Dr. Leah Shares What Practicing Means, Perseverance When Performing, and Compares Teaching in Korea and the US

 
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You have a large collection of international performances as both a student and a performer. Many musicians attribute their success to how they practiced to prepare for performances. How did your own approach to practicing evolve from when you were a child to becoming a professional?

Yes, I agree that practicing is one of the most important and key factors to a successful performance.

When I was a child, I honestly did not enjoy practicing since I felt like I was merely repeating the same thing over and over and I easily got bored of it. Even when I decided to major in piano, I used a lot of hours working on the same material until I got it right. As my studies became more serious, however, I had so many other things to take care of - studying for exams, teaching classes, accompanying workloads, house chores, etc. so I didn't have as much time to practice or work on a certain piece compared to before. This is when I started to think seriously about how to practice efficiently - which I think is the key element these days, for our living especially in this busy, fast-changing world. 

Thanks to my previous teachers, I was able to learn how to use my brain and not just my fingers to successfully achieve my goals in my practice sessions, and I wasn’t wasting my time. Remember that everything has a reason. If something doesn’t work after you’ve worked on it for a while, we need to change our way of thinking. After all, our body is controlled by our brain, not the other way. Thus, I would say that being a pro on something means that you know how to do it with efficiency.

What are some suggestions you have for our Opus 1 students that will help them evolve their own practicing as they get older and become more advanced in their playing? 

Practicing should be viewed the same way as studying for any of the subjects learned from school. Becoming advanced in something not only means that their skill level is improving but “independence” should always come along. The teacher can always guide and give an idea for practicing tips, but after all, practicing or studying happens when students are all alone. By the time students reach a certain level, they should have already explored several different approaches to their practicing.

Practicing should always have a goal set. Within a certain amount of time, you need to know what you want to change/fix. So, before you make any sound, sit down and plan your practice session. If you think you’re having the same problem for a certain amount of time, then you should stop and find another way, or reach out to your teachers for suggestions. The point here is to always be alert, responsive to what is happening while keeping the good things and getting rid of the not-so-good ones. Coach yourself and train your mind to always be aware of what you are doing. “Did you achieve your goals?” “Did it work?”

What is one of your most memorable performances as a student and what about it distinguishes it from your other experiences?

One of the most memorable performances I recall as a student is not a perfect, flawless performance, but the opposite. This was when I was in fourth grade, during the end-of-the-year student recital from my piano institution. I was performing last in the program since I won the grand prize in a local competition. Even at a young age, I felt the pressure of having to represent this institution with excellent performance. 

I played a rondo movement of a Mozart piano sonata, and I never felt that nervous. Since I wasn’t able to warm up when I was waiting for my turn in the cold backstage, I felt like my fingers weren't moving as I hoped they would when I played the first few measures. It was moving by itself without my consciousness. All I could think of was to finish this piece as fast as possible and get off the stage. After the return of the first theme later in the piece, my fingers started to wander around. I was repeating the same thing over and over to finish the movement, but I couldn’t find my way. I was lost. 

This was my first time to experience a memory slip on stage, and I didn’t know how to overcome it. I never stopped playing, but I was repeating the same music over and over. Luckily, my fingers were able to continue playing without my thoughts and I eventually could finish up the somewhat "extended" rondo. As performers, we must learn to persevere through our mistakes, which are inevitable, rather than giving up.

You’ve taught in Korea, Texas, Indiana, and now the Bay Area. What are similarities and differences that you’ve noticed between parents’ and students’ approaches to music lessons in these different regions?

Before anything, I want to articulate that my answers are solely based on how I felt from my own experiences and that my answers cannot be generalized. 

Most of the time, Korean parents are extremely interested in their child’s education. This is due to the competitive population in Korea where getting accepted to college is such a big deal and regarded as a key to a successful career. Therefore, parents are much more involved and concerned with their child’s lessons. They will constantly ask about the progress of their students, and sometimes will be anxious if their child seems like they are falling behind. I’m very well aware of this since I was also raised and educated in Korea, where, as a student, you are constantly being compared with your peers. 

