Monday, April 30, 2012

mmmmmmmmmmm monday

Nothing like a box of cookies to throw me off of a healthy eating kick and into a sugar coma!

But hey...everybody needs a little pick-me-up to get through the beginning of a busy week.  Always reward yourself after a really good practice session! 30 minutes of piano practice = 1 delicious lemon meltaway cookie = happy students and a happy piano teacher :)

**Time-slots for piano lessons still available in Charleston and the surrounding areas!  Give this cookie-devouring piano teacher a call/text 803.370.1275 or email ashleyerinw@gmail.com to book a spot!!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Facebook Page

Happy Wednesday everybody! We're half way to the weekend :)...I just wanted to let you guys know that my Facebook Page is up and running now so go take a look (and show all your friends)!!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Song of the Week!


Happy Tuesday!  First of all, I apologize for being MIA the past few days.  My crazy schedule is finally giving me an opportunity to jump back on here.

Now, down to business...this week's song?? The Bare Necessities!  I've never met an adult or child that didn't like Walt Disney's The Jungle Book.  My favorite character would have to be Bagheera simply because he looks like my my cat Boo, but Baloo certainly comes in at a close 2nd.

I ended up choosing this as my song of the week because one of my newest piano students has volunteered to play a song at his school's music recital in a few weeks.  The music is a little more technically challenging than he is ready for (he's only been taking piano lessons for a few weeks!), but since he'll be playing with other students who have been taking piano lessons for years, he wanted something familiar that he could impress his friends with.  Normally I wouldn't give my students something that was considerably above their difficulty level, however, I know how excited he is to be playing something his friends will recognize and I know he'll put the time in to learn everything he needs to learn in order to pull this off.  Nothing like a little outside motivation to push students into something new and challenging!!

We are kicking off the week with page 1 from this three page piece, so I'll update you next week on how our crash course is going! We are determined to have this ready for his recital in a few weeks :).  

**PS everybody...Time slots are still available for in-home piano lessons in Charleston, SC and surrounding areas!  Shoot me a text/call 803.370.1275 or email ashleyerinw@gmail.com to schedule now!!! I can't wait to hear from you!

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Update on Adele

Hey Hey! Piano lessons seem to be flying by this week.  Everyone is in an amazing sunshiny mood! I swear this beautiful early summer is the culprit!

I just thought I'd stop by and let you guys know how amazed I am with my piano students playing Adele's Someone Like You.  Something about this song makes my girls really push and practice every day! They are becoming attached to their metronomes as much as their cell phones.  Its so fulfilling to watch them come to the realization that hard work and learning to use knew tools can get them to the place they want to be with their songs.  I am a firm believer in finding what style of music speaks to you, and then enhancing your knowledge of music theory and form through that.  Everybody learns best when they're having fun!!

**Time-slots still available for in-home piano lessons in Charleston and the surrounding areas.  Shoot me and email (ashleyerinw@gmail.com) or give me a call/text (803-370-1275) to book a spot! I can't wait to hear from you :)  

Sunday, April 8, 2012

New Student!!

Taking on a new piano student is one of the best parts about my job! I love meeting new people and exploring new learning styles.  The newest edition to my schedule is a super sweet four year old girl.  She was VERY shy  when I first arrived but warmed up once we starting playing around on the piano.   By the time I left, she was excitedly teaching her mom how to do all the things we had just learned on the keyboard.  Seeing my piano students feeling that enthusiastic right out of the gate makes my whole day.

Note to parents of new piano students:
Most kids are nervous before they start their first piano lesson, and almost all kids are shy about meeting the piano teacher.  Don't Stress!!! Just remember, after getting the first couple of lessons under their belt, they'll be comfortable enough to start teaching you what they've been learning.  Get ready for your crash courses! 

**Don't forget everybody...I currently have available time-slots open for in-home piano lessons in Charleston and the surrounding areas! Give me a call (803.370.1275) or shoot me an email (ashleyerinw@gmail.com) to find out your rate and available times!  I can't wait to hear from you :)

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Song of the Week!


Für Elise!!

I know I'm going a little old-school here but I just couldn't resist.  Every couple of weeks my piano students and I visit an ongoing music wish-list.  We discuss styles of music that they enjoy playing and listening to, songs they're curious about, and songs they wish they knew how to play.  Normally my students will ask me for contemporary sheet music simply because they're more familiar with it than classical, but this week something was different.  THREE different students asked me for Fur Elise! Its rare that I have multiple students ask for the same piece in the same week, so to have three of them ask me for something classical at the same time was one in a million.  I love seeing my kids happily delve into music they don't hear on the radio every day!  I've got the music all printed up and ready for them to get started, so I'll keep you posted on their progress.  Fur Elise was actually one of my favorites to learn when I was a piano student myself.  

PS...Adele's Someone Like You is going swimmingly for my girls.  They're happily ticking away with their metronomes! What a happy piano teacher I am this week :)

**Hey Don't Forget!!! I currently have time-slots available for piano lessons in Charleston and the surrounding areas.  Shoot me an email (ashleyerinw@gmail.com) or drop me a call/text (803.370.1275) to book your spot! Oh and tell all your friends too ;) 

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Road Trip!!

As most of you know I am a commercial photographer by day, and an enthusiastic piano teacher by night. I love the fact that my work life is composed of my two very favorite things! After my last piano lesson this week, I hopped in my car and headed on a three day road trip to Nashville, Tennessee!! This was a business trip, but as I said, work and fun are one in the same for this lucky pianist. My purpose in the music capital? I had the opportunity to photograph an up-and-coming guitarist, wearing incredible vintage clothes in some amazing locations!! I grew up in the back-woods of Tennessee, so being out in the fields surrounding Nashville exploring old barns and antique shops was like coming home for me. Actually being in the city was more of a new experience. While exploring, I ran across The Big Bang, a dueling piano bar on Broadway in Nashville. Anybody been?? Between all of the location scouting and shooting, I didn't have time to stop in, but The Big Bang is now on my list of MUST SEE places in Nashville. You really can't beat a good dueling piano bar :).

As much fun as I had out in the fields of Tennessee and exploring the musical side of Nashville, I can't wait to be back home with my piano students again! I'll be back on the road tomorrow and will get home with just enough time to stop and pick up some new sheet music on my way home. See you soon!

**Don't forget everybody!! I currently have some available time slots for piano students! Anyone in Charleston and surrounding areas give me a call 803.370.1275 or shoot me an email ashleyerinw@gmail.com and lets start playing!