stanford University. What I find is so fascinating about Ms. Rice, is that in addition to her career in politics and education, she is also an accomplished musician performing with musical professionals such as cellist Yo Yo Ma and singer Aretha Franklin.
Condoleezza Rice began piano lessons from her Grandmother at the age of 3. She was given the challenge to learn to play her favorite hymn, What A Friend We Have In Jesus. She was eager to play it perfectly, even skipping lunch so she could impress her parents, and accomplished her goal in just one day! It soon became apparent that she was a piano prodigy! She continued to study piano, winning student competitions along the way, and entered the University of Denver at age 15, with the plan to have a career as a concert pianist. However, shortly after starting college, she switched majors to study international politics, eventually graduating with a PhD in political science.
In 1993, Rice, now the Provost at Stanford University, was missing piano. She started taking lessons again and joined a Chamber music ensemble. The other musicians were musical amateurs, like herself, with other professions. Although they mostly played for each other, they also played informally at dinner parties and small gatherings for their influential friends and colleagues. This has led to Rice’s opportunities to perform with cellist Yo Yo Ma, the Queen of England, violinist Jenny Oates Baker and rhythm and blues singer, Aretha Franklin.
According to Rice, studying piano has helped immeasurably with her success in politics as well as in education. Here are a few of the attributes that she considers a direct result of her piano education.
Passion: Studying music will help youngsters find a passion. This passion will lead to dedication and commitment.
Faults: Got any? They will be revealed at the piano.
Procrastinator? You can’t be one as a music major.Patience: Slow practice is best and it's good to practice patience.
It’s hard to fix a race car when it’s traveling 120 miles per hour.Confidence: A boost in confidence is guaranteed as a musician.
You gain a healthy respect for what could go wrong, have the ability to stay on edge and learn to gain control.Preparation: Musicians attain the ability to not panic when something goes wrong.
It’s not a matter of whether but when things will go wrong. Sometimes you have to get out of trouble and be ready to do so.Education: Music offers a chance for life-long learning.
Music and arts are equal to STEM, and are the most important expression of a culture.
Live in the present, remember the past and expect a future. The arts connect those.
The arts access humanity like nothing else can.*
Playing piano, not as a vocation, but rather an avocation, helped make Condoleezza Rice who she is today.
Additional Resources:
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/condoleezza-rice
https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/government/rice-bio.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/arts/music/condoleezza-rice-on-piano.html
https://prezi.com/xvnxj3ocpvtw/timeline-of-condoleezza-rice/
Student Hall Of Fame
Our students are making great progress! These students have accomplished new goals this last month.
Welcome to our new students - Micaela V and Una C.
5X5 - play the piano for 5 minutes, 5 days in a week, for 5 weeks in a row - Angelina D*, Chloe L*, Grant P*, Iris H, Janice L, Kristina D*, Lillian R, Maximus H, Shane G, Siya P, Vivian C, and Ysabel L* ( * indicates first time meeting this challenge!)
Listening - Listened to classical music for 1 hour/week for 4 weeks in a row - Brooks F, Maximus H, Siya P, and Stella S
100-Day - played the piano for 100 consecutive days - Iris H, Nathan H and Shane G.
50X - Played their new song 50 times in the first week - Lieto Z, Maia L, Siya P, Torino Z,
Finished their current piano book - Nora M, Olivia V, Ramiel M, and Shivani K.
Moved up to the next piano level - Clara C,
Practice Tip
Typically, the beginning of a song gets a lot more practice than the end. So, start with the last measure. When it is easy, start 2 measures from the end. Continue this way until you are starting at the beginning.
Upcoming MOM Events
Want to see all upcoming events? Check out our calendar. It includes when the next Crescendo Kids class begins, school closure dates, piano parties, and recital dates.
FREE Online Piano Party! Students share their own music as well as participate in musical games, creating music and learning some music history. Each party is a little different with a theme and a special guest instrument. Come, meet our piano teachers, play some music, and have fun! All ages and musical levels are welcome. Parties are available to non-students, former students as well as current students. Click the link to sign up. Piano Party Sign Up
Sunday, January 8, at 11:00 am for ages 3 - 6 years old
Sunday, January 8 at 12:00 pm for ages 7 - 12 years old
Holiday Recitals: Our in-class recitals will occur during the last day of class. The recital will be live-streamed, so you are welcome to invite many friends and family to tune in. Our online recital will be in December. Please watch your email for details.
Parent Information Meetings - Have questions about our online piano class program? Want a tour of our practicing app? Click the link to schedule your meeting with Miss Pam. Parent Info Meeting
Crescendo Kids CLASSES - Tuesdays or Thursdays at North Kirkland Community Center visit kirklandparks.net
Tuesdays: January 17 - March 28, (no class February 21)
Thursdays: September 15 - January 19 - March 30, (no class February 16)
Crescendo Kids CLASSES - Mondays at Spartan Recreation Center in Shoreline visit shorelinewa.gov/registernow
Mondays: January 23 - March 27, (no class February 20)
30 - Minute Private Online Piano Lessons - Did you know that many of our teachers also teach privately? Now you can continue your child’s musical education, or your own, with Move Over Mozart. Click here for more information. Private Lessons
New Crescendo Kids Online begins Tuesday, November 8. Our piano classes are fun and easy to do! Perfect for beginning students ages 3 1/2 to 12 years old. Students are put into one of 4 classes depending on their age and musical ability.
Crescendo Kids Online Sign Up
Pre-Reading - Ages 3 - 5 years, or students not yet reading,
We use a color-coded method for the students to match their five fingers to five keys on the piano. New songs using only those 5 notes are given each week.
Primary - Ages 5 -7 years or older and brand new to music,
This group is for the very basics of piano playing. Students learn to play simple rhythms, correct hand position, and the names of the white keys on the piano.
Beginning Elementary - Ages 7-12 years or younger and reading notes,
This is for students just starting to read notes on the staff. Students are taught how the staff relates to the piano and how to translate the notes to making music. Also, having the students memorize a few key notes on the staff will help greatly with their ability to read music.
Advanced Elementary - Ages 7 - 12 years with previous piano lessons
This group already reads notes on the staff and can immediately identify many of the notes by name. They will learn more advanced technique and music theory beyond the initial basics of learning to play.
Parents Ask Pam
Have a question for Miss Pam? You can email, text message, or message on Facebook your questions. She will respond immediately to you, and your question might be featured in future newsletters.
Q: Our regular lesson time is on a holiday next week. May we reschedule for a different day?
A: If your child is taking online lessons, you can always reschedule for a different day or different time. Or you can save up the lesson credit to use at a different time. Lesson credits will stay on your account as long as you have the subscription. If you don’t have any lesson credits, you can purchase an additional lesson for $8.00.
If your child is taking classes in person, our schedule was pre-determined before you signed up. All holidays were accounted for. There are no options to make up a class.
Your Comments And Questions
We want to hear from you! What questions do you have? What do you like best about this memo? How do you support your child’s musical talents? Please leave your questions and comments below or email Pam directly at misspam@moveovermozart.net