As a teacher who understands the culture, I like to make the parents feel assured, so whenever I discuss students’ progress, I mostly focus on the stronger aspects, rather than the weaker ones, unless it seriously needs to be mentioned. On the students’ side, because I know how much pressure they go through, I try hard to encourage them with warm words and let them realize how wonderful they are on their own.

When I first taught in the States, I was amazed at how parents gave much freedom to lessons. Not because they aren’t interested, but because they trust their child to let them build their relationship with the teacher. I was feeling less pressure on proceeding forward to the next level but could make sure the student was enjoying and understanding the concept thoroughly. I learned that the students were more proactive and self-determining on their progress and shared their thoughts without feeling embarrassed. 

There are pros and cons of both sides, and I do not prefer this over that, but I like to absorb and combine these different approaches and ideally seek a balance. Again, this depends so much on the students and the parents and their distinctiveness, and I’m looking forward to broadening my experience with even more diverse students and parents in the Bay Area!


Piano Teacher Aaron Shares Exams, His "Outstanding Teacher" Award, and Comparing Chinese Lessons to the U.S.

 
 

In 2018, you were awarded the Extraordinary Piano Teacher Award from the Shandong Musicians Association in China. What areas of your teaching style do you feel contributed to earning this award?

When teaching, I always try to teach my students how to teach themselves. It is the core of my teaching philosophy. We have a saying in China that goes “授人以鱼，不如授人以渔”。 It has the same meaning as the great philosopher Maimonides’ “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man how to fish you feed him for a lifetime”. Not only teaching my students how to play the instrument, but help them to understand the logical and practical reasons behind that, so they can gradually pick up the approaches on how to learn or practice when I’m not with them. This is what I think is the most important.


You have a lot of background preparing your students for exams and assessments. Can you share what techniques and approaches you use that have contributed to your students’ success in their preparation?

Preparing exams can be challenging, but participating is definitely a good way for the students to grow. It could be a stage goal, and a test of the outcomes of their learning progress. Since it has a timeline, it also helps to keep the students motivated, and they’re more aware of what to do, and what to anticipate.

While preparing for the exams with my students, the first and also the most important thing is that I make a plan with my students and the parents. The plan must be realistic and should be broken down into different steps, and stick to it. Also, if they like the pieces they’re playing, chances are a lot higher for them to get more practice. So I make sure they have the preferred pieces. Motivation also comes from the process of learning. In each lesson, I make sure they’re following my instructions and suggestions while having fun playing all the pieces. When the exam date approaches, I usually have my students do mock performance, where I would be the examiner, and the students would go through all the steps of the exam. It gives them confidence and certainty when they do the actual exam.

You spent 5 years teaching in Jinan, China. Have you noticed any similarities or differences between the students and music education atmosphere in that area compared to here in the United States? How have they impacted your teaching?

In China, I would say the environment is more competitive. Parents generally compare their children with others, so it creates a situation where everybody wants to be “as good as” other people. In the States, students are more relaxed about learning the instrument. Parents here are more interest-oriented. It’s a big topic, and hard to say which one is better than the other, but as long as the students are enjoying it and learning from it, I think that’s good enough!

For me as a teacher, I would always like to talk to the student/parents about their learning goals. Getting to know the reason they are interested in having the lesson, and go from there together.

It’s always fun to hear stories from teachers about a memorable experience with a student. Is there a memory of yours that stands out in your life?

There are many stories that I can share, but one the comes to mind is of my student Kexin who didn’t really like the piano when he first started, but I kept encouraging him and playing songs while singing with him. I’d also play different pieces he was interested in from his books and let him choose his favorite - that way he knew how they sounded and he could be involved in the selection process. He gradually got more and more interested in piano music. Shortly after he became more excited to play, he even made a beautiful card for me on teacher’s day! It makes me happy and proud that I chose to be a teacher when moments like this happen!

Q & A with Teacher Shelley - Sharing Her Inspiration to Become a Teacher

 
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What inspired you to learn piano and teach music?

