The semester is about halfway over already. We are currently in the 7th week of the semester and fall break is next week. In many ways, the semester is running quite smoothly. I have three very long days. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I leave the house at 6:30am. On Monday, I get home at 6:30PM. On Wednesday, I head to choir rehearsal after I get out of school and get home at about 9:30PM. On Fridays, I get home at 6:30PM unless I attend a concert or meet someone for dinner. I have classes...
16 days ago • 5 min read
Notes from The Music Hub September 28, 2026 What Fur Elise Taught Me About Meter A few weeks ago, one of my students in The Music Hub who has graduated from the Piano Accelerator program asked me about learning Fur Elise by Beethoven. Fur Elise is a great intermediate level piece of music, and a "crowd favorite", so-to-speak, so I was happy to oblige. I am in the process of creating tutorials and demonstration videos on how to play the piece. But the first thing I did was re-engrave the...
18 days ago • 3 min read
Notes from The Music Hub September 21, 2026 The Connection Between Major and Minor Keys Did you know that the minor scale actually comes from the major scale? The major and minor scales became the most widely used scales starting around 1600 BCE. Prior to that, various "modes" were used. They used to be called the "Church modes" because they were used for Gregorian chant. But they originated in Ancient Greece. As the Renaissance came about, views on harmony changed. Without getting into the...
25 days ago • 1 min read
Notes from The Music Hub September 14, 2026 Is a Major Key "Happy" and a Minor Key "Sad"? Have you ever noticed that different pieces of music evoke different feelings in you? Of course, we know they don't all sound the same. They have different melodies, different rhythms, and different harmonies. And all of these things work together to create a mood. There are two most-often used types of scales in music. One is the major scale, which I have mentioned before. The second is minor. These...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Notes from The Music Hub August 31, 2026 Last Day to get Founding Member Pricing! Today is the last day to get Founding Member Pricing! Tuition rates go up 25% tomorrow, September 1! Remember, when you sign up your tuition will never go up for as long as you remain an active member. I have added a new feature to The Music Hub! One of the challenges with online piano courses and apps is that a teacher isn't available to check your playing. Are you remembering to sit with proper posture? Are...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
It's August, and that means school has started up once again! I am almost through my first two weeks already, and they have flown by! This semester, I am teaching four classes: two sections of Fundamentals of Music Theory, an introductory theory class; one section of Music Theory I, and one section of a gen-ed music appreciation class covering (somehow) all 1500 years of Western classical music in one semester. This summer, I've been reading a biography of Giuseppe Verdi by Mary Jane...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
Notes from The Music Hub August 27, 2026 5-Day Countdown! There are 5 days left to join The Music Hub at founding member pricing! Tuition rates go up 25% September 1! One of the community choruses I used to accompany in Rhode Island had a "Sing for your supper" event every spring. We would gather together at a post-season party celebrating the performances. After going through all the details about ticket sales and clapping (again) for all the people who did solos during the concerts, we...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Notes from The Music Hub August 24, 2026 Notation Errors in Simply Piano I've been reading a lot of reviews of Simply Piano lately, because of course it pertains to my work. I'll be frank. I know that I am asking you to join a comparatively pricey membership with a live teacher when there are cheap apps on the market. So, I have to try and see what they offer. Does an app that uses audio technology to detect errors in your playing help you learn piano? Sure, sort of. I am not willing to spend...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Notes from The Music Hub August 22, 2026 10-Day Countdown! There are 10 days left to join The Music Hub at founding member pricing! Tuition rates go up 25% September 1! How far have you gotten in piano so far with lessons or apps or trying method books on your own? In The Music Hub, in just 24 lessons you can go from a never-played-piano-before beginner to an early-intermediate player! What does that mean? Here are two pieces to show you what is possible! This first one, Call and Response, is...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read