Free Piano Tutorials Now Available

I'm so excited about the free tutorials now available on my website!  (Disclaimer:  Not intended to replace a qualified piano teacher!) 

The first offering features a song I started writing when I was a teenager--I call it "C minor Theme and Variations".  It's a powerful song that has become a favorite of my piano students--especially the young men.  Here's a video demo (on YouTube) of my daughter, Stephanie, playing it at 15 years old.

The song has a classical feel to it, and the intensity makes it sound more difficult than it is. I recorded the tutorials to walk intermediate pianists through the music, offering lots of extra tips along the way.

These tutorials are an excellent example of my teaching style, and I hope they will encourage budding musicians to try this newly available song!  The sheet music for "C minor Theme and Variations" is available for purchase on my new eStore.  (The payment info is handled by PayPal, so it's secure!)

My Better Half

I've had clients tell me it was worth hiring me just to get to deal with my wife, Becky.  I know what they mean!  She is consistently sweet, encouraging and cheerful, not just to all of my clients and piano students but to us (her family) as well.  She somehow manages to homeschool our five children (all born the "natural" therefore painful way and without pain meds - wow!), handle my scheduling/bookkeeping, design and maintain my website (which she learned how to do one week before it was up), and through it all somehow increase in beauty (inner and outer) through 19 years of marriage!  Any helpful material on this blog or my website has come through at least her incredible editing, and very possibly was mostly written by her (she often says, "Honey, I've heard you talking about this lately, so I put some of your thoughts down on paper - is this what you'd say?"). 

And on top of all that, she keeps reading/studying so she's growing and interesting to talk to (see, if she was editing this I probably wouldn't have a dangling preposition here :-).  Becky is still my best friend, the one I can't wait to go over new ideas with - I know she'll be encouraging and yet still provoke me to dig deeper and refine my thinking. 

Oh, and because it was hurting my wrists (therefore my livelihood), she mustered the kids and managed to install new flooring (which she got at an INCREDIBLE discount) and repaint most of the house interior.  AND, because she loves the products and helping people and wanted to help with the family budget she's recently become an independent Mary Kay consultant (shameless plug - www.marykay.com/becky.redmond).  Did I mention her smile that lights up the entire room (with or without Mary Kay makeup :-)?? 

WOW!  Can you tell I'm impressed by my wife?!  As always, God says it better in His Word than I ever could:

Proverbs 31:10-12, 26-29 (ESV) -
"An excellent wife who can find?  She is far more precious than jewels.  The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.  She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.  ... She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.  She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.'" 

And I say YES to all that about Becky!

Happy Mother's Day, sweetie!

SUMMER IS A GREAT TIME TO START PIANO LESSONS!

I generally have a full teaching schedule, so summer is the best time to move off of my waiting list and onto my teaching schedule. If you're interested in piano lessons, now is the time to contact me. Summer is a time for changes...graduations, moves, and extended vacations all present an opportunity for new students to secure a spot in my teaching schedule.

As a professional musician, I teach all year. Summer lessons are a great way to get a strong start in piano. So often, parents start piano lessons for their children in the fall, when they are adjusting to new teachers, new activities, and busy schedules. Starting piano lessons in summer allows the student to accomplish some victories and establish good habits before diving into all the school-related activities as well.

I teach children, adults, beginners and advanced students. My full-time committment to teaching provides opportunities for homeschooled students to take lessons as part of their school day as well. For interested families, I provide a description and grade to include as part of the child's annual evaluation. (My wife and I homeschool our 5 children.)

I happily make house calls for a reasonable travel fee. I have students all over North Central Florida--Gainesville, Ocala, Keystone Heights, Melrose, Newberry, Town of Tioga, and Lake City. I also teach at my home studio. See my website for rates and details!

Great Engagement Party for Trey and Allison

Last night I played piano and sang for Trey and Allison's engagement party in Trey's parents' beautiful home (on their wonderful Yamaha Baby Grand :-).  I got to play/sing for about 4-1/2 hours, so I got to do a LOT of great music!  Along with some wonderful new love songs from different types of music, I got to play/sing a lot of the old "standards"; great love songs that have been done for the past 40-60 years. 

It was a special treat to have the future groom's grandfather (92 years young), Tony, there.  He played trumpet with several top-notch players/singers from yesteryear, and heard live many of the jazz/swing legends at places like the Apollo Theater and The Savoy!  I'd play a song (and sometimes he'd sing along, or sing a cool trumpet part that he used to play) and he'd tell me things like, "I heard Count Basie and his orchestra play that live years ago..." - WOW! 

Thanks to Alan and Lauretta for having me play/sing, and congrats to Trey and Allison!