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Smarter Kids Come From Music Lessons, Not Coding…

Last week I was invited to do an evening online workshop on music for PS 321’s Tech Day, and I was stressed  about it for the entire  week! Teaching 30 kids online at the same time, and at all different levels! Even some with no music experience at all! What could I do?  That’s when […]

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Announcements Blog

Halloween in Park Slope

One of the biggest events of the year in Park Slope Brooklyn is our Halloween Parade.  While it’s not as large and raucous as the NYC parade in Greenwich Village, its still super fun and far more family-friendly.  Of course! We are Park Slope, known for our double wide strollers, infants in bars ( dogs […]

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Photos and Videos from Spring 2019 Recital Concerts

We had a fabulous set of recital concerts on June 8, 2019. Just over 60 of our students performed. It was a fantastic celebration of all the hard work, focus and practice of life skills through music. Here’s some photo highlights. Photos by Miles Schiff Stein And you can see videos here.

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Meritocracy: how to fix the problems

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

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Announcements Blog

Photos from our Holiday Party / Music Salon 2018

Each year, I host a Holiday Party and Music Salon for our music students at one of our student’s homes. It’s a great way for our youngest and shyest to get over their fears of performing in front of others. And every year it gets better. It also gives a chance for new friendships to […]

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Is it too early for my child to learn piano?

Is it too early to start music lessons? The best part of our curriculum, the Musicolor Method®, is that it enables children 4 to 6 year olds to start exploring their natural curiosity and passion for music.  Most music schools and private teachers will not accept children under the age of 7 or 8. We […]

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Blog Teaching Methods

This is why you should not learn to read music first

Should All Music Students Learn to Read Music? As a music teacher, I’m often asked about reading music.  Some parents want to know,”Will my child learn to read music?”  These are usually parents who have had musical training and see the benefits of being able to read music from the last 1000 years of music […]

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Blog Teaching Methods

Can special needs children learn to play an instrument?

Music lessons for special needs children? If you ask the average music teacher about special needs children as students, you may get a blank stare. There isn’t much literature focused on this. Children with special needs may include those with learning disabilities, developmental issues, as well as those on the Autism spectrum. At Park Slope Music Lessons, […]

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Teaching Methods

Black History Celebration Gig at local hospital, featuring Park Slope teacher Sean Spada!

Recently, one of our teachers, Sean Spada, had an interesting gig…at a hospital!  Held February 8 at Maimonides Medical Center, the event celebrated Black History Month, focused on highlighting influential women, and even featured some employees from the institution for the first time.   During the program, staff members represented influential women in the fields […]

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Music Lesson Teaching Methods

What will my child learn in their first piano lesson?

When you’re searching for a music teacher for your child, you want to get a feel for the teacher.  What is a lesson like?  What’s their philosophy?  What can I expect? We have taught hundreds of kids in the Park Slope area of Brooklyn over the last decade.  The secret to our success is in […]

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Announcements

Happy Holidays! Felix sez “Meow!”

What a great year it has been.  Wishing you all a wonderful holiday and see you in the new year.  The recital is coming January 30, so don’t forget to practice!

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Announcements

Holiday Sing-Along Party & Music Salon

All the students are doing fabulously well, and especially with their Christmas / Holiday songs.  Somehow having a hard time finding any Hannukah songs besides the Dreidel Song.  Anyone want to send me one? Because our Winter Recital is not until late January, we have started a tradition of Holiday parties hosted at one of […]

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Fabulous Music Recital Success!

We had our 10th recital hosted by the Brooklyn Public Library and it was a resounding success!  Such a wonderful diversity of music, talent and focus.  All my students pulled it together and presented their best. I’ve posted all the videos on our YouTube Channel.

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Summer 2012 Music Lessons still available

If you are interested in piano, guitar, strumstick, ukelele, voice, songwriting and music theory lessons this summer, there are still slots available.  The summer lesson schedule runs 6 weeks from July 9 through August 16 Monday through Thursdays.  There are morning and afternoon sessions.  Lessons are $60 each or $330 for the full 6 weeks. […]

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Winter Recital 2012 Success!

It was a great recital last Saturday at the Carroll Gardens Library in Brooklyn.  With 30 students performing and a house of over 100 guests, we had a lovely time and everyone did their best.  Thanks again to all the parents, grandparents, friends and family who came to show their support, love and appreciation of […]

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Announcements Blog Teaching Methods

A Typical Music Lesson – My Approach to Teaching

Apologies for the site being down all of last week.  But we’re back!  Here’s a quick update and enjoy the week off for Thanksgiving!   As many of you know, in each of my lessons, my aim is to address 3 main areas: repertoire, reading and music theory. Repertoire This is building up a collection of pieces that […]

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Blog Music Lesson Teaching Methods

How To Read Music: Rhythm using Stick Notation

When teaching to read traditional music notation, I separate the 2 parts of pitch and rhythm.  Rhythm is easy to teach using stick notation. [update-12-3-12] Stick notation is taking traditional notes and removing the note-head.  The note-head is the round dot at the bottom of the stick.  The dot is placed on the 5 lines […]

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Music lessons & effects on the brain

EVANSTON, Ill., July 21 (UPI) — Musical instruction can “prime” the brain to improve human skills in language, speech, memory and attention, U.S. researchers say. A study at Northwestern University found the effects of musical training on the nervous system can build meaningful patterns important to all types of learning, ScienceDaily.com reported Tuesday. Researchers studied […]

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Announcements Blog

Winter Music Recital is Saturday January 30th, 2010

The recital will be open to the public at the Pacific Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library from 2:30pm to 4:30pm on Saturday, January 30, 2010.  It was the first of the Andrew Carnegie libraries to open in Brooklyn in 1904 and features a lovely third floor light-filled auditorium with windows. Special thanks to librarian […]