Adamo Piano Studio

Christmas Piano Recital

Jenn — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:52:06 +0000

Our annual Christmas recital is always a treat for not only our guests but our performers. Come and watch this music event where students of all ages and levels will entertain you with delight!

This years piano recital will be Saturday, January 28th at the Cantos Music Foundation.
It will be at 6:00 pm! All participating students, please be about half an hour early and bring a snack to share.

Have a great holiday season and Merry Christmas!!
Mrs. Jenn

Holidays 2011 – 2012

Jenn — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:30:23 +0000

*Date*	*Holiday*	*Studio Status*
September 1	*September Tuition Due*	Studio Closed
Aug 29 – Sept 2	New Student Evaluations	No Returning lessons
September 7 – 13	Beginning of Fall Term	Oct – Dec Tution Due
October 10	Thanksgiving	Studio Closed
November 11	Remembrance Day	Studio Closed
November 27	Christmas Recital	Cantos Music Foundation
December 21	Last day of lessons	Winter Tuition Due
January 9 – 13	Beginning of Winter Term	Studio Open
February 20 Feb 19 – 25	Family Day Winter Break	Studio Closed Studio Closed
March 24 – April 1	Public Spring Break	Lessons Optional
March 23	Last Day of Winter Lessons	Spring Tuition Due
April 6	Good Friday	Studio Closed
April 9	Easter Monday	Studio Closed
April 2	Beginning of Spring Term	Studio Open
May 21	Victoria Day	Studio Closed
TBA	*Year End Recital*	Cantos Foundation
June 22 – 28	Last Week of Spring Lessons	*September Tuition Due*
August 15, 2009	*September Tuition Due*	Final Confirmation Day
Aug 15 – Sept 1	Late Registration	$15.00 Late Fee Due

New Theory Class 2011

Jenn — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 19:39:26 +0000

Weekly Update 2

I am very excited to announce that there has been a theory group class added. It will be covering 2 exams; the Preliminary Rudiments Exam and the Basic Rudiments exam. For the students who have done Preliminary already, you will get a good refresher until the Basic begins. OR You may begin the class starting on Fridays, March 4, 2011. Preliminary students will be reviewing their material with practice exams, and computer exercises from that point until their exam.
Contact me (Ms. Jennie) to register! (group rate is available)
This is an intense course. I expect for the participants of this course to do quite a bit of homework, and have it in before class. This way, I am able to correct it for your class. It also has extra homework to do over holidays, such as Teacher’s Convention, and Spring Break. So be prepared to go through the material quickly. And it will be a lot of fun! We have flash cards, and computer time to help with each part of the material. For my students who love theory as much as I do, get ready for some theory! Yay!