My mother took me to a piano concerto concert when I was four years old. It was my first time going to a concert. I still remember the beautiful Steinway in the center of the orchestra. The music from the piano sounded so beautiful and grand that I asked if I could learn the piano the next day. To this day, I am still grateful for that moment when I got this inspiration when I was four, and that is why I enjoy teaching kids. 

When I reached high school, having learned how to play the piano for most of my life, I decided to start teaching piano to kindergarten students on my own. It was rewarding to share the music knowledge with others of all ages, and one day I hope to give the inspiration that I got when I was four to my students. I enjoyed seeing the bright smiling faces of the students after they were ready to perform a piano piece that we had worked on together as a team.

What are ways that you make lessons fun and engaging while still keeping students on track?

One of the things I love to do is to use objects and gamify lessons to integrate entertainment and music education so students can find true self-motivation to learn and succeed. For instance, there are many online music lessons that can be fun for students to learn like speed quizzes or reading notes. Just a few minutes of these games can successfully enlighten students’ interests! Besides these techniques, I prioritize positive reinforcement to build confidence in students so they are continuously motivated to learn and not be scared.

You have a lifetime and extensive experience of teaching students across the globe. You’ve taught music in class settings including band, choir, orchestra, music theory, music history and even developed the music curriculum for the prestigious Korea International School in Seoul. What have you learned from teaching classes that have influenced how you approach private piano lesson teaching? 

Learning private piano lessons can be difficult and intimidating for students in the beginning, but it can be creative and fun if other instruments join together. I’ve created many ensemble classes where students learned with more excitement and ease by listening to their instruments more attentively amidst the other instruments. Through this collaboration, I’ve witnessed and learned how students become more aware of their instruments and eventually enjoy playing their instruments to make a holistic ensemble.

What tips do you have to help students have fun studying piano while still making good progress?

I always remind students to never lose interest and communicate with the teacher about any specific interests including pieces they’d like to learn or play. Attending concerts including musicals and any other music-related performances can easily maintain and/or increase students’ interests in studying piano while having fun!


Teacher Tram Talks About In-Person Lessons & Practice Time

 
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You’ve spent a lifetime learning to play piano. What skills of your own made you an excellent piano teacher that you pass on to your own students?

When teaching my students, I always ask them to create their own story of the piece from the very first moment they listen to it. The more they practice, the more details they should discover about the story and based on that, they can decide what kinds of sounds they want to play for that music passage. I usually ask my students to listen and experiment with different ways of playing: There are always more than one way to play forte!

In order to create different sounds, they will then need to have proper technique and enough knowledge to interpret. So that is when practicing techniques and learning music history will be beneficial. 

Students often ask, “how long should I practice?” Knowing this is dependent on age and skill level, what answers do you usually give?

I always encourage my students to establish the habit of practicing right from the first lesson. They can start with just 10 to 15 minutes per day and build their time up, and keep up with the consistency. For me, I always think that practice effectively is more important. Students should set a goal for each time they practice, it can be just a small, difficult section that they try to overcome. At the end of the session, if they can accomplish their goal, that will be a good practice. 

Now that more and more students are returning to in-person lessons, what improvements do you notice with students who’ve returned compared to how they learned and practiced during their time online? 

I think my students are a lot more independent when it comes to reading. When doing online lessons, they need to follow the notes and dynamics on their own and that good habits transfer very well to in-person lessons. I also notice that they need to do the dynamics with more contrast so Zoom can pick up the difference, and that is what I always try to tell my students to do before.


Piano Teacher Myrna Shares Her Experience Growing Up in a Music Family & Winning the Youth Focus Mentor Award

 
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You grew up in a very musical family that contributed largely to your own passion for music.  Can you share your experience being immersed in music growing up and how that contributed to your own development?

My dad was the biggest music-lover I’ve ever known. This stemmed from his own regret that he did not pursue music himself, although he clearly had talent. His passion for music is the reason why five out of six of his children are full-time professional musicians and music teachers now.  My dad, however, had a double engineering degree and was the best teacher at CIT (Cebu Institute of Technology) in the Philippines. I believe this teaching talent/instinct came from him as well. The only child with perfect pitch, I became the music director of The Emata Family Entertainers, with Dad as our manager.  My dad sent us to the best music teachers he could find, and my siblings and I played at concerts and for lots of dances and functions. We also entered music competitions for most of our childhood.

