Piano Student, Madison T.
This month, we celebrate Madison as the “Student of the Month” award winner for October! Madison has been taking piano lessons at SMMC since August 2023. Piano is a popular choice of instrument for music lessons at SMMC. Our Center boast a large number of piano students and dedicated piano teachers. We prioritize teaching students to read music. Piano students need to develop the ability to read in both treble and bass clef as opposed to other instruments. All our music students learn about rhythmic note values and how to recognize them. This is an integral part to be able to play music in time.
In the amount of time that Madison has been attending piano lessons, she has become a dedicated piano student. She shows up to her lessons on time and ready to learn. She maintains a consistent practice routine at home that has helped propel her forward in her music learning. Her brother, Jaxon, also takes piano lessons at the Center alongside Madison. It’s not uncommon to have siblings taking lessons at the Center at the same time with different teachers. In some cases, even the parents start to take lessons themselves! Indeed, music lessons are NOT just for kids as one of our other blogs points out: Music Lessons Aren’t Just For Kids.
In Her Teacher’s Words
Madison takes piano lessons from Mrs. Grace J. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from CSU Long Beach. Grace has years of experience as a piano teacher. She has also held positions as a piano accompanist for churches, choirs and soloists. Of Madison, Ms. Grace writes: “Madison always shows up consistently every week. She is always on time to lessons with her assigned homework pieces well practiced. Madison has a can-do attitude, always willing to try sight reading new music. She attentively listens to my advice and tries her best to integrate it in her practice. Madison may be quiet and polite, but she is self-driven, motivated, and often has lots of questions. Madison not only likes to read ahead in her lesson book, she has a voracious appetite for new music, often devouring repertoire from her multiple piano books simultaneously.”
Wow-that is really high praise coming from an accomplished music teacher. Way to impress Madison!
Madison During A Recent Piano Lesson
Enjoy this short performance by Madison during a recent lesson with Ms. Grace.
Meet the Student
We close our our blog by asking the “Student Of The Month” award winner a set of questions revolving music and her general interests. Here is what Madison had to share:
How long have you been playing your instrument and what do you like most about playing it?
I have been playing for a little over a year now. I like how versatile the piano is and that you can play any song or style of music on it.
How do you make time for practice in your schedule?
My schedule is not too busy, so I don’t have a hard time finding the time. When I am busy, I try to practice right when I get home from school or after I finish whatever I need to do.
What brand/size instrument do you play on? What do you like about how it sounds?
I play on a Yamaha Clavinova CLP 725. It is a digital piano. I like how it has many different pitches as well as very high and low sounds.
Who are some of the artists you look up to for your instrument and why do you like them?
I enjoy the music of Bach. A lot of the pieces are by him and I just think they sound nice.
What do you like about the piece you chose to play in the video?
It’s really fun and bright!
What do you like to do in your free time?
Rollerblade, play online games with my friends and my brother Jackson, crochet and read.
Thank you for sharing Madison. Keep up the great practice and progress!
Meet The Instructor
Grace completed her Bachelor of Music from California State University, Long Beach in piano performance and composition in 2006, but her musical adventures started nearly 40 years ago. As a young child, Grace studied in classical and jazz piano, violin, cello and classical guitar. She also performed in various youth orchestras and choirs in and around the Sydney Opera House. In addition to her years as a piano teacher, she has extensive experience as an accompanist for singers, instrumental soloists and choirs. With membership in both MTAC and MTNA, Grace can help anyone prepare for piano competitions, college entrance exams or just learn a lifelong tool for relaxation and meditation through music.