Shepherd Piano Studio

Background . This fall semester our studio created a curriculum for master classes held on the last week of each month for the purpose of developing the performance and music skills of our students so that they might progress more quickly and have a greater enjoyment of the learning process. Preparation for class . The preparation time for the master classes took much longer than expected. It took me approximately four hours to be ready for each class. Each student’s need in their piano study was seriously considered; therefore, each class was different even though we had more than one class for every level. However, when observing the students’ smiles, laughter, interactions, and enthusiasm for learning music, I felt it was totally worth the necessary time and energy to prepare for the master classes. When students told me “I can’t believe the lesson is over, it was so much fun,” I knew we had had another successful piano class. What we did in the master classes . Generally

A national standard for music education, the Royal Conservatory Program, also known as the Music Development Program, is open to participants of all ages who study music privately in the US and Canada. This program offers well-balanced training to cultivate the musical talent of participants. It requires skillful, high-quality performance and develops participants’ musicianship, knowledge of music theory, and auditory skills. Five Shepherd Piano Studio students participated in the Royal Conservatory Program in December 2014. I am extremely proud to announce that all of them did a fantastic job! Students awarded a First Class Honor with Distinction (the highest score level): Jeffrey Yan (Level 3) Karis Liao (Level 1) Students awarded a First Class Honor: Grace Inthathirath (Level 5) Keefer Liao (Level 2) Allen Yan (Level 2) Well-deserved congratulations to these students, whose hard work led them to be recognized by the Royal Conservatory! There will be nine students p

Our studio spring recital was held on May 9, 2015. I am very proud of our performers for doing such a great job. Thank you for working so hard to perform well on the stage. The audience was truly entertained by your playing. Thank you to all the parents also for your support. Without your effort and encouragement, our students could not have made such progress this academic year. From April 1, 2015, to May 5, 2015, our studio once again held a five-week practice contest. All participants documented their practice online in personal accounts on our website. The purpose of the contest was to encourage students to practice, to cultivate responsibility and punctuality, and to give them the opportunity to inspire others with their work. Last but not least, well-deserved congratulations goes to our twelve winners, who faithfully documented practice minutes from day one to the very end! Practice Contest Beginner: Evan Weng 4530 Averly Chang 2932 Isabelle Wu 2517 Practice Contest I

The Dallas Piano Division Sonata Competition took place this year on February 22 at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas. This well-known competition was also extremely demanding. I was delighted that ten students from our studio participated in this event. Two of them won awards. Phoena Lin, competing in Elementary II group C, came in Fifth Place. Sophie Yang, competing in Elementary II group B, came in Sixth Place. Please feel free to congratulate them on the recital this Saturday, May 9, 2015. Well-deserved congratulations to our winners and all our contestants! I am very proud of all our students who participated in this competition. Thank you for working so hard for several months on all technical and musical details. I am truly impressed by your commitment to excellence and your determination in pursuit of a higher goal. Please continue to keep up the good work that you have begun. You will reach your goals and be recognized if you maintain your dedication to your

Everyone loves music. To many students, however, learning to master musical elements such as the grand staff, note identification, rhythm, and key signatures can be intimidating.   As a piano instructor, my primary goal is to make the study of piano a joyous and rewarding experience. Therefore, it has always been very painful to watch whenever my students struggle for accuracy in their rhythm, tempo, notes, and dynamics while pursuing excellence in their playing. I frequently ask myself questions such as: How can I help? How can I shorten their struggle? How do I make this learning process more fun and enjoyable? Instead of seeing that they feel they are not good at music, is there any way or any tool to make my teaching more effective?   I strongly believe that the more I seek solutions to help students learn more effectively, the better the teaching skills I will attain. This summer, after playing with lots of music apps, I found that the following games are fun to play and sh

Introduction. The Royal Conservatory is one of the largest and most respected music education institutions in the world. Students at Shepherd Piano Studio are offered the opportunity to participate in the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program. This program not only involves performance, but requires students to develop musicianship and theory skills as well. It is a well-balanced training to cultivate great performers and musicians. At each level, the program sets goals and measures success against students across the United States and Canada based on a national standard. Participation in a Royal Conservatory Program can be a first step on the road to become a professional musician. Results (May 2014). I am extremely proud to announce that six Shepherd Piano Studio students participated in the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program during the 2013-2014 academic year. Of those six, two were awarded 1st Class Honors with Distinction (the highest score level), two ear