Learning an Instrument – Facebook Live

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Today I tackled learning an instrument and hopefully shared a lot of tips that you can use. For instance, I told you to buy a Yamaha Clavinova – the least expensive type they have. This will save you from having to pay a piano tuner for the rest of your life.

Girl playing piano

Our daughter playing piano in church

Also, I told you to buy a violin from Amazon. Don’t mess with rentals because it is just not worth it. Violins can be resold easily. Get on a forum for homeschooling parents and watch it for six months. Somebody will be selling a violin – guaranteed. Continue reading »


How to Change Music Teachers

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When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for a family to dissolve the bands which have connected them with a particular music teacher, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. Sorry for getting all Thomas Jefferson on you, but that’s what came to mind as I was trying to introduce our situation.

Siblings on a tree

Keep on hiking, no matter what life throws at you.

So what happened? We were not planning on changing our music teachers. Our children have been taking piano lessons from the same lady for five years. They were very happy with her methods. Continue reading »


Lessons from the Nineteenth Week

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We took ill again this week. My daughter and I started with a sore throat followed by a cough and general fatigue. We did as much school as we could until she said, “I am really tired. I think I have to go lie down.” My daughter never want to take naps or sleep, so I knew she was ill for real.

Piano Recital

Our daughter playing at the recital

I let her take it easy for the next two days, especially because she had a piano recital on Sunday. We wanted to make sure she would have most of her energy back. As it turns out, she and her brother did very well at the recital. Continue reading »


Lessons from the Fourth Week

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The fourth week went by smoothly. The children had auditions for Knoxville Youth Symphony Orchestras on Monday. The results came in on Wednesday and, sure enough, they reached their goals. Our daughter wanted to stay in the same orchestra, but move from Second Violin to the First Violin section. She did. She instinctively knew the next orchestra would be too hard. Well, not just instinctively. She also knew from experience.

Mom and Kids at Clingmans Dome

Clingmans Dome, Observation Tower

Last summer, during string camp, she tried the next orchestra level up. She kept up, but barely. She prefers a more relaxed environment and we respect that. In fact, her violin teacher said this shows a rare form of insight for a nine-year-old, and also recommended we let our daughter go at her own pace. Continue reading »


HomeSchoolPiano Review

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For the past couple of months we have had the privilege of learning piano from HomeSchoolPiano, an online subscription program created by Willie Myette. Besides the lessons, which are 10-minute videos, we also received access to HomeSchoolPiano – Complete Set of Books. These three books (PDFs you must print yourself) will take you from an absolute beginner level all the way to the advanced level of creating different arrangements in various musical styles.

HSPianoLogo

Continue reading »