Andrea and kids - learning with Soft Mozart

andreasro wrote: Well, after I finished, I took him in my lap and entered the Gentle Piano, HCB. I showed him how to press the keys with each finger (3,2,1) or just one finger and singing out loud the note. Then I let him sit alone at the piano and I helped him find the notes always (me) singing them out loud so he could remember. Here's the score:
140 sec – 11 / 15 with more help from me
114 sec – 6 /15 with less help from me
89 sec – 6 / 15 with same less help from me

Not bad for the star. Now there is only way up! Please, keep recording all of the scores. You will see how rapid is the progress and be able to be in control. Are you using any ‘music mone’ alone the way?

What I've noticed so far:
I think he has remembered the "Mi,Re,Do" sequence from HCB.

Of cause! He is using his speech memory now.

The only note he recognizes easily on the piano is "Do". That's the one he presses most in the Guess Key game.

… as it was planned!)))

In Gentle Piano: he likes to see the butterfly appearing.

It means that he holds key long enough! Pretty good!

Not so often, but he tried to follow my instructions when he needed to press the same note more than once - occasion on which I discovered he was looking at the screen and paying more attention on the piano keys he needed to find. He still likes to press keys and see where the spiders appear (basically he looks at the piano, chooses a key, and then watches the screen to see what does it show).

He will move on from this stage pretty soon

For me, after seeing his progress in the last two weeks and mainly yesterday, I am glad. He IS learning. And I believe I am giving him an example when I let him watch me playing and learning piano. Maybe in time he'll want to do what and how I do it and will stop fooling around as, like Manda said in her son's case, I know he's able to do better.

I don’t have any doubts!

My view for now is just to find a variety of things to do and show him related to piano playing and just let him play when he wants to and teach him with SM when and how much he's into it.

I think, he is going to follow your footsteps on that.
A little tip: the best time to offer him some ‘piano time’ is before napping or nighttime. Kids are always keen of staying up late and this activity is the way for them to have it. For you it is a way to calm your sun down with some intellectual/art activity to have good dreams.

andreasro wrote: Hellene,

As a musician, what is your opinion on Andre Rieu and using his concerts as a way of instilling children the love for music?

Great musician and wonderful popularize of classical music: talented, festive, and bright!

I'm asking you as I love his concerts and my DS1 loves to watch his videos. I saw it as a way to teach him about music by showing him what an orchestra is, to describe him things he sees and hears in such a concert. I like his style of making a concert, it helps me listen to this music with great interest and joy.

Such a great idea to ingraft love to classical music!

Florin said in one of his posts about taking a child to a classical concert. Until I find an opportunity to do that, I can show him DVD's with live concerts and Andre Rieu is the first that comes into my mind, though maybe his shows are more made for entertainment (?).

Andrea, life concerts could be distractive for such young and active child. But with current technology watching video concerts or listen to DVDs and CDs is not such a bad idea!

As a music illiterate, I can not appreciate the quality of Andre Rieu's interpretation and artistic views. It's appealing to my ears and to my soul, but I can't compare what he does to the original composition or to a different interpretation of the same melodies. Andrea

His orchestra arrangements are brilliant!
Please, note: the best way to understand and enjoy classical music in fullest is music literacy. Your own music making is going to bring you much further then passive listening. But combination of the both is essential alone with learning about composers and genres down the road.

hellene wrote: Did you have any experience in playing piano before?

Along the years I had just little opportunities of playing piano here and there. But about a year ago or so I found on youtube this great channel of a young teacher, Andrew Furmankzyk, who put free online piano lessons . I started to learn piano exercises and music theory from his videos.
On his website, www.howtoplaypiano.ca/ , you find his life story, an interesting one. I like his teaching style. Using a traditional but personalized way of teaching (coming from his experience ans a student and teacher in the same time) he's explaining everyone so they can learn to play piano.

hellene wrote: Carefully look at the notes with diez (sharps) and bemol (flats) when you’ll reach the same level next time. You will see tiny black quadrangle on the right or left side of the notes. It means that instead of playing white key you have to play closest black one that is on the right or left side of the white key.

I lacked the courage to try But next time I'll go through it.

hellene wrote: Why had you decide to play ‘Fruit lines’?))) I usually give this game after ‘Note Alphabet’ one. You are pretty smart, if managed to get so many levels. Did you reach the end of the game and saw fireworks?

I like challenges, mainly the challenges I give to myself No, I didn't get to the fireworks yet!
Well, I played "Note Alphabet" the last night and I must say I saw the meaning behind the background of the game and its link to 'Fruit Lines'.

hellene wrote: In contrary this game is not as difficult as you think. When colors disappear, just look at the notes in the baskets and you will be just fine.

I didn't get to colours dissapearing but I will try until I succeed

hellene wrote: Now I want you to imagine, how mad I am, when some people (especially music teachers) are trying to tell me that ‘it is not big of a deal to coordinate music notes going up and down and piano keys going left and right. When I am training them I usually give them the games and make my point right there, when they start complaining about that.

Good method!


Andrea

hellene wrote: Are you using any ‘music mone’ alone the way?

Did you mean 'music money'? No, not yet. For now I want to try his patience and ability to listen instructions. I think he's made a great progress from the little boy I knew and the little boy that is playing now.

One more thing:
Usually he's using either right or left hand when playing and scribbling. And he also likes to touch piano keys using his left hand too and two piano keys simultaneously using the index from each hand.

hellene wrote: A little tip: the best time to offer him some ‘piano time’ is before napping or nighttime. Kids are always keen of staying up late and this activity is the way for them to have it. For you it is a way to calm your sun down with some intellectual/art activity to have good dreams.

Thank you, it's a great idea.
Last time we did it, the one I posted about, it was in the evening. I saw him more concentrated than during the day.

NadiaD wrote: that is how my daughter is Just I turn off the lights, she starts to ask me ( to put mildly) to play the piano. I do let her , and of course her enthusiasm is not lasting long, 5-10 min

Andrea

hellene wrote: His orchestra arrangements are brilliant!

If YOU think so too, than I'm glad. It means I made a good choice

hellene wrote: Please, note: the best way to understand and enjoy classical music in fullest is music literacy. Your own music making is going to bring you much further then passive listening. But combination of the both is essential alone with learning about composers and genres down the road.

Thank you. I would put this note in bold, somewhere around the house for me to remember and as a motto in any place people talk about music education, music literacy and so on because many people don't know that.

Andrea