Articles for Parents

When should my child do a piano exam?

The answer to this question is not “every November.” Many people assume that piano exams are designed to be achieved at a yearly pace. This is not true. Many teachers would like to answer this question “not before your teacher...[more]

How to Become a Great Sight Reader

I was expecting blues scales, riffs and streams of consciousness, but this workshop on piano improvisation was a surprising place to hear an endorsement of the need to read. When improviser, pianist and educator Tony Gould spoke...[more]

What pieces should my child play for their exam?

Your child’s piano teacher may very well lie awake at night pondering which piece to introduce next. For this reason, your music library will be expanding – and this is a great thing for students. Beyond the books published by...[more]

How do you learn to read music?

Think about how your child learned to read English. First, they learned to speak English by hearing you speak then copying you a few words at a time. You drew their name in the sand on the beach and with textas on...[more]

Does it matter that I'm not musical?

When couples marry, they are often horrified at the Christmas traditions of their in-laws. “But you don’t have any Christmas stockings!” “You’ve only got roast turkey, you should have roast chicken as well!” “We can’t open the...[more]

What if my child doesn’t feel like practicing?

What would you do if your child didn’t feel like going to school? Or eating their vegetables? Brushing their teeth? Parents insist that their children do certain things because of the long-term benefits. Even if our children...[more]

How do I find a good music teacher?

A good teacher enjoys music and seeks to pass on this enjoyment to their students. They take interest in their pupils, trying to find the best methods to suit the individual. Their aim is to give their students a quality music...[more]