In 2017 you were given the Youth Focus Mentor Award. Can you give insight on what this is and what traits as a teacher you believe contributed to earning this award?

The Executive Director of Youth Focus was the late Bill Smethers, who became a very good friend. Before he died, he nominated me as a Youth Focus Mentor because I encouraged and enabled my students to serve and give back to their communities. My childhood was spent playing at many fundraisers. I continued this tradition by producing concerts (e.g. benefiting the typhoon victims in the Philippines) and encouraging my students to spearhead benefit concerts of their own. One of them organized a concert for street kids in Zambia and another for the poor young students of Bangladesh. As an adult, I set an example for my students by leading the music for house-building trips in Mexico, and leading worship for global mission conferences in New Zealand and Southeast Asia.

Students sometimes forget that their teachers were once in their place as well. Can you share tips that helped you as a student growing up to be successful in music?

As much as possible, I encourage positive self-talk to my students. I tell them that a positive attitude is the basis of success, and to keep saying, “I’m going to mess up, I’m going to mess up” is counterproductive and a recipe for failure – in any endeavor.

Some people don’t know that you are also a professional organist. Are there are any skills specific to the organ that have helped you as a pianist that you could not have learned solely as a piano student?

Most organ students are required to have six years of piano lessons before they switch to organ. Because I started playing pop organ (not classical), I started organ lessons after only one year of piano lessons. (The other criteria is being able to reach the foot pedals.)  People think you can switch from piano to organ without organ lessons just because the keys are the same. Organ technique is really different. You don’t have a damper pedal to help you play legato, so you learn to play very legato. You have to play foot pedals, which can be very challenging. You have the ability to change sounds as an organist. This helped me develop an orchestral sense and to think like an orchestrator.

The next round of ABRSM Practical Exams is quickly approaching. Do you have any advice for students who are preparing that might help them get ready?


My pet peeve is that kids these days have too many distractions and activities. What colleges look for in college applications is how long the student has pursued an interest, not how many interests. ABRSM is extremely time intensive so my advice for students is to organize their schedule so they will have the time to practice and not be so stressed because they have too many other things going on in their lives.  They need to look at the big picture, and music (especially playing piano) is something they can do for the rest of their lives.

Thank, Myrna, you for being with us at Opus 1!

Violin Teacher Luis Discusses How Great Performers Become Great Teachers and Experience as an International Performer

 
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In addition to a decade of teaching, you’ve also performed internationally. What is your most memorable performance and what about that specific time makes it stand out to you?

During my undergrad, I used to play in a string quartet called the Klangfarben String Quartet, and we were invited to play in a music festival in Mississippi. I remember we played the American Quartet by Dvorak. It was such an inspiring and passionate performance, especially in the 3rd movement. I remember at the end of the concert an older woman approached me and told me that she was in tears during that movement. That was truly memorable and made me realize how magical music can be and the responsibility we as musicians have to inspire others to love classical music. 

We’re proud of a faculty built of teachers from all over the world. One of the interesting parts of music is how different countries have contrasting cultures and attitudes toward music. You’re originally from Honduras. Can you share some similarities and differences you’ve noticed between the music culture of Honduras and the music culture here in the US?

Unfortunately, the arts are not very well supported in Honduras. The degree in music just started a few years ago at a university level, that was one of the reasons why I chose to come to study here, and I don’t think there is a single full-time orchestra in the whole country which is a very big difference compared to the U.S. where there are many top symphonies and music schools. There are many talented kids in my country just as here in the U.S., but it is not nearly as diverse as the US which makes sharing music with people from all over the world an extremely unique and special experience.

A common problem in music is that sometimes a great performer is not always a great teacher. It can be difficult to take very high-level concepts and translate them into an understandable language for students. How have you managed to bridge the gap between performer and teacher?

