Piano Pizza Party 2025

Summertime, and the living is…easy?  I just hosted 6 elementary aged students at a Piano Pizza Party.  Ha, I’m exhausted!  But I think they enjoyed it.  I typically host this particular event before the Sonatina Festival in late winter.  And I usually have the older kids in attendance.  I like to give the aspiring musicians a chance to play through their sonatinas, from memory, for an audience, before they have to face an adjudicator.  It gives them a chance to spot any weaknesses in their grasp of the music, and together we have another few weeks to iron out the wrinkles.  That particular event never came to pass this year, and the younger kids were itching for some pizza.  So....

We reviewed the scales they each learned this year.  Over the year, my younger students each made a  "scale octopus", with 8 arms, for each of the 7 letters of the musical alphabet plus an additional A for the octave.  They learned 5-finger scales and added beads to the octopus' arms to represent the scales they mastered.         The older kids made longer chains, full octave scales with black and white beads to represent the key signature of each scale.  It has become quite the competition to get the longest chain!  (Sanna has played through the Circle of Fifths all the way to F#.)  Yesterday, they quizzed each other on the scales they'd learned, the key signatures, and the proper finger technic for playing scales.  (Seriously, they didn't want my input at all, but relied on each other for feedback!) 

They also played a piano ensemble rendition of Pachelbel’s Canon in D, (see Jennifer Boster, at theplayfulpiano.com) with the various themes building on each other.  The Canon in D Piano Ensemble Strips contains 17 2-measure phrases from Pachelbel's Canon. Jennifer has 2 pianos, and in her video, I think she accommodates up to 8 kids at a time, each new theme adding to the mix.  I divvied up the 17 phrases among my students, and had them each master just one phrase, not knowing who would attend the party and how we would handle 17 phrases on just one piano.  The smaller party attendance was thus a plus.  Those who were game spread out across the keyboard.  Camille started with the opening phrase in the bass clef, Sanna then added the treble melody, and Sam filled in between them.  Yes, we lacked some of the more intricate phrases, but it worked out well for all involved.  They each played the same rhythm, all quarter notes, and they played well.  They recognized the need to maintain a steady tempo and they now understand my admonition not to stop for mistakes.  Sam said, "I had to listen just to myself, so I didn't get lost!"  They also appreciated the joy of playing together, not something pianists get to do too often.  I hope to try it again with more advanced students and see what we can create!  

We finished the piano part of the party with a few solo performances.  Eamon, my youngest student, played Flying, consisting of 2 notes set to a rhythm up the keyboard.  He was very happy to show off his mastery!  Alex played a piece he had composed himself.  Sanna, also relatively new to the studio, attempted The Movie Thriller, from memory, and we were thrilled that she remembered most of it!  And Hazel performed 3 pieces!  Happy Birthday, which she is learning for her own birthday next week, and Cracker Jacks, which she had not mastered as of her last lesson but aced yesterday! She also gaver an encore performance of her recital version of Ode to Joy.  Then we moved outside for pizza and lemonade.  So happy the weather cooperated; 6 little kids was a lot for me in my little studio!

I love to provide performance opportunities for my students, the formal recitals and the very informal events.  These latter events give the kids confidence that they can do it!  And confidence that they can help each other as well.  I had intended to finish out with a group production of Chopsticks, but alas, we ran out of time.  That will have to be our summer project.

Winter Cabaret

 A fun night!  It was very cold, and snow is predicted, which tends to keep folks in this town behind closed doors.  But not tonight!  Tonight was our annual Winter Cabaret, an event for my piano students to show off what they've learned since the Halloween Recital, and an excuse to keep them practicing over the school break.    

New this year, I invited alumni to perform.  Alumnae, actually.  One former student has "graduated" from piano to clarinet.  She and her sister played a piano/clarinet duet that was beautiful.  This same sister is studying music and anthropology, and opened the program with Mendelssohn, and knocked my socks off!  The third alumna is a music theater major this year; she and her brother played a piano/violin duet, also spectacular.  Around these three acts, my younger students offered their own fare, from Ode to Joy and Jingle Bells to The Dreidle Song and Silent Night.  We also heard a heartfelt performance of The Christmas Song, from A Charlie Brown Christmas.  This last piece was still iffy at the lesson earlier this week, but what a little pressure can do for the practice curve!  

The Winter Cabaret has become a favorite performance venue.  Low-key, with cookies and apple cider, with Playdough (to mold young musicians) and pen and paper (to draw on their creativity), everyone participates in one way or another.  The format has changed over the years, but always enjoyed by all.

