From Sheila Guymer, piano teacher 8 April 2020
Firstly, a warm thank you to all our piano students and families for their patience and persistence over the last three weeks! It’s been a huge learning curve for all of us as we learn to use Zoom and other online resources. It’s been an unexpected boon to have this opportunity to ‘visit’ students in their own homes, to meet parents I don’t often get to see, and provide feedback about a student’s practice setup.
Often, students have been sitting too low at their keyboards, so a different chair (or a cushion) can really help with correct piano technique. Flat chairs are best (rather than those that slope backwards), and students should avoid the temptation to lean back on the backrest. An old-fashioned telephone book (or two) can be exactly the thing to support little feet that can’t reach the floor.
Although the Foundation Thunderbolts percussion ensemble ceased rehearsals this month, Nicole Mackson and I have been collecting online websites, videos, games, and other resources that will be sent out to students each week in Term 2. At the beginning of the school holidays, we’ll also send some musical activities that parents and children can do together away from a computer screen. I’ve also been working out how to have an online studio concert: more details soon!