Piano Detectives Club

Janet Hart

Taming Your Music Library

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Hi Teachers! Having a system for organizing a music library in your studio brings efficiency to the busy life of music teachers. How many times have you been unable to locate a book you know you have in your studio, only to uncover it a month later, long after the moment has passed that you needed it? Creating a home for every piece of music you own is the key to success here, but it has challenges and takes a bit of time up front. The benefits of taking that time, however, will come back to serve you again and again.

Over the years, I have collected several bookcases of music. This is my permanent and most extensive library. All my books and sheet music have permanent housing space there. Each piece of music is labeled with a category and level and has a home in the corresponding section of the library. I consult my music library any time I need to decide what to give a student next.

A view of the permanent music library
A closer view of a shelf from the music library featuring books sorted by composer
A piano book with a sticker on the cover labeling the category and level.

My second level of organization involves having a place to keep music close to my teaching area. This is for materials I am actively using in lessons with students. Even though my students own their own copies of the music, I also keep my copies near so I can give students more space at the piano. Especially when I’m teaching in a room that has two pianos, it’s essential that I have my own scores so I can efficiently demonstrate and use the lesson time efficiently. Having all of this at my fingertips has been a challenge for me over the years, but I think I finally have a system that works for me. First, I house copies of the entire method book series and the entire literature book series that I favor right by the piano. That way I can pull whichever book I need at any time and know exactly where to return it. Also, I have dividers with each of my students’ names so that I can keep a copy of all supplementary materials (specific to each student) within reaching distance of the piano as well. When each lesson is complete, I’ve trained myself to put everything back in place. Having a permanent home (my extensive library where everything ultimately goes) AND a temporary home (within reaching distance of my teaching post) has been the key for me to having a system that functions well with the fluctuating needs of my teaching year.

Frequently used books are kept in a rack on top of the piano for easy access
Frequently used books are kept in a rack on top of the piano for easy access
A shelf by the piano with music for each student
On the shelf near the piano, pieces of music are set aside and organized per student.

Halloween Costume Concert

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Hi Teachers! A Halloween Costume Concert is a fun way to give students a chance to perform early in the academic year and dispels the myth that piano recitals must always have a formal and serious tone. Giving students a chance to perform this early in the year will give you a baseline for nurturing development and growth throughout the year and focus on the costumes helps keep nerves in check for those who are new to performing.

If you haven’t hosted this event before, it can be as simple as reserving a venue and having students dress up in their Halloween costumes and perform pieces (memory not required). Provide programs and a basket of candy, and you’re in business. It’s instant fun!

Anything else you add to the experience is just more icing on the cake. Here are some ideas that we’ve tried over the years that have been popular with students:

Decorations are a great addition! Balloons are an inexpensive and festive way to provide a backdrop for the piano. One year, we even wrapped the piano in fake spider webs.

Halloween-themed music or pieces that are written in minor keys give the program a little extra spice!

If you help them think ahead, some students might like to coordinate their music with their costume.

Teacher costumes are also a hit, so join in the fun! We have multiple teachers at our studio, so for many years we have done group costumes.

Treat bags for students and children in attendance are a hit if you have time to put in a little extra effort. When we provide treat bags, we always add an extra basket of candy for the grown-ups!

DIY Music Note Board Game

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Hi Teachers! If you are crafty and want to make a game that can be useful at a few different levels, consider making a game board like this one:

Mine is a 17” x 23” chalkboard painted green and black. Of course, you can make yours any color and decorate it as you like! My game spaces are wooden circles painted black with die-cut letters attached with Mod-Podge. Alphabet stickers or free-handed paint pen letters could work as well. I attached the circles to the board using a hot glue gun.

In addition, you will need:

  • A unique game piece for every player to move around the board. You can use household items (a paper clip, a penny, a safety pin, a bottle cap, a poker chip, etc.) or you can use stones of different colors that you can get at a craft store. My collection of game pieces looks like this:
Collection of makeshift game pieces
  • Some cards that have keyboards pictures with a note highlighted (for your younger players) or grand staff note cards (for those students a little further along). I attached some PDFs here that you can print out and use if you like.

Gameplay

All players begin the game on the star at the beginning of the musical alphabet.

For each turn:

  1. The player will draw a card and move their game piece forward to the very next space that has the same letter as the card they drew.
  2. If the player lands on a space occupied by another player’s game piece, the current player occupies the space and moves the other player’s game piece back an octave. (If the space is within the first octave of the game board, the current player occupies the space and moves the other player’s game piece back to the start.)

Players continue taking turns and moving forward though the alphabet pathway. The first player to get to the end of the pathway is the winner.