I was so fortunate to have had such amazing and inspiring mentors since my beginnings as a violinist. I feel I had incredible guidance that has provided me tools to help and teach others. My own struggle as a student has been another reason. Having to find different ways to reach a goal or finding different practice techniques that help me improve my own playing and translated to others is another way I have managed to bridge that gap. And my previous experience as a teacher has also helped me incredibly because when you teach, you learn as well. 

Teachers have another life outside of just teaching and performing. When you have free time, what are some activities people might be surprised to know you do for fun?

I am crazy about soccer. I love playing and watching soccer games. Every weekend I follow La Liga from Spain and the Premier League from England. I also enjoy going to the movies, going for a coffee, and hanging out with family and friends.

Thank you, Luis, for sharing your time and experience in music! We’re proud to have you as part of our Opus 1 faculty!


Teacher John Explores Types of Guitars, Styles, and Performance Insights

 
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Hi John, thanks for being part of our Opus 1 Faculty Spotlight. You’ve recently joined us this past month as one of our new guitar teachers. One of the interesting characteristics of learning guitar is not only the diversity of playing styles but also the ability to expand into other versions of a guitar (e.g. electric). Can you share what’s it like introducing these areas to beginning students within a path that lets them develop their own natural preference?

I generally try to keep both an acoustic and an electric in the studio as I teach. I also occasionally bring in a 12-string guitar so they can be exposed to that as well. That way if the student is interested in what any of these instruments sound like, I can demo them on the spot.

I also like to expose students to various styles of music in which each of these types of guitars is showcased. I keep an MP3 player on hand that has roughly 3,500 songs on it. I can call up multiple examples of how each of these individual instruments can shine in a particular genre.

I also carefully monitor not only the progress of the student, but I try to stay attentive to the particular style and artists in which they show the most interest. It’s also important to notice the style of performance towards which the student seems to be drawn. For instance, some students may be perfectly happy just strumming chords and singing pop songs for families and friends. Other students may be interested in learning the ins and outs of lead guitar in any number of genres, including rock, pop, country, blues, jazz, etc. Other students may be drawn more to the classical idiom. To that end, it is important to either a) listen to songs titles that they mention they might be interested in or b) take the time to ask them where their interest lies.

Having extensive experience as both a performer and a recording artist, I can make recommendations not only about what style of instrument a student might be geared for, I can also give them a great deal of information on specific models and effects that might enhance the experience for them.

Returning to the nature of the guitar having so many different version, can you share a bit about what sets different guitars apart from each other and maybe touch on how Ukulele fits into this spectrum? What kind of music sounds better and worse on which?

Being a performer, a recording engineer and something of a music historian, I’ve had extensive experience exploring the vast array of sounds that are available to today’s music student. There are some “tried and true” guitars that I would characterize as being somewhat formulaic and germane to a particular style of music. For instance, the Fender Telecaster has historically been the weapon of choice for the twang that country lead guitar players have sought over the years. To me, the Fender Stratocaster is perhaps the most versatile guitar on the face of the planet. That being said, nevertheless, there are some things in the rock world that a Les Paul or SG manufactured by Gibson can do that the Fender line can’t, just because of the nature of the electronics and the prototypical sound profile for which they were engineered. Then again, those players attracted to metal and extreme hard rock seem to gravitate towards the newer trademark names in the guitar building industry that have all the “bells and whistles” that players such as Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, and Steve Vai use to get the effects to which they aspire. Some of the more notable brands are Ibanez, Jackson, Dean, and Charvel. These guitars feature “hot rod” components like locking vibrato arms and scalloped fretboards.

But that is not to say that the acoustic guitar, even the Spanish/Classical models don’t have a place in the rock, blues, country, or metal world. I’ve heard many high profile forceful guitar players use these instruments to achieve superb quality in the variation of their respective dynamics. Primary examples of this mode are players such as Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eric Clapton who use the acoustic for amazing sounds in the blues genre. Swedish Guitar Wizard Yngwie Malmsteen can shred just as poignantly on a classical guitar as he can on his signature Strat.

