So one of the parents on Saturday offered me hardboiled eggs. I like eggs. I also like being able to eat, because as someone who's more-or-less self-employed that means I can do things like "not have mandatory lunch breaks in the name of efficiency" and y'know pay the consequences later ( Read more... )

Usually when I compose, I get bogged down in details - namely "how complicated can I make a chord progression". And then I get stuck.

I woke up hearing this in my head as strings and thought it had a very Zelda feel to it, so I wrote it out. I actually managed to complete it, but for some reason my streamer stopped recording the audio. Forte ( Read more... )

So sometimes, instead of a piano lesson, my students realize I'm a font of random knowledge (plus have a teaching degree) and instead of spending all the time on a piano lesson, they ask if I can provide homework help instead. And I'm okay with that, because I tell them that this is their choice: if they cannot focus for 30 minutes on a piano ( Read more... )

I really want to learn another instrument. It's mostly making the discipline and time commitment to do so ( Read more... )

So recently I played background for my student's wedding reception (he's my age and 'finally' getting married). Some sound issues, but overall I had a great time playing for him ( Read more... )

Today I normally teach two kids in between others, but due cancellations they were my last class, meaning I didn't have to hurry to or from them. It's an older son and younger daughter ( Read more... )

Parent: "[Son] has been freaking out over this song, he's stressed and anxious and didn't want to play it."
Me: "I've got this."

*twenty minutes later finds son excitedly trying to play next part of difficult song, stares at me like I've performed witchcraft*

Following up on the new 2015 syllabus, the RCM is finally putting ear tests online, on their website. (The syllabus was last updated in 2008.)

I'm honestly a little disappointed, and wished I had stayed back at the seminar to point something out: the RCM is painfully behind the times. In this age of technology, the RCM can't afford to update every ( Read more... )

My community centre is getting a new piano! We've been on the same one for quite a while, and it's pretty beat up. I'm excited for something a little more classy and not looking like firewood!

Dear parent ( Read more... )