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Another reminder; the deadline for the May Theory Exams and the June Piano (practical) Exams is March 1, 2011. For those taking practical exams, I suggest that you register for your exam as soon as possible, so that you may still be able to pick your own times. If you are doing both theory and practical exams, don’t forget to register for both exams.
~~~~~~

Have a musical week,
Mrs. Jennie

Preschool Music Classes

Jenn — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:20:52 +0000

Adamo Piano Studio presents GROUP LESSONS for January!

Introduce Your Child to Music-Making with Music for Little Mozarts.
* Award-winning piano method for children ages 4 -6
* Imaginative, enjoyable learning experiences
* 10-week session; no keyboard needed at home
* Singing, Listening, Movement and Rhythm Games to Bring Out the Music in Your Child

*Private Lessons also available

Contact Mrs. Jenn! Go to the “About” page: Call or Email to register.
Hurry and Register; classes are filling fast!

Winter Class Times:

Evening Class: Monday @ 7:30 p.m.
Afternoon Class: Friday @ 4:00 p.m.
Morning Class: Tuesday @ 11:00 a.m.

Piano Care Tips

Jenn — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:49:06 +0000

Have your piano tuned regularly. Once a year minimum.

Ask your technician to do a minor “touch-up” regulation at each tuning. This will prevent most instances of unnecessary wear and breakage.

have a full regulation done every 2 to 5 years. You’d be surprised at how your piano should have sounded and responded to you playing all these years.

Don’t attempt any “home repairs” on your piano. Let a technician do it – they have the right tools, replacement parts and expertise to do the job right the first time.

Keep your piano away from heating registers, radiators, fireplaces and air conditioning vents. Subjecting it to extreme fluctuations of temperature and humidity levels can do major damage. Avoid direct sunlight on your piano – it can damage and fade the finish, or even create horrible tuning problems. Use curtains or blinds.

Try and keep the temperature and humidity levels as consistent as possible in the room where you have your piano. Using a temperature/humidity gauge can keep this in check. Seasonal swings in relative humidity are the piano’s greatest enemy. Pianos are happiest in a relative humidity level of 40 to 45 percent. If you don’t have a central humidifier/dehumidifier, consider getting a room humidifier for the winter, and a room dehumidifier or air conditioner during the summer months. There’s even such thing as a special piano humidifier/dehumidifier that can be installed in your piano. Ask your piano technician.

Keep plants, vases, drinks, or anything to do with liquid off the piano. Condensation can ruin the finish, and spillage of liquids into the inner mechanism can result in irreversible damage. Don’t eat at the piano, either. If you get food or drink in any part of the piano/keyboard, you may cause more damage later.

To prevent scratches on the finish, never place objects on your piano without a soft cloth or felt. Don’t use furniture polish to clean your piano. It can soften the finish if overused, and the silicone & oils present in many household brands can even contaminate the wood, despite what the labels may say.
Just feather-dust the piano first (dust is abrasive, so wiping it first can cause scratches), then wipe with a soft, damp cotton cloth, wiping in the direction of the grain. Then, wipe up any excess moisture with a similar dry cloth. Do the same thing as above to clean your keys, but use separate cloths for the blacks and the whites. Don’t use cleaning agents!

Welcome

Jenn — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:07:35 +0000

Piano & theory lessons in northwest Calgary, Alberta. I am a capable teacher that enjoys instructing students both young and mature.

Experience the joy of falling in love with the piano together.

-Jenn Higgins
Please email me at lessons@adamo.ca for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions About Piano Study

Jenn — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 22:58:59 +0000

1. How long should it take my child to complete a level?
It depends on the age and maturity of the student, the amount of practice time, and the level of family involvement and support. Students should progress through the books at a steady pace, always seeking a balance between being challanged and feeling comfortable. Some students may complete a level in 3 months, while others may take the entire school year or more. The harder the level, the longer it will take.

2. Should my child practice each day, and if so, for how long?
Your child should practice on a daily basis. Some teachers recommend that students have one day off each week from practice. Check with Mrs. Jenn to determine the amount of practice time necessary for your child, based on the student’s age, maturity and level of advancement. Don’t automatically assume that the child should practice one hour a day. Several short practice periods are usually more successful for students just starting than one longer session. Beginners often start with 15 minutes of practcie a day, gradually increasing to 30 minutes by the end of the year. Intermediate students usually practice between 45 minutes to 1 hour a day. Advanced students may practice anywhere from 1 hour to 3 hours a day. A good rule not to overwhelm a student, is to always take a day off each week.

3. How should my child structure his/her practice?
Use the assignment pages or dictation book to keep track of what should be practiced and how to practice effectively. Encourage the students to follow the written assignment, but do not discourage experimentation and improvisation at the keyboard. In general, begin with something that is fun and which the child does well. Then, proceed to more difficult things (often new materials). End once again with something the child does well, such as a favorite piece or just plain have fun. This will encourage your child to come back to the piano.

4. What if my child doesn’t want to practice?
Accept the fact that most students don’t always like to practice, but realize that a child will never play an instrument well without regular practice. If your child is particularly resistant to practice on a certain day, substitue another music activity, such as flashcards or just listen to the CDs or other music. If this continues over a long period of time, discuss the problem with the teacher. Many parents establish a reward system for effective practice. The child will then begin to get into a routine, and practice will become easier.