While the ukulele has traditionally been the ideal instrument for delivering Hawaiian slack-key music, these days I’ve heard many pop bands starting to include it in their repertoire of sounds. A few that come to mind are Bruno Mars, The Plain White Tees, Train, and Jason Mraz. It lends a texture over which any number of exotic sounds can be laid down. The Disney movie Moana, with it’s definitive uke version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” did a great deal to bring back the popularity of the instrument.

Another factor to consider when approaching the electric guitar is that there are as many kinds, flavors, manufacturers of amplifiers as there are guitars. Add to that the fact that now there are literally thousands of digital special effects (stomp boxes and multiple effects consoles) that can be used to manipulate sound from a guitar beyond all recognition. Even the guitar synthesizer world is getting up to speed and can be used with as much expertise as any keyboard player can muster. The array of sounds in the music industry today is absolutely mind-boggling.

All this being said, the current trend in the recording industry seems to be headed towards a movement in which none of the traditional rules concerning tones are beyond being broken. Just about anything goes in the studio anymore, particularly with the advent of the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), in which sounds can be altered and effected with any number of plug-ins and other electronic signal altering devices. While many artists still stubbornly adhere to the axiom that “Analog still sounds warmer than digital,” more and more artists, myself included, have gone to recording “in the box,” meaning using a computer and some sort of software recording program such as Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Ableton, Reaper, and the like. These programs are more cost-effective and they are eminently faster to work with. So in that respect, there really aren’t any hard and fast principles concerning what instrument sounds better on any particular kind of music.

Myself, I keep 10 or more guitars in my stable of instruments to cover any sort of sound aura that I’m seeking for any particular tune. I generally lay acoustic tracks using both a mic’d signal to the console as well as the electric audio out from my acoustic electric and I mix and EQ the sounds accordingly. Most of the time I use my Strat or Tele to lay the basic tracks as they have the “good old Fender” reliable sound. If I need to track slide guitar I generally use a Gibson Firebird a) for its signature dark tone and b) for its incredibly long neck which enables me to get quite high in the upper register. For specialty work, when I want to go dive bombing I have a Ibanez SR Series with locking trem that enables me to bring lots of strange effects to the table. For amplification live I use a Blackstar combo on one side of the stage and a Fender DeVille on the other. This gives me the best of what is considered the two “worlds” of amp sound. The Blackstar has the British profile, a la The Beatles and The Who while the Fender gives me the California sound made popular by everyone from the old surf bands to blues masters like Stevie Ray and Buddy Guy. Although I use fairly minimal effects on stage, the dual amp stereo system allows me to “ping pong” a delay between the two amps across the stage, similar to what The Edge does in U2 and the sound is huge!!!

Many guitar students or people familiar with guitar often point out the use of a “pick” versus growing your nails out to serve the same function. What’s the difference and why when is one better than the other?

This is a question I get quite often and the answer to the second part of the question is “One is not better than the other.” While I have used a variety of picks with various thicknesses over the years, I have settled on Fender mediums for the silkiest sound I can get. However, one of the most famous guitar players in the world and a childhood hero of mine, Jeff Beck, simply uses his thumb. Someone asked him years ago why he doesn’t use a pick and his reply was, “I use to, but I kept dropping them.” However he went on to say that he felt using the flesh of his thumb over the years helped him to hone a signature “touch” and made his playing somewhat more sensitive and organic. If a student wants to play with their thumb, nails, or just the flesh of their fingers, I don’t see anything wrong with it if they can generate a tone that they are happy with. In truth, though I use a pick, I often employ additional strokes with a couple of the fingers on my picking hand. I’m also a pretty big fan of traditional American Travis fingerstyle picking. I know many classical guitarists that are absolutely fastidious about their nails, and it has shown proven results. I say do whatever works for you.

In additional to extensive experience teaching, you’ve also performed and recorded countless concerts. How does your own professional guitar performing help you as a teacher and what suggestions do you have for students on learning to perform themselves?

