Summer Piano Practice Can Be Great

    Young Children have an "I can do it" attitude. Tackling a song on the piano is like a game. They either have the notion that they can or they believe they can't. Once it has been done, they don't really see a reason to repeat it. Before the age of 8 they will not be ready to go to the piano by themselves to practice. They need help getting to the piano and they need reasons to repeat their pieces of music.

   Make your piano corner an inviting place to be. Have music books ready to go and get an assignment notebook to access on the piano stand. Have ample light at the piano and make sure your bench is at an appropriate height. When hands are on the keyboard the forearms and wrists should be level.

     My Summer Music Contest will have a side benefit. Recording the minutes you practice will also start or improve the habit of practicing with a plan. The young beginner may only have the songs to play and an amount of time to play but the older student needs to come to his practice session with goals for each piece. What changes need to be made? How should the song sound? What corrections should be made? Good practice requires thought not just repetition.

    For the youngest students I suggest motivation. No, these are not candies, just marbles. "Move a marble every time you play the song. You know you will be done when all the marbles are in the other bowl."

    Have an audience at the piano. "Spotty the Horse wants to hear that song again a little slower."

    Anna is ready to get her 100 minutes of practice. She sees many scoops on her cone this summer.