Play Music on the Porch Day

What a great concept!  Playmusicontheporchday.com and the book Play Music on the Porch Day, by Brian Mallman, illustrated by Pepjin de Jonge, set the stage for my back-to-school, first performance opportunity.  And what fun we had!  I pulled out all the stops, had drums, ukulele, flute, violin, as well as electric keyboard on my back deck, for everyone to enjoy.  My summer students showed off their summer accomplishments, my returning students dusted off Spring Recital music, my parents even joined in the fun and did their best on the handbells.  We attempted Mary Had a Little Lamb, as well as Largo, from New World Symphony.  

Brian Mallman had the idea, "What if for one day everything stopped...And we all just listened to the music?"  The idea took root, and in 2014, the first Play Music on the Porch Day occurred.  By 2018, musicians from 70 countries participated, posting their events on the website.  "Musicians from across the globe, regardless of their differences, are finding common ground through music...  Music is powerful and universal...  When you pick up your instrument and start to play, the world disappears and you get lost in the sounds."

We've had rain and high humidity for days; I was afraid we'd be rained out.  I spent the whole morning cleaning inside, just in case.  By noon, it was just cloudy, so I spent the next hour and a half setting up the back deck.  The kids were enthusiastic, the siblings participated, as well as the parents.  I even played (very badly, I admit) the violin.  But what a blast!  And in true party fashion, we had chips and dips and soda.  I made peach bars, mm mm good!   

I hope to make this an annual event!  

12th Night Piano Party

How do you get your students to practice over the holidays?  Host a recital after the holiday!  It always works.  Last year we met in the church, actually just 2 days after Christmas.  The church was still decorated for services, poinsettias, candles, lovely, quite inspiring, actually. This year, I pushed it back a week, and will probably keep this new agenda moving forward.  

What a HUGE success!  I had 19 students participate, from the absolute beginner to the well-seasoned high schooler; two adults even braved the spotlight tonight.  What fun everyone had.  Smiles all around.  I set it up cabaret-style, tables surrounding the piano in the parish hall.  Poinsettias on all the tables, and PlayDough!  Part of a New Year's Resolution to shape these young students into accomplished musicians!  Yes, the party favors were a hit, even with the non-performing audience.  

But the stars of the night were the 19 performers, playing Jingle Bells, O Christmas Tree, Deck the Halls (we did have a lot of Jingle Bells, O Christmas Tree, and Deck the Halls) and Come See the Parade! and Chopin and Hoagie Carmichael.  Everyone chose their own favorite current study piece, holiday or not.  They had 2 whole months to learn, internalize, and polish their music, and they each shone.  

We did not have a formal program.  We drew names out of a hat to set the order.  I think the informal setting took the pressure off.  Even those who made obvious errors were not flustered.  They held their composure, moved on, and got to the end of their music without a grimace. 

And after the program, while folks were enjoying cookies and sparkling cider (note to self -- sparkling cider is a hit!), both young and old returned to the piano to play more music, to play duets, to have fun!  I think the "open piano" half of the evening was my favorite part.  At that point, the group's attention was diverted and the kids especially could just let loose, enjoy the art of creating music.  "Put all your soul into it, play the way you feel!" to quote Chopin.  These kids (and adults) were feeling happy and proud of their accomplishments!  

Frederick County Duets

(I can't believe I failed to post this.  The event was in June!  My bad...) 

What a morning!  The Frederick County Music Teachers Association had their end-of-the-year meeting this morning.  Typically, at this particular meeting, we gather for coffee and conversation, no set agenda, just reminiscing about the year past and dreaming about the year to come. 

This morning, however, was a little but different.  Back in March, I challenged the teachers to a Duet duel!  Buddy up with a partner, practice a duet of their own choosing, and perform for each other at this meeting.  Oh, what fun!

The opening number was a one piano, 4 hands transcription of Beethoven’s 5^th – OMG, it was like the entire orchestra was right there in front of us!  The sound one can get out of a grand piano in an acoustically live room is immense!  We heard Brahms’ Liebeslieder,  Dvorak’s ­­­­Slavonic Dances, Faure’s  Dolly Suite,  Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite, and a Prelude in G Major, by Melody Bober, for 6 hands!  We decided those 6 hands should be connected to younger bodies; we didn’t fit on the piano bench, had to bring in an extra chair. 

Although our event was not advertised, not a public event per se, it was a great way to end a year of in-person performances by our students.  For most of the pandemic, our student performances were limited, or online.  This year we were fortunate to host a few recitals in person, and what a difference live music makes!  Not wanting to be left out, I guess, we decided to do our own Duet Recital.  I can’t wait ‘til next year when we do it again! 

