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 28th Week

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Last week, we prepared for the piano festival in which the kids participate every year. It is called Federation Festival. We have been doing this with them for four years now. Every time, they get five stars out of five. For every third year of five stars, they get a cup. The cups get bigger in size as they advance in years.

Knoxville First String Ensemble

Knoxville First String Ensemble – Playing violin with my two children is so much fun!

It is a great challenge for them to learn two pieces by heart and two hymns. They can use the books for the hymns. If we had to move to a different location, the local festival organizers would take us in at our actual level. They recognize the diplomas nationwide. 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 »


May 2018 Piano Recital

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Our children have two piano recitals every year: one in December and one in May. The May 2018 piano recital was very exciting for us, because they received festival trophies after their performances. Let me explain.

May 2018 Piano Recital

Our children with their piano trophies – May 2018

The Federation Festival happens in March. The results get tallied every year and trophies are sent to the piano teachers, who can choose to award them privately or in a public ceremony, like at the end of a piano recital. Continue reading »