Andrea and I get emails regularly from Teach Piano Today readers wondering when we find time to sleep and how we manage to keep up with everything we’ve got going on.
Our answer is usually that we don’t sleep, however truth be told, we rely on our families a lot. We are blessed to have wonderful parents who live very close by and will do literally anything for us!
Case in point… the video below.
Yesterday, as we prepared to launch May’s Piano Book of the Month, and feeling a bit snowed under, I called my Dad to take Halle to the park so we could get our work done without Hide and Seek and Fishy Cracker breaks.
But in the time it took him to get from his house to our house (3 minutes), it occurred to me that he might be the perfect person to showcase May’s Piano Book of the Month!
You see, May’s Piano Book of the Month, which went out to many PianoBookClub’ers this morning and will go out to many more as May moves along (the book is delivered on the monthly anniversary of each subscribers sign-up day), is called Duets For Me and My Not-So-Musical Mates. It is the perfect resource for giving your students music that they can play with friends, parents, grandparents, and siblings.
This book is full of music designed to be played by your piano students and their “not-so-musical mates”. Each piece contained in this book is accompanied by a very simple secondo part that can be taught by rote (and the handy “buddy page”) and played along with the your piano student’s part.
Dad Became Our Not-So-Musical Guinea Pig
So it was that my dad became the perfect subject for a video preview. He is a welder in a pulp mill whose rough, calloused hands have never (and I mean never, ever) touched a piano. As an incredibly talented athlete who runs over 80 miles a week, finding time to play piano just isn’t in his cards.
And yet yesterday, for the first time, I coerced him into making his debut piano performance. The video below is his completely unrehearsed performance. We literally sat him down showed him where to put his fingers, gave him a little demo… and let the video roll. Here is the result (P.S. send him a little love in the comments below… I mean seriously, look at the concentration!!)
Angie Tse says
Andrea and Trevor, love this month’s book! It’s not only great for pupils and their non-piano buddies/ parents etc., it will be great for my absolute beginners or young piano ‘preppers’ for recital later in the year. Brill!
And lots of love and encouragement to your dad! Was he chuffed to be making music? 🙂
Leia says
Wow! This sounds great! I know what my students will be doing this summer 🙂 You dad did an awesome job!
Grace says
Really nice
Soni C. says
I just received this month’s book; it’s awesome! I can’t wait to introduce these pieces to my students when they return from their post-recital break next week.
Tracey says
Way to go, Dad! Love this month’s book. Thinking about starting a “bring a friend to lessons day” and using these duets. It will be a great boost for current students who’ll get kudos from their friends & generate some new students at the same time.
Rachel says
Can’t wait to get this month’s book!
Stephani says
I just printed this! So much fun. I have a fun little (young) theory class tonight, this would be a great way to be making some music! I’d better go practice. 🙂
And your Dad did a great job! It sounded great!
Barbara says
Can’t tell you how happy I was to find this month’s book in my mailbox. I had already advertised my summer camp as showing students how to share their music with friends, but had not quite completed my idea of how I would accomplish this. Solution granted today!!!
To “Dad”: you did a fabulous job. I hope you had so much fun you’ll want to play the rest of the pieces. My dad is a carpenter who has also never touched the piano, but because of your willingness to do this video, I’m going to show him that he can play piano too!
A big THANK YOU to all involved with the Duets for Me Book!!
Deborah says
Awww! Seeing your Dad brought back some lovely teary-eyed memories of my own Dad; sitting in deep concentration, trying to re-learn how to do simple tasks. My Dad was an amazing musician and in my esteem could do ANYTHING. As he got older, the simpler aspects of life became as overwhelming as I’m sure your Dad felt striking piano keys. Thank you for sharing this personal moment with all of us. And Dad? You have given ALL adults a boost of energy to learn something new – regardless of age or background. Keep on running 🙂
Kathy G says
Omigosh, this is so great. How did I miss signing up for the book club? Big hugs to your dad for being so game. My earliest memories as a musician are playing simple duets with my dad, who was really a trombonist. It also made me feel very smart when I soon surpassed him in technical ability (he was hampered by his inability to read treble clef). Your dad is the best!