Where'd I Put My Glasses?

Great lesson last night.  New student, still learning to read the notes.  And he admitted he hadn't had time to practice.  As we were reviewing his treble clef notes, I observed him leaning closer to the music, pulling back a bit, squinting.  "I wonder if this book is online?  At work I just enlarge the screen."  "Ah, you need glasses," I replied.  Middle-age moment.  "Let's put the book away and approach this differently."

So we did.  First, Twinkle Twinkle.   I love teaching this piece; it's part of a first lesson with kids, but not so with adults.  It took some doing, but he got it.  So well, actually, that his right hand taught his left hand how to play it.  Voila!  Hands together.  Good job!

How about a scale now.  He played C to C, using most of his right hand fingers.  We corrected for fingering, and he got it.  Now add left hand, in contrary motion, both thumbs sharing Middle C.  After a few trials, he got it.  Good, good, now parallel motion, ascending.  Got that too.  We were on a roll!  But we still had 40 minutes to fill.

"What do you remember about Twinkle Twinkle?  Did you know that Mozart wrote 12 variations on this very tune?  Let's add some left hand accompaniment."  (Yes, I've taught the variations, and have the opening theme etched in my brain.)  We learned it measure by measure, left hand first, then adding right hand.  We got as far as "How I wonder what you are" before our time was up.  Depending on his state of denial next week, we might get to add "Up above the world so high."  (Yes, he really needs to get glasses.)

This was the evening for rote learning.  I had a youngster earlier tonight.  This little guy is an amazing reader.  I have a poster of musical terms in my studio.  He has read every word on it, many times.  "Sforzando--that's a funny word!" He's got phonics down pat.  Not so with note reading, however.  I have him in a young beginners book, and we struggle every week.   (Funny, he can identify the notes on flash cards, and he can name the notes on the keyboard, but he can't get from staff to keyboard.  Gotta work on that.)  

We turned the page to find Old MacDonald Had a Farm.  Oh, good, a melody he knows!  He named the notes, he knew which hand starts, he put his hands in position.  "Where do I start?"  Um... left hand thumb, middle C.  After a few false starts, we closed the book.  I told him to sing it while he played.  After the opening C C C, do the notes go up or down?  "Old      Mac      Don 

                             ald."  Sing it -- Up or down?  Yes!  He got it.  We never quite got to E-I-E-I-O; perhaps next week.  

A challenging evening, but always fun.  

Piano Pizza Party

End of the school year, end of the piano year.  How do you celebrate a year of in-person lessons, YAY!, in-person recitals, BRAVO!, and great successes?  Throw a Piano Pizza Party, of course!  I used to have a huge event, at the house, invite all my students, their families, prospects for next year.  That's when I lived in a big house.  Since I downsized, I hardly have room for all my students to gather.  

But gather we did.  Everyone had had a portion of a duet or a trio to learn.  We only had a month to pull this together; our Spring Recital was May 1. These kids were awesome!  The first performance was Ravel's Pavane for Sleeping Beauty, from The Mother Goose Suite,  The two girls who performed had never played together.  They are both accomplished young musicians.  They read well, they learn quickly, and they played very well together.  First read-through was a bit clipped.  We listened to the suggested metronome marking and they played again,  Wow!  Yes, awesome!

The second performer was a youngster,   She has limited recital experience, and was reluctant this evening.  We agreed to skip the performance piece and jump to the party piece, Hungry Hippo. The primo section is all on black keys -- hey, I know this piece -- I played it with my friends when I was little!  She learned the piece in the book, and I taught her a few additional verses.  We had fun learning it, and we had fun performing it for the others.  This little girl was ready to teach it to the other students in attendance!  Maybe at another time; we had more music to play.  In fact, she then played her performance piece, She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain, also a duet, very well.  

The final presentation was Melody Bober's Prelude in G Major, a piano trio, meaning one piano, 6 hands!  We all learned a lesson on preparedness with this one.  The two outer voices had given adequate time to learning their parts; the inner voice, not so much.  Hey, with the demands of end-of-the-year school activities, it is understandable that she just didn't have the time.  She did her best, resorting to reading just one hand.  Still, the piece didn't hold together.  She and I changed places: I played the inner voice and she became the teacher.  I too had not given it much prep time, but we pulled it off.  

My new mantra this year has been Practice Makes Progress.  These kids on Tuesday evening appreciate what that means.  And their prize for their progress?  Pizza!  Funny, everyone had a chair for the performance half of the evening, but once the pizza came out, we all just sat on the floor.  Some good conversation between bites let me know the evening was a success.