All About Choosing Piano Schools And Teachers

[fifiyeo]

Oh dear! DS is really bad at singing. Super bad! So if he moves to higher grades he might have to have singing classes if he wants to do well??!! Even now he refuses to sing much because he knows it sounds bad. Teacher already told me his pitch is not good. Learns fast and plays very well but handicapped for exams.

[Dreamaurora]

fifiyeo:

Oh dear! DS is really bad at singing. Super bad! So if he moves to higher grades he might have to have singing classes if he wants to do well??!! Even now he refuses to sing much because he knows it sounds bad. Teacher already told me his pitch is not good. Learns fast and plays very well but handicapped for exams.

For grade 6-8, only 2 sections out of 4 are singing lar. In fact, the first section the student can choose to play on the piano instead. So technically only a minor part of the aural test is singing. Like I mentioned earlier, at most the penalty is a few marks only. As long there is awareness of the key and intervals, the examiners usually will award some mark. They understand that pianists are not vocalists.

Can join choir, helps a lot. Or alternatively do non-ABRSM if you don't mind.

[fifiyeo]

Dreamaurora:

fifiyeo:

Oh dear! DS is really bad at singing. Super bad! So if he moves to higher grades he might have to have singing classes if he wants to do well??!! Even now he refuses to sing much because he knows it sounds bad. Teacher already told me his pitch is not good. Learns fast and plays very well but handicapped for exams.

For grade 6-8, only 2 sections out of 4 are singing lar. In fact, the first section the student can choose to play on the piano instead. So technically only a minor part of the aural test is singing. Like I mentioned earlier, at most the penalty is a few marks only. As long there is awareness of the key and intervals, the examiners usually will award some mark. They understand that pianists are not vocalists.
Can join choir, helps a lot. Or alternatively do non-ABRSM if you don't mind.

In that case, just close an eye to that section of the exams.

We just don't have any singers at home. We do have a lot of toads fighting for 1st place. :rotflmao:

[fifiyeo]

:xedfingers: Thanks Dreamaurora !

[ndzgirl]

Hi parents, please share the contact of your child’s piano teacher with me. I am starting my girl aged 6 on piano lessons. Preferably looking for someone who can travel to my place in sengkang.

[ahrex]

Dreamaurora:

bgmum:

Hi Dreamaurora, thanks for the clarification. Think that's probably what he did

Yup.

To attempt the sight-singing well at the higher grades do need consistent singing practice to develop the vocal cord and to familiarize the more complex intervals.

So basically, a student who lacks opportunity to sing outside of piano lessons are severely disadvantaged when it comes to the sight-singing component of the aural. A teacher who is faced with such student will make a calculated decision whether to improve or to just forgo the sight-singing component if an exam is looming. Sight-singing takes time to improve and cannot simply be fixed within months for most students. It is only 1/3 of the aural test, so technically, if the section A and C of the Aural test is executed well, it is still merit overall as the penalty will be at most 3-4 marks.

This is why recently I incorporate singing homework for my lower grades now to slowly make them more comfortable to sing. A lot of local students I teach are very shy when it comes to singing because they are very self-conscious. So I am also thinking of incorporating vocal ensembles in the future.

not sure if this will help but hopefully it does. it helped me in my aural studies.

http://teoria.com/

[FB555]

Hi,

i’m staying at cck and looking for teacher to teach my kids piano at home. My kids are beginner and both are 7 years old this year.
If you have the contact number, pls let me know.

Thank you so much.

[ndzgirl]

As I am new to piano lessons, I am just wondering if parents do sit in with their children during lessons? Since I have no music background myself, I am just wondering if we dun sit in, can we still be able to supervise our children when they practice at home? How would we know if they are playing or doing it wrongly?

[autumnbronze]

ndzgirl:

As I am new to piano lessons, I am just wondering if parents do sit in with their children during lessons? Since I have no music background myself, I am just wondering if we dun sit in, can we still be able to supervise our children when they practice at home? How would we know if they are playing or doing it wrongly?

ndzgirl,

I am equally clueless too!

My DS's teacher will watsupp me videos of him playing while i am sitting in her living room. In her messages, she will indicate to look out for finger posturing, slur etc .... Prior to that, she will call me in and as an example, show me what a slur is and demonstrate so that i have a better idea. I think a good teacher will take the trouble to run through with clueless parents.

She will also indicate in his notebook what to look out for during his practice.

If there is really a need, she will call me in to observe.

[ndzgirl]

autumnbronze:

ndzgirl:

As I am new to piano lessons, I am just wondering if parents do sit in with their children during lessons? Since I have no music background myself, I am just wondering if we dun sit in, can we still be able to supervise our children when they practice at home? How would we know if they are playing or doing it wrongly?

ndzgirl,

I am equally clueless too!

My DS's teacher will watsupp me videos of him playing while i am sitting in her living room. In her messages, she will indicate to look out for finger posturing, slur etc .... Prior to that, she will call me in and as an example, show me what a slur is and demonstrate so that i have a better idea. I think a good teacher will take the trouble to run through with clueless parents.

She will also indicate in his notebook what to look out for during his practice.

If there is really a need, she will call me in to observe.

hi autumnbronze,

thanks for your feedback, it helps

it sounds like your DS has a good teacher, though I also have no idea what else will make up a good piano teacher since this is going to be my first experience with one. I feel more nervous than my daughter who will be having the lesson instead of me :oops:

another of my concern is if we are travelling to the teacher's place, will it affect their learning since obviously we will be using different models of piano from the teacher?