The timing of this book is perfect for me also. Not only spring recital coming up, with lots of innocent parental and grandparental victi— I mean, duet buddies in the audience, but also our MTA ensemble festival. This will be a hot favorite in my studio! Thanks so much for this, and to your dad, kudos!
Nicola says
Love this! Such a beautiful idea to make piano playing part of a kid’s playdate too! Plus well done to Dad, superb!
Andrea B says
This is the book I was hoping you would send this month! I will be telling students they can invite a friend to a summer lesson, and May’s book will be featured prominently. It will be great for giving my own students incentive to practice something new after recital, too. Please tell your dad he was awesome.
Diane Densmore says
What a great idea to have students invite a friend to a summer lesson! I am going to use this idea, and the new Piano Book of the Month will be perfect for this. How fun!
Amy says
So great! Kudos to your Dad! This is going to be my May studio project! Thanks so much!
Marilyn Brennan says
Can I purchase May’s book without committing to every month? I would like to check something out before committing.
JoAnn Jordan says
I second the question.
Miriam Higginson says
I third it 🙂
lynn kiesewetter says
same question from me, too.
Sandra says
Just what I have been waiting for!!! 😀
Miriam Higginson says
What is the difficulty level of these songs for the Primo part?
Carolyn says
Love this video – with your daughter playing in the background and Dad playing with his daughter — what a treasure! He did a really good job — was fun to see how engrossed he was in what he was doing! Sign him up! lol.
Andrea says
We had a good chuckle watching the “wild child” out in the backyard jumping off rocks LOL 🙂 Working from home is always an adventure…
Diane Densmore says
Haha…love it. 🙂
Michele Tamtom says
I adore the thought behind this…great ideas are overwhelming me with the possibilities! Thankyou for all your efforts in helping us become so much better at what we do.
Fionagh Bennet says
Well done to your Dad! What a good example to all those who say “I can’t play a note…………”
Heather says
A fantastic idea performed with bravado by Dad! Encore Dad!
Milla says
Sounds very interesting! I encourage my kids to teach their ” non- piano” relatives from the books they ‘ ve already finished, but this is even better! You, guys are geniuses!
CHRISTINE NEALE says
That was great! What a cool Dad you have 🙂 I can’t WAIT to try this with my students parents this week – mwa ha ha ha!!!
Jennifer Foxx says
This was totally awesome! Lots of possibilities with this book! Can’t wait to use it! Thanks! 🙂
Bethany says
Love it! I think this will be great for many of my students who have “non-musical” parents!
Becky says
Sooo excited about this new book. You’ve helped me plan my after-recital inspiration!!!! Your Dad was great! Will always have this inspirational memory in my mind! Thanks for sharing your talents with the rest of us!!
Beth says
I’ve worked with adults who are new to piano and music and it is surprising how hard it can be for them to keep a steady tempo – something seasoned musicians take for granted. Your dad was right on the beat!
Mary Jane Cope says
Bravo, Dad!! Can’t wait to get my students and their parents involved with this month’s brilliant Piano Book Club offering! Thanks for sharing the video, and the music (-:
Sandy says
Just fabulous, congrats to both musicians!
Robbin says
Go, Dad! You are such a good sport! My favorite thing about this month’s book is going to be sharing it with a couple of students who have younger siblings. I know they are going to be excited to include the little ones in their practice time. I wish I had received this earlier; I think a piece or two might have made it onto the recital list! Not to worry, though, because some pieces from the “Giggle” book will be played.
Diane Densmore says
Thanks for sharing the wonderful video, and for reminding me that parents, extended family and friends need not be excluded from our students’ music-making adventures.
Jennie says
I’ve gained 3 younger siblings as students for the summer by having my students play these songs with them.! And the parents were so appreciative of including the preschoolers!
lynn kiesewetter says
Duets For Me and My Not-So-Musical Mates.
how can i get a copy of this? it looks great!