It would be easy to start January feeling blue. After all the excitement of learning music to perform for family and friends during the Christmas season, what else is left?
Right in the middle of the Christmas season, I asked each of my students to list off several songs that they might be interested in learning right after the new year. The goal is to have the music ready when they return from vacation. It's amazing to see their faces light up when they see a piece of music that they're not only familiar with, but a song they are ready to learn to play on the piano. Some of the songs chosen include "Tomorrow" from the popular movie "Annie," Fur Elise by Beethoven, Do-Re-Mi from "The Sound of Music" and Heigh Ho from "Snow White."
Providing children with the opportunity to learn the music they love not only boosts their excitement about learning it, but also boosts their confidence by challenging them to move beyond their perceived abilities.