My most important suggestion runs fairly counter to the way I developed my own career. For years I played in cover bands (copying popular music) and felt it imperative to try to get as close to the original as I possibly could. In a way that aided what my style is today, as I covered a very diverse catalog of music and tried to take a little from every player I listened to. But at this juncture in my career, my advice to any student is to simply be yourself. Develop your own voice (whether that be literally--singing, or your voice on the instrument). It’s ok to try to come as close as you can to the music by which you are learning a technique, but the progressive student will take each of those techniques and create something of his or her own that is unique to them.

One related piece of advice I have is that if you can sing, by all means, do so. I tell all my students that the first job I got as a professional musician had nothing to do with the quality of my guitar playing. At the age of 17 I was a passable, somewhat mediocre rhythm guitar player who was scared to death to play any lead. But the band that hired me was far more interested in my ability to sing and harmonize than my strength (or weakness) as a guitarist. If one is looking to begin a career in music, someone who can sing and/or knows a little bit about music theory and harmonization always has an advantage over someone who is simply a guitar player, unless they are some kind of guitar virtuoso.

The last thing I would say about performance is that in addition to ability, much of performing is simply a matter of attitude. Stay practiced up so that you are confident. But it’s important to not be overconfident. Some of my worst performances were when I went to the gig thinking “I got this.” By the same token it’s ok to be a little bit nervous. Music should make us excited, after all, it’s emotional. I’m not encouraging stage fright, but a little bit of adrenalin facing an audience that you are unfamiliar with can go a long way towards keeping you focused and sharp. Last of all, value your audience. Chances are they paid money or at least gave of their time to come and see you. Let them know that this is important to you by treating them with respect and giving the best performance that you possibly can. I don’t mean that your gig has to be perfect in execution. I just mean that if you make the music come alive and speak to the people on an emotional and maybe even an intellectual level, they will realize your talent and your gig will be a success for both you and them. To me, that’s a win/win.

Break a leg!!!


Teacher Yuri Compares Teaching Group & Private Students, and Learning in Both China and the United states

 
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Hi Yuri, thank you for taking the time to be part of our Faculty Spotlight! You’ve been with us now at Opus 1 for over a year and been teaching both private piano lessons as well as teaching group classes. How does teaching private lesson students compare to teaching group class students?

Private students are older and they can focus longer; most of their parents are very serious to help their kids finish their weekly homework. When I teach private lessons, I will create goals that can motivate them to practice. For more advanced students, private attention is needed to work on micro issues such as fingering, as well as finer points of expression and interpretation.

On the other side, group class students are younger. But it’s a good way to start their music adventure in group lessons which offer plenty of time for varied activities, let the students enjoy music and learn some basic music knowledge.

What advice do you have for students who’ve finished group classes and would like to start private lessons?

Progress is almost always faster in a private lesson than in a group lesson. Private lessons focus on the individual’s strengths and weaknesses. Piano is a complex activity requiring learning by ear, eye, touch, and intellectual understanding. Each student combines these elements differently. After group classes, students and parents feel more comfortable in private lessons. A main difference is that students need more practice than the group lessons. Young kids might feel frustrated when they practice a new song. In this case, parents will play an important role. Be more patient to your kids!

Before joining us at Opus 1, you earned degrees in piano performance in both China and the US. You studied at Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Gunagzhou before studying piano performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. What differences and similarities did you notice studying piano at these different schools?

I earned my Bachelor degree at Xinghai Conservatory of music, China. My teachers from China all presented different perspectives on teaching from hand-shape to learning environment, and specific ideas about teaching methods. Their ideas, while similar in some cases, are all unique and impressive, bringing up very important points in piano lessons for children. And I was so lucky to come to the United States and finish my Master degree at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Having a US Piano teacher gave me two different points of view for piano teaching. This is very helpful both for teachers and students to consider in the process of piano study. They made some comparison between adults and children, and also compared materials from older times to more contemporary materials. Both contributed very valuable points of view for music educators to consider.

Every professional musician and teacher has their own inspiration for going into music. Can you share what inspired you to pursue music in your own life?

I fell in love with music as a young kid. I chose to pursue music so that I could share its beauty and my own passion with others. When I was young, all my friends began to learn an instrument, most of them just pick an electric keyboard. But my parents decided to buy a piano as a gift for me. It’s a huge instrument and I fell in love to explore the piano. And piano and music become a part of my life that I can’t give up!          

