Author Archives: Anitaelise

What Piano Practise Is

Piano practise is an exploration of some work, or a section of that work, using a method or technique of exploration that is taught during piano lessons, to achieve a specific goal. Here’s a short reminder of what piano practise is Correctly shaped hands. Different from playing a piece. Repetition. Good posture. Short slots withContinue reading “What Piano Practise Is”

Book Review : The Art of Piano Fingering

The Art of Piano Fingering by Rami Bar-Niv is a wonderfully detailed exploration of piano fingering. It’s become my textbook for when I get stuck with fingering and need to study it in relation to playing technique, hand size and the kind of effect that a passage of piano music requires the pianist to produce.Continue reading “Book Review : The Art of Piano Fingering”

7 Scheduling Tips for Relaxed Piano Practise

The way piano practise is scheduled matters. Students who manage their piano practise schedule well also learn, in the process, to manage their daily schedule well. They practise less and achieve more because they’re more relaxed. This fosters better piano playing technique and helps students move to challenging repertoire easily. The aim of good practiseContinue reading “7 Scheduling Tips for Relaxed Piano Practise”

15 Steps To Effective Learning In Piano Class

Some students learn very slowly during the first few months of piano lessons while others learn very quick. The way to quick learning is often quite simple. So here’s 15 easy steps to effective learning in piano class. Arrive at class on time. Leave home budgeting time for traffic jams and other delays, so youContinue reading “15 Steps To Effective Learning In Piano Class”

Teaching my first Skype piano class

I first tried online piano teaching in 2016, when I stopped teaching in Bandra and started teaching full time in Kharghar Navi Mumbai. My student, a 9 year old boy, wasn’t yet ready to move on to a new piano teacher and needed to continue lessons with me until he was. He therefore decided toContinue reading “Teaching my first Skype piano class”

When piano class is a battle of wills with that teenage boy

Learning to teach my students differently is a constant endeavor and my membership at Tim Topham’s Topmusic has really helped me explore different ways to make piano class challenging, fun and relaxing at the same time. I wrote a guest post (link below) based on my experiences teaching a batch of independent minded boys whoContinue reading “When piano class is a battle of wills with that teenage boy”

Coping with the overscheduled child in piano class

I write this based on my experiences as a piano teacher years ago, and success working with piano students and families that were over-scheduled. This is a child who never has a week-day at home after school. Who doesn’t get enough age appropriate unstructured play time that is necessary for growth and development. And whoContinue reading “Coping with the overscheduled child in piano class”

The Newspaper.. an ode to a lost friend

She was the one you could go to… When you wanted to pick a fight with your neighbour without actually starting it yourself. A few well aimed barbs whispered in her ear, and then you just had to wait ten minutes. That’s the time it took for your message to be delivered. She always knewContinue reading “The Newspaper.. an ode to a lost friend”

I could look at you in envy

  I could look at you in envy for all the things you have, the ease with which you cope, and your luck when things get bad. You show me I can shape my world, just to bring that little bit of ease. That when the wind is strong we sometimes need to bend, orContinue reading “I could look at you in envy”

“Children don’t need time”

“Just have a baby, put your child in a creche, and continue with what you were doing before you had a baby. That’s what I did…” That’s  what a friend said to me in an effort to pressure me into having a baby! I just stared at her in total shock. I could see howContinue reading ““Children don’t need time””

A tribute to Piano Mom’s

And also to Piano Dad’s. Children love to perform and play. But many don’t understand, or have the maturity, to commit to the routine of daily practise. The first year of learning often goes slow, until their parents realise that daily practise will only happen when THEY get involved and make it happen. With myContinue reading “A tribute to Piano Mom’s”

The Mountains of Tasmania

Mountains tall as old as time, look upon the twilight gold. Dark now, in the fading light, till moon-rise, and a sky so bright. Mountains tall. And dark. And steep. Moon – she casts her silvery gaze on soaring hills, and valleys low. Streams of shining shimmering light, and shadows dark – mysterious! She castsContinue reading “The Mountains of Tasmania”

Possibilities .. a poem about my dreams for the future

  Sometimes I sits, I sits and thinks, of things I’ve never seen, Of places that I’ll never know, of what I may not be. Of all the possibilities that seem so far away, of all the lovely winding roads, that lead out from my gate. I dream of possibilities I cannot see awake, OfContinue reading “Possibilities .. a poem about my dreams for the future”

So…who IS Luke Skywalker?

My husband is in a state of shock – I did not know I could have this effect on him. It all started a couple of days ago, when I noticed an image on his computer screen. A picture of this guy Luke. I saw it and immediately asked my husband if it was LukeContinue reading “So…who IS Luke Skywalker?”

I get it!

I get it! That you have important matters to talk about so you drive slowly, Focused on your cellphone conversation. And I get it that you  just don’t care That you’re slowing everyone down The vehicles behind you are switching lanes at the last minute, The drivers frustrated that they’re stuck driving at a crawlContinue reading “I get it!”

You Know You’re 40 When

You no longer feel like you’re just out of college. You are 20 kgs heavier than when you were 20 but you feel very slim. You will never have time to do all that you have to or want to. You are wise and you have given up trying – there’s a long long ‘To-do’Continue reading “You Know You’re 40 When”