Joy

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion.html

Benjamin Zander has two infectious passions: classical music, and helping us all realize our untapped love for it -- and by extension, our untapped love for all new possibilities, new experiences, new connections.

About Benjamin Zander
A leading interpreter of Mahler and Beethoven, Benjamin Zander is known for his charisma and unyielding energy -- and for his brilliant pre-concert talks.

His video presentation is one of the most charming and articulate presentations on the joy of classical music. A treasure for music teachers, students, and parents.

Cheers,
David

Inspiration for a slow day

http://www.ted.com/

Inspired talks by the world's leading thinkers and doers

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Sir Ken Robinson speak of creativity in education. He quotes Picasso “we are all born artists, the trick is to stay an artist”

How about this from Ted

The 8 key words of success
-passion
-hard work
-good
-focus
-push
-serve
-ideas
-persist
　
The two videos I watched were funny, very funny, informative and well produced. Neither were hustling products either.

Cheers,
David

Piano Technique for Dummies Book Review

Piano Exexcises for Dummies Book Review.
I'm happily working through this book, the chapter on warm-ups is worth the price alone. Included are scale fingerings for all blues scales and more. It is a large format book which will lie flat on the music stand or desk. Excellant exercies for piano teachers to assign their students.

The following ISBNs are associated with this title:

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Piano-Exercises-For-Dummies-David-Pearl/9780470387658-item.html?ref=Search+Books%3a+%2527piano+exercises+for+dummies%2527ISBN - 10:0470387653ISBN - 13:9780470387658


The fun and easy way to tune up your technique and improve your playing
Is the piano your passion? This easy-to-read guide is bursting with fun exercises designed to hone your piano-playing technique, from warm-ups and major and minor scales to octaves, chord cadences, and more. You''ll play challenging rhythms, practice with different tempos, play a performance piece at the end of each chapter, and find inspiration for performing music your way.
Warm up away from the piano; release tension in your hands, wrists, and arms and go to the piano feeling loose and comfortable
Wake up those fingers; perfect your hand position and develop left and right hand finger independence. Develop greater control practice smoother finger crossovers and pass-unders for speedier scales and arpeggios
Incorporate greater movement; play chords without tension, jump across the keyboard, and move with ease in parallel and contrary motion
Ramp up your skills; perfect your pedaling, play grace notes, trills, and other fancy ornaments.

Open the book and find:

More than 150 exercises that vary in style, key, and tempo
Major and minor scales
Blues, diminished and chromatic scales
Finger, rhythm, and chord progression exercises
Left-hand accompanimentpatterns
Performance pieces with every chapter
Ten one-page dance pieces
Bonus CD Includes
More than 70 tracks all played by the author
Selected exercises from each chapter
Every performance piece
Ten dance pieces from the book

Cheers,
David

Unlocking piano technique: Video Guides

Unlocking piano technique

http://www.premierpianocourse.com/technique1a_1.htm Alfred Premier Piano Course

http://www.pianoteaching.com/guide/ Piano Adventures

Two excellant sites with video.

Cheers,
David