Recitals are quickly approaching. What recommendations do you have for our Opus 1 students to help prepare that you’ve used in your own practicing and preparation for a performance?

Before the recital, I will say, a speed slightly slower than the performance speed. This speed allows for accurate practice without picking up unexpected bad habits and creates a clear picture of the music in the mind. Also, try to practice musically. And if time allows, then set up a performance preparation routine. If you can, do a bit of advance work, looking through your teacher’s notes. That can help you further develop the particular skills you need and improve your performance!


Teacher Yamila Shares Her Time at Peabody Conservatory and Experience with Musical Theater

 
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Hi Yamila, welcome to Opus 1! You’re a new member of our faculty and we’re excited to have you joining us. Can you share a little bit about what brought you to Opus 1?

I joined because of Opus 1’s standard of excellence. I’ve long known about Opus 1 and admired everything about how they operate, which is why I’m proud to be a new member of the faculty here!

You graduated from the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, co-founded by Pablo Casals - one of the most influential cellists of the 20th century, whom you worked with while a student; and also earned your Master’s degree from Peabody Conservatory, known for its many Grammy Award winners, the Peabody Award, and several notable faculty. Can you share what your experience was like studying at these prestigious music schools?

I was very fortunate to be able to work with big figures at both institutions. In Puerto Rico I worked with Jesus Maria Sanroma and Luz Hutchinson in the piano department and I benefited from other big music figures such as the Figueroa family in chamber music and the opera department. Their legacy left in me an everlasting deep inspirational love and devotion for music and music education. Don Pablo Casals directed the choir of the Conservatory himself when we performed his beautiful master work “El Pesebre” in The Casals festival. This was his last performance of his beautiful choral piece written in his native Spanish language “Catalan”, for soprano, choir and orchestra. The Casals festival would bring the highest world-wide recognized music figures from all over the world every year, and students had the fortune of this inspirational educational experience.

I worked at Peabody with Ellen Senofsky as my piano teacher, a graduate from UC Berkley and Fulbright Scholar in Europe where she was the accompanist for the great violinist Zasha Heifets. I worked for years with Mrs. Senofsky in chamber music and accompanying classes as well. Accompanying class was of the most valuable classes I had at Peabody as a career pianist today. I benefit from other great music figures such as Leon Fleisher’s weekly piano master classes,  Berl Senosky’s chamber music and others.

In addition to your time teaching private lessons, you’re also Music Director for the San Carlos Children’s Theater, where you teach musical theater and accompany. As a classically trained concert pianist, can you share similarities and differences between classical and musicals and what draws you to this side of the arts?

Musical Theater is where several art segments intersect: acting, music, dancing, and visual arts, which come together on stage at once while also using technology. Musical theater is fascinating! Musical theater took a more serious route in music with composers such as Leonard Bernstein in his “West Side Story.” Some musical theater scores are as difficult or even more than classical works. I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish my career in music theater without my training as a concert pianist.  

Sometimes our students forget that their teacher was once a student also with the same expectations, pressures, and challenges that they have now. Can you share a skill that you learned as a student that was challenging and advice for our Opus 1 students on how to overcome their own challenges?

Practice ~ Practice ~ Practice!!!  Everything in life is work, practicing has to come from within and practicing will develop your love and devotion for music as well as your ability.

Can you share your most memorable performance and what about that performance made it so memorable?

It is hard to recall my most memorable performance. Many different performances come to my mind since my youth until my most recent performance, which was met with nice newspapers review. During my last years in Sonoma County I was performing constantly as a pianist and accompanist, I had the opportunity of playing chamber music with principals players from the symphony as well as with principal string players from different symphonies in the Bay Area.  

As a pianist, I performed in a piano duo team as well as with orchestra. I was part of the Sebastopol Center For The Arts Music Committee and we produced and performed different productions every year including the “Messiah Sing Along” with the community which I was the pianist for. Music Theater was the highlight in my career these days.