Happy Spring Time!

I can't get enough of the warmer temperatures right now! I'm planning on spending all of next weekend on the beach!! Are you guys getting out in the sun yet?

I want to post a link to a new song for you guys today.  Its a little  challenging but SO worth it.  One of my students is working on it right now and he ALMOST has it mastered! I'll ask his permission when he's done and see if we can post a video of his final product once he is satisfied with it.  

This is basically Twinkle Twinkle taken to a whole new level.  Its "Ah, Vous Diral-je, Maman" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart! Check it out and let me know what you think! 

Ah, Vous Diral-je, Maman

As usual guys remember to tell your friends to give me a shout if they'd like to try out lessons! I've got some available time slots and I'd love to chat about getting started! I'll be passing out some of my beachy business cards to all my current students this week too so you can share the love with your friends! <3

Batten Down the Hatches

Oh my...my summer has disappeared in a whirlwind of crazy!  I don't know about all of you...but I think something was in the water this summer and kept everyone's schedules stirred up and flying left and right! I think this very moment is the first chance I've had to breathe in about two months.  Anybody else experiencing this summer anomaly?   I thought summer was supposed to be lounging on the beach and eating watermelon!!!! Well...I have officially decided to take back my summer starting today...and that means back to blogging with you guys :)

So lets start by rewinding.  I simply MUST share with you the incredible trip that I took this summer with my family.  Family vacations are limited once kids become grown and live in other cities (enjoy your vacations now boys and girls!).  However, my family has always been close and managed to keep with tradition this year and get both me, my little (not so little) 19 year old brother, mom and dad all together for a family trip to (drumroll pleases) IRELAND!!! This was my first time out of the country AND to the place where my family originally comes from (can you tell by the pale skin, red hair, and freckles?) so I was in awe the entire trip.  Let me let the pictures do the talking:

Real Italian Food

I developed a new love for hot tea...mmmmmm

Cathedral on a BEAUTIFUL sunny day

Look at that organ....breathtaking 

Can you tell I liked the food? 

Me and my little brother <3

The Cliffs of Moher (ummmmm beautiful...but TERRIFYING)

The Cliffs of Moher (at this point I threw a hissy fit and made the whole family stop and go back...my reason? The path from here on out was ON the cliff edge...no more pretty grass and flowers between us and certain death...one mis-step and you were over the edge...We ended up enjoying the cliffs from here with a cup of hot tea and watching the bravest of the travelers try to wind along the rest of the path.  My fear of heights kept us all on safe ground ;)

Incredible castles everywhere

Beautiful

Green :)

Sam and Mama

Castle Moat

DUNGEON DUNDUNDUNNNNN

Scary Moat around the castle after a crazy storm. 

Driving through the Countryside

Summer updates: to be continued....

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!

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 ;) 

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!