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Weekly Listening Activity 2018-2019
April 1st: Happy Birthday Rachmaninoff!
April 1st: Happy Birthday Rachmaninoff!
March 17th-23rd: 10 Levels of Difficulty
March 17th-23rd: 10 Levels of Difficulty
March 3rd-March 9th: From Beethoven to Bieber
March 3rd-March 9th: From Beethoven to Bieber
December 16th-December 22nd: Moonlight Sonata
December 16th-December 22nd: Moonlight Sonata
December 9th-December 15th: Scriabin, Part Two
December 9th-December 15th: Scriabin, Part Two
December 2nd-December 8th: Scriabin, Part One
December 2nd-December 8th: Scriabin, Part One
November 25th-December 1st: Sound of Silence
November 25th-December 1st: Sound of Silence
November 18th-November 24th: Miniature Delights
November 18th-November 24th: Miniature Delights
November 11th-November 17th: Wild Hunt
November 11th-November 17th: Wild Hunt
October 14th-20th: The Erlking
October 14th-20th: The Erlking
September 30th-October 6th: Pianos Galore
September 30th-October 6th: Pianos Galore
September 23rd-29th: Astounding Sounding Arpeggios
September 23rd-29th: Astounding Sounding Arpeggios
September 16th-22nd: Wonderful Waltz Week
September 16th-22nd: Wonderful Waltz Week
Waltz of the Flowers
Waltz of the Flowers
Introduction to Listening Activities
Introduction to Listening Activities
Weekly Listening Activities (2017-2018)
May 20-May 26: Beautiful Singing
May 20-May 26: Beautiful Singing
Apr. 29-May 5: Duet Variations
Apr. 29-May 5: Duet Variations
Apr. 22-Apr. 28: Pachelbel's Canon
Apr. 22-Apr. 28: Pachelbel's Canon
Apr. 15-Apr. 21: A 20th Century Giant
Apr. 15-Apr. 21: A 20th Century Giant
Apr. 8-Apr. 14: A Taste of Cuba
Apr. 8-Apr. 14: A Taste of Cuba
Apr. 1-Apr. 7: Rachmaninoff Week
Apr. 1-Apr. 7: Rachmaninoff Week
Mar. 11-Mar. 17: Ragtime Fun
Mar. 11-Mar. 17: Ragtime Fun
Mar.4-Mar. 10: Disney Fantasia
Mar.4-Mar. 10: Disney Fantasia
Feb. 25-Mar. 3: The Nutcracker
Feb. 25-Mar. 3: The Nutcracker
Feb. 18-Feb. 24: Happy Chinese New Year!
Feb. 18-Feb. 24: Happy Chinese New Year!
Feb. 11-Feb. 17: Rachmaninoff Journey
Feb. 11-Feb. 17: Rachmaninoff Journey
Feb. 4-Feb. 10: Rachmaninoff Concerto no. 2
Feb. 4-Feb. 10: Rachmaninoff Concerto no. 2
Jan. 28-Feb.3: Mary Had a Little Lamb
Jan. 28-Feb.3: Mary Had a Little Lamb
Jan. 21-Jan. 27: Polyphonic Piano Playing
Jan. 21-Jan. 27: Polyphonic Piano Playing
Jan. 14-Jan. 20: Waltz of the Flowers
Jan. 14-Jan. 20: Waltz of the Flowers
Jan. 7-Jan 13: Happy New Year!
Jan. 7-Jan 13: Happy New Year!
Dec. 17-Dec. 23: Merry Christmas!
Dec. 17-Dec. 23: Merry Christmas!
Dec. 3-Dec.9: Guitar vs Piano
Dec. 3-Dec.9: Guitar vs Piano
Nov. 26-Dec. 2: Chaconne
Nov. 26-Dec. 2: Chaconne
Nov. 12-Nov. 18: The Legend Of Zelda
Nov. 12-Nov. 18: The Legend Of Zelda
Nov. 5-Nov. 11: Beauty and The Beast
Nov. 5-Nov. 11: Beauty and The Beast
Oct. 29-Nov. 4: Halloween
Oct. 29-Nov. 4: Halloween
Oct. 15-Oct. 21: In The Mood
Oct. 15-Oct. 21: In The Mood
Oct. 8-Oct. 14: How Many Hands?
Oct. 8-Oct. 14: How Many Hands?
Oct. 1-Oc.t 7: Harry Potter
Oct. 1-Oc.t 7: Harry Potter
Sep. 24-Sep. 30: Chopin
Sep. 24-Sep. 30: Chopin
Sep. 17-Sep. 23: Waltz Week!
Sep. 17-Sep. 23: Waltz Week!
Sep. 10-Sep. 16: Looking Into The Future
Sep. 10-Sep. 16: Looking Into The Future
Introduction
Introduction
Weekly Listening Activities (2016-2017)
June 4-June 10: Magical Music
June 4-June 10: Magical Music
May 28-June 3: Little Red Riding Hood and Bach
May 28-June 3: Little Red Riding Hood and Bach
May 21-May 27: Midnight Moonlight Mood ☽
May 21-May 27: Midnight Moonlight Mood ☽
May 14-May 20: Mother Goose Suite
May 14-May 20: Mother Goose Suite
May 7-May 13: The Music of Brahms
May 7-May 13: The Music of Brahms
April 30-May 6: The Carnival of the Animals
April 30-May 6: The Carnival of the Animals
April 23: Jazz & Ragtime
April 23: Jazz & Ragtime
April 16th: Encores
April 16th: Encores
April 9: Popular Tunes
April 9: Popular Tunes
April 2nd: Rock with Rachmaninoff
April 2nd: Rock with Rachmaninoff
March 26th: The Seasons
March 26th: The Seasons
March 19th: Looking Into The Future
March 19th: Looking Into The Future
March 5th: Fun with Franz - Lyrical Lisztening
March 5th: Fun with Franz - Lyrical Lisztening
February 26th: Sublime Schubert & Overzealous Orff
February 26th: Sublime Schubert & Overzealous Orff
February 12th: Truly Astounding Animals & A Tribute to Alberta
February 12th: Truly Astounding Animals & A Tribute to Alberta
February 5th: Nocturne and Scarlatti
February 5th: Nocturne and Scarlatti
January 29th: Journey Through Space and Magic
January 29th: Journey Through Space and Magic
January 22nd: The Little Bell & an Arabesque
January 22nd: The Little Bell & an Arabesque
January 15th: Aeolian Harp and Buzzing Bees
January 15th: Aeolian Harp and Buzzing Bees
Introducing Weekly Listening Activities
Introducing Weekly Listening Activities
First Look: Prelude & a Snow Piece
First Look: Prelude & a Snow Piece

