Barbara Kreader, Editor The Magic Triangle: Teacher/Student/Parent Barbara Kreader, Editor For this issue, teacher and composer, Bruce Berr continues this column's three part overview of the qualities parents of successful piano students share.  The Interview by Bruce Berr Isabella recently turned six, and she has been studying piano for ...

from the series: The Magic Triangle: Teacher/Student/Parent Barbara Kreader, Editor Gather together a group of piano teachers and the topic often turns to their students and practicing or, more often, the lack of it. Everyone recognizes the Cliffhanger Family. Whether or not they show up each week matches the odds of winning the lottery. We al...

from the series: The Magic Triangle: Teacher/Student/Parent Barbara Kreader, Editor No matter what the music's style, familiarity breedsinterest.... Yet all music doesn't need to be familiarto hook a student's excitement. How many times did you teach "Für EIise" this year? Do you know every known arrangement of "T...

The Magic Triangle: Teacher/Student/Parent Group teaching takes special skills. I rediscovered this fact last Fall when I began teaching Music Together, a program for infants, toddlers, and their caregivers. True, I had taught regular third and first grade sometime during the Dark Ages of my 20s, but time passes and memories fade. I distinctly...

I first met Toshie Okada and her two daughters, Emi, and Tamami on the rocky mountain path between Ptarmigan and Owl cabins at Rocky Ridge Music Center in Estes Park, Colorado. Toshie and I had exchanged excited e-mails about the prospect of her two daughters coming to the United States from Japan to attend the first Junior Seminar Session at the C...

Elizabeth Van Ness teaches music appreciation and enrichment in Los Angeles area public schools. A mother of two daughters, she believes that students benefit when parents work in cooperation with teachers. In addition to teaching, Elizabeth is a writer for computer programs, television, and magazines, including Keyboard Companion's A Parent's Poin...

Every student knows, or at least can imagine, the feeling of pride and joy musicians take from giving a performance that is appreciated by others. It's a feeling that's inspiring as well as gratifying. As one teacher writes in her students' assignment books, "To keep your talent, you must give it away!"  Unfortunately, "giving away talent" may...

Dear Reader, It has been an education, a challenge, and a pleasure to be the Associate Editor of the Magic Triangle Department since the first issue of Keyboard Companion in the spring of 1990. I have enjoyed the opportunity to communicate with our readers and to investigate the many issues involving the Magic Triangle. Now, as the time has come fo...

I want to express my deepest appreciation to the many readers who write in to share their ideas and teaching tips with us! Your ideas are always interesting and challenging. Generally, we share these ideas in the Post Box section of each department. However, due to the generosity of our readers, the Magic Triangle Post Box has fallen behind. S...

from the series: The Magic Triangle: Teacher/Student/Parent For this issue, we went directly to the students to ask - What musical games do you enjoy the most? I think you will find their answers interesting, surprising, educational, delightful, and humorous. I only wish that you could see all of the actual slips of paper with the various styl...

Why Do You Have an Ethics Policy for Your Studio? By Cathy Albergo Cathy Albergo, Associate Professor of Music at William Rainey Harper College, Chicago, Illinois, teaches piano pedagogy, class piano, piano performance, and ensemble. As Director of the Harper Music Academy, she supervises over 300 students of all ages. Co-author of The Intermediate...

How Would You Describe a Good Piano Teacher? If you have ever moved from one city or state to another, you - , have gone through the careful process of finding a new doctor, dentist, aerobics teacher, dance teacher, etc. When you were searching for these new professionals to work with you and your family, you probably had an idea of exactly what ty...

Music makes a difference. This simple statement sums up the answer to perhaps the single most important question for music teachers - Why is music study important? In this issue, The Magic Triangle will give you an overview of the importance of music study, provide some suggestions on how to educate parents and students about the importance of...

Cathy Albergo, Associate Professor of Music at William Rainey Harper College, Chicago, Illinois, teaches piano pedagogy, class piano, piano performance, and ensemble. As Director of the Harper Music Academy, she supervises over 300 students of all ages. Co-author of The Intermediate Repertoire Guide, she is active as a clinician, author, adjudicato...

How Would You Describe a Good Teacher? by Cathy Albergo If you have ever moved from one city or state to another, you have gone through the careful process of finding a new doctor, dentist, aerobics teacher, dance teacher, etc. When you were searching for these new professionals to work with you and your family, you probably had an idea of exactly ...