Posts Tagged ‘piano’
We are pleased to congratulate Nathan Liu of California High School on his recent achievement of receiving third prize in the Kyoto International Music Competition for his performance of Rachmaninoff. We are proud of Nathan’s hard work and dedication, and expect great things from Nathan in the future!
2021 US Open Music Competition — Congratulations to our Lewis Music Studio piano students!
Contemporary Composers
USA Composer
Open Solo, Classical
Open Solo, Romantic
Thank you students for all your hard work!
Thank you parents for all the support!!
Congratulations to our studio students who entered the Spring 2021 American Protégé International Music Talent Competition!
They will be performing in Carnegie Hall New York 2021,2022
UPDATED: Congratulations to my students who won awards in their categories at the 2013 U.S. Open Music Competition!
First congratulations is in order for seven year old student April who just won 3rd place in the Showcase Piano Solo category for her performance of the Dussek Sonatina Op.20 No.4 and the Prokofiev Tarantella Op.65 #4 in D Minor:
Also congratulations fifteen year old Rachel won 3rd place in the Treasury of Baroque category for her performance of the Bach Invention No.15:
Finally congratulations to Michael Tu’s 4th place award in the Treasury of Classical category for his performance of the Clementi Piano Sonata Op.36 No.4 in F Major, Con Spirito:
Reading up on posts today I came across this article in the Wall Street Journal:
Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior
Ethnicity or nationality aside, the real key to success in children is the demand for excellence from their parents, and how much practice they have at the things they need to be good at. My favorite quote from this article was this:
All the same, even when Western parents think they’re being strict, they usually don’t come close to being Chinese mothers. For example, my Western friends who consider themselves strict make their children practice their instruments 30 minutes every day. An hour at most. For a Chinese mother, the first hour is the easy part. It’s hours two and three that get tough.
Now we’re talking.
Practice at the very least should be treated as homework. You do it every day, just like your other homework assignments. To be good at anything, you need to do it more. If you want to win first place in the competitions, you need to have practiced more than your competitors, and doing your practice intelligently. Your competitors are practicing this much – three or four hours per day minimum. No, really.
Another good quote from the article worth pointing out:
What Chinese parents understand is that nothing is fun until you’re good at it. To get good at anything you have to work, and children on their own never want to work, which is why it is crucial to override their preferences. This often requires fortitude on the part of the parents because the child will resist; things are always hardest at the beginning, which is where Western parents tend to give up. But if done properly, the Chinese strategy produces a virtuous circle. Tenacious practice, practice, practice is crucial for excellence; rote repetition is underrated in America. Once a child starts to excel at something—whether it’s math, piano, pitching or ballet—he or she gets praise, admiration and satisfaction. This builds confidence and makes the once not-fun activity fun. This in turn makes it easier for the parent to get the child to work even more.
Don’t be afraid to make your kids practice, and don’t give up when they resist. This is the key to their long-term success and happiness, and while it might not seem like it at first, the results will come if you are determined and persistent.
This is my favorite pianist. Last time I saw him play, it was 20 years ago in Boston.
Found this page which has useful tips on how to purchase a piano. Especially helpful advice when selecting a new instrument for your student:
Avoid electronic keyboards. These are not the same feel or tone as a real piano. The keys are usually unweighted, the instruments don’t have pedals, and they sound terrible. What you need is a real upright or grand piano. These can be rented or purchased. Renting is not a bad idea for beginners if you are not sure. For my competition students, it is best to have a real grand piano available to practice on daily.
You also will need to identify a good piano tuner. You should have a piano tuner come and service your piano at least once a year, and preferably twice per year.
As of August, 2010, tuition rates are as follows:
Currently my studio has one opening, please contact me to get on my waiting list as openings do come up from time to time.
Steinway & Sons Top Teacher Award recipient
For serious, dedicated, advanced piano students.
Yingwen Lewis studied piano performance at the New England Conservatory of Music, and is a pianist and piano instructor based in Danville, California. Her students come from all parts of the East Bay including Sycamore, Camino Tassajara, San Ramon, Windemere, Alamo, Diablo, Gale Ranch, Blackhawk, Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore, and Walnut Creek. Learn more