How can I get inspired? What is good practice?  How can parents contribute?

Frequently asked questions from students & parents regarding lessons, motivation and practice

 

From "The Practice of Practising" by Concert Pianist, Stephen Hough, to health benefits of learning piano.

Articles that are interesting & relevant for students & parents

 

Listening is educational & inspirational for students, parents, & musicians of all levels.

Discover Classical Music in Calgary

Videos:

Videos
The transformative power of classical music | Benjamin Zander

Highly RecKIMmended

Benjamin Zander has two infectious passions: classical music, and helping us all realize our untapped love for it -- and by extension, our untapped love for all new possibilities, new experiences, new connections.

 "Everybody loves classical music -- they just haven't found out about it yet."

"I realized my job was to awaken possibility in other people."

Piano Masterclass: James Rhodes

"I've never subscribed to the idea that you can't find the time to do something like this..."
 

The pianist explains how just 20 minutes of practice a day can improve your technique.

How playing an instrument benefits your brain - Anita Collins

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-playing...

When you listen to music, multiple areas of your brain become engaged and active. But when you actually play an instrument, that activity becomes more like a full-body brain workout. What's going on? Anita Collins explains the fireworks that go off in musicians' brains when they play, and examines some of the long-term positive effects of this mental workout. 

Lesson by Anita Collins, animation by Sharon Colman Graham.

How to read music - Tim Hansen

Like an actor's script, a sheet of music instructs a musician on what to play (the pitch) and when to play it (the rhythm). Sheet music may look complicated, but once you've gotten the hang of a few simple elements like notes, bars and clefs, you're ready to rock. Tim Hansen hits the instrumental basics you need to read music.

How I memorize piano music | Jocelyn Swigger | TEDxGettysburgCollege

Music and science: one and the same? Concert pianist Jocelyn Swigger illustrates the behind-the-scenes process of memorizing at the piano, revealing surprising parallels between practicing music and science. 

Upright pianos versus Grand pianos

Find out which piano is better, an upright or baby grand grand piano. There are many different qualities that separate these two types of pianos.