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Writer's picturePiano Performance Arts Academy

Pre-Opening & Welcome Back Letter

Updated: Aug 1, 2021

Dear Parents and Students,


We hope you are having a wonderful and restful Summer. As we approach the beginning of the Fall semester, we want to inform you in regards to our upcoming procedures to keep our families healthy and safe.


Masks

Our start date for the Fall semester is August 10th and we will be requesting the use of masks while attending our in-person piano lessons. Mrs. Giampietro has been fully vaccinated and will continue to use masks during her in-person teaching. We will supply disposable masks for students who forget to wear one.


Cancellation due to illness

The student will notify the instructor if the student has had a cough, fever, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, flu-like symptoms, gastrointestinal upset, or experienced a loss of taste or smell. It's okay to not come to your class if you don't feel well. Our first priority is to keep our students safe and healthy. Any make-up classes related to sickness will be discussed directly with the teacher.


Sanitation

We will place hand sanitizer stations at the entrance of the studio with specific instructions to use them prior to entering and upon leaving the studio. The music studio has established a set schedule to sanitize all areas where persons have been during the time lessons are offered. This includes the instruments, chairs, tables, doorknobs, light switches, and/or anywhere else people come in contact with. Surfaces will be cleaned with detergent or soap and water prior to disinfecting them. We will be using products that meet the EPA's criteria against COVID-19.


Temperature

The music studio will perform temperature checks as they enter the studio. If an elevated temperature is noted, the students will be instructed to not enter and proceed home. A make-up class will be arranged with the parents in this situation.


Payment

We request for all payments to be made by electronic payments such as Zelle, credit card, or Paypal to avoid touching surfaces.


Online Lessons

Students are not required to return to in-person classes if they are not ready. We have developed a wonderful online piano program that is very high quality, and just as good as our in-person programs.


Monitoring the CDC guidlines

We will continue to monitor the CDC guidelines and enforce safety procedures to ensure a productive and enjoyable school year.


If you have any questions and/or suggestions, please feel free to reach out to us. We looking forward to serving our music community with excellence and professionalism.

 

Spread the word!


Do you know someone who wants to take lessons? We are accepting new students for our Fall sessions.


Writer's picturePiano Performance Arts Academy

How to Guide Students to Develop Their Inner Artistry



One of our greatest joys as teachers is to help students grow and develop as artists while fostering their imagination and inner voice. It is important to teach from the early learning stages how to play musically while cultivation a healthy piano technique.


One of our best teaching tools is the ability to sing along with students so they hear how a phrase is shaped more musically. This method is easier with younger students, but it can still be done with adult students by encouraging them to hum the melody line. It is also important to help the student to make the connection of how it sounds to how it feels when playing on the piano, fostering harmonious synchrony between technique and artistry.

“All children are born artists, the problem is to remain an artist as we grow up.” — Pablo Picasso.

There are many musical elements that contribute to teaching artistry, so let's consider the following ideas to help students achieve a more expressive performance:

  • Encourage students to sing, hum, or vocally gesture the melody in order to shape it more beautifully. When we sing or hum along the melody line, we are able to internalize the melody and make them our own.


  • A creative way to teach shaping is to add words to the melody. This fosters imagination because it introduces composition and storytelling to the lesson. It is also a way to ensure that the student emphasizes the important notes in the phrase and learns how to structure the musical phrase as a whole.


  • One key component to play musically also comes from the understanding of the underlying harmony. In the early stages, this can be taught simply by pointing out where there is tension and release within the phrase while stimulating their aural skills. As a general rule, dissonances call for emphasis, while resolutions call for releases.


  • Another creative way to stimulate artistry and imagination is to have students listen to music while asking them to respond by drawing and coloring what they imagine as they listen to the music. Ask them to close their eyes as they listen to the piece, then take some time to ask a few questions, such as "Was this a fast or slow piece", "Did it sound happy, sad, or dramatic?", "What did you imagine as you listen to the music? Then, play it again and give them time to draw what they expressed. This exercise could be done with the music students are working on as well, which will increase their ability to think "outside of the box" and expand their creative outlet.


  • Another way to help students hear, see and feel the shape of the phrase is to have them trace the shape of an arc using their hand while singing or humming the phrase. A rising line can often express a gradual increase in the dynamic level, while a falling music line calls for a gradual decrease in the dynamic level. This will engage their kinesthetic ability while feeling the contour of the phrase.


We are all creative beings and music can help us learn how to cultivate our imagination, ability to express ideas and emotions. For some inspirational further reading and to help us embrace our inner artist, I highly recommend "Think Like an Artist and Lead a More Creative and Productive Life by Gompertz. With a unique blend o playfulness, inspiration and insight, we are able to explore in this book signature traits common to artists and how we are able to embrace our inner artist, no matter what we do for a living.


We hope you enjoyed this article! We look forward to educating parents and students, and how music & performing arts are such amazing catalysts for change in our lives and community.


"How to Guide Students to Develop Their Inner Artistry"

Piano Performance Arts Academy, LLC. All rights reserved 2021-2022

 

Not enrolled yet in our music program? No problem! :)

If you would like more information about music lessons, contact us and we will be glad to set up your first trial piano lesson!


Spread the word!

Do you know someone who wants to take lessons? We are currently accepting new students for our Fall sessions.



 

LOOKING FOR UNIQUE BACK-TO-SCHOOL IDEAS?

CHECK OUT OUR MUSIC STORE!


Writer's picturePiano Performance Arts Academy

Welcome to Our Gift Shop!


We are so excited to announce our Piano Gift Shop! We have been working on this project for a while and we can wait to share it with you. We have been designing super awesome piano bags, t-shirts, sweaters, and music mugs that will make a great gift!


We also have other super cool music-inspired items and a whole section with our Amazon favorites! So make sure to check them out and make your orders!


Free shipping on orders above $50.00


CHECK OUR OUT ENTIRE STORE!

CLICK HERE

 

Do you know anyone interested in piano lessons? We are accepting students! Make sure to spread the word. All ages and levels are welcome!


We Offer Classes in Three Locations:
Wesley Chapel, Tampa Palms & Riverview.
 
Choose your preferred location for your lessons!

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