focus
blog posts

Teach music confidently without the stress

How to Keep Young Piano Students Focused and Inspired

by Melanie Bowes

Keeping young piano students on focus in group lessons can be a challenge.

01/09/2019 Read more

The best practice: nothing at all

by Tim Topham

I recently had the opportunity to take a group of my students to watch a master class at Melbourne’s Xavier College where a colleague had arranged for the acclaimed London-based teacher and performer Julian Jacobsen, to work with six of his students and those from local schools. The main thing I got from this experience ... The best practice: nothing at all

09/19/2011 Read more

Focused Piano Practice: How to improve the value of your practising

by Tim Topham

What is focused piano practice? If you’re not exhausted after practising, you could probably focus harder and achieve more in less time. What do you think? How long do your students practise for? Sure, there are times when just playing through pieces is all you might have the time or energy to do, but if ... Focused Piano Practice: How to improve the value of your practising

07/31/2011 Read more

Tortoise and Hare Chunking

by Tim Topham

The way in which many of us learnt piano and subsequently now teach our students is based very firmly on the idea that the best way to learn things is to start playing very slowly (and often hands separately) and then, over time, slowly build up the pace until it’s at performance tempo. But is ... Tortoise and Hare Chunking

07/25/2011 Read more