Exploring Improvisation: Unleash Your Inner Cool.
Susan Bell Susan Bell

Exploring Improvisation: Unleash Your Inner Cool.

How do you bring Improvisation into your Studio?

Being able to Unleash Your Inner Cool by Exploring Improvisation is such a fulfilling experience and valuable skill.

Let me share some tips to get started and tell you have exciting this new resource is…..

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Beyond the Page: How about those “Other” Pedals?
pedals, education, curious Susan Bell pedals, education, curious Susan Bell

Beyond the Page: How about those “Other” Pedals?

Do your students ever ask you about those "Other Pedals"?

It's actually a cool subject and it's a shame most students don't get asked to play these pedals until the repertoire gets quite advanced.

So it was perfect timing when Nicola Cantan commissioned me to compose two pieces for beginners and Intermediate players to be included in her book, Concept Collection 2, featuring the "other two pedals." In case this is a neglected topic in your studio too, I'd like to share some of what I learned.  

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Beyond the Page: Easy tips for Christmas Piano Parties!

Beyond the Page: Easy tips for Christmas Piano Parties!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

It’s all about Christmas right now in my Studio. Students are asking for their favorite tunes and they love playing them together with friends and family. This year we were so busy with our Halloween recital, we decided to pass on the Christmas recital and instead, go with group lessons for our last week of December - Piano parties!

The Plan: Every student will prepare 1 Christmas arrangement to perform for the group, next they will prepare 1 Christmas tune from a lead sheet, and then we will sight read some Christmas ensembles. And of course, you gotta have cookies!

Tip: Create your own Lead Sheets….

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Beyond the Page: What’s on your Christmas list?
Susan Bell Susan Bell

Beyond the Page: What’s on your Christmas list?

Fall is here and Winter is coming too quickly!

I don’t know about you, but Halloween came when I wasn’t looking, and Christmas is right around the corner! My Studio wrapped up our Halloween Recital, um, I mean our Music Masquerade in the Park, on October 29, and now we are in the midst of selecting and preparing music to share with our community at the local Mall on December 10! 

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