Stay in tune this March!

Student of the month: Oona J.

Oona has been taking piano lessons for years with us! She is 10 years old and started playing piano at age 5. Now, she plays various other instruments besides the piano, including violin, mandolin, drums, theremin, musical saw, guitar, and ukulele. Oona shared some interesting facts about her musical journey and what she treasures about CSM lessons! Check out her interview:

1-What inspired you to learn the piano?
Oona: "I enjoyed banging on a plastic toy piano in our living room. Now, I still don't have a real wooden piano, but my keyboard is close enough.

2-Tell us more about your lessons at CSM!
I like having my own room to practice in. In my house, the entire bottom floor is connected, so there is always noise when I practice. My favorite part, however, is definitely that big white dog that comes before recitals. 

3- What's your favorite song?
Yes, currently, I like the soundtrack for the space exploration video game Outer Wilds.

4-How does music influence your life?
 It influences me to the point that I can't sleep without it.

5-What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Talk to my dogs like they are human beings, bake(A LOT), draw, and practice my other seven instruments that I play."

CSM is proud of Oona's accomplishments and we wish her a bright future, filled with joy and music!

Oona performing the "Outer Wilds" theme song:

​Teacher of the Month: Ms.Ming

Ms.Ming is a pianist who began developing her love for music at an early age. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Piano Performance degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Ms.Ming started teaching at CSM last Summer and we can tell students love to work with her!

We enjoyed chatting with Ms.Ming and learning more about her background. Here's the full scope: 
1- When did you first start learning an instrument? 
I studied piano with my mother, a piano professor, and I started when I was 3 years old. During aural skills training at age 5, we discovered that I have perfect pitch. When I was this age, my mother introduced me to the music of J.S. Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and Schubert.

2- Please share with us your Music Education Philosophy.
I strive to foster a deep appreciation and understanding of music. Instead of simply telling students to spend more hours practicing, I find that students improve faster when they understand the logic behind the music. Establishing efficient practice techniques and sight-reading skills is essential for every student's repertoire. 

3- What composer do you enjoy playing the most?
I enjoy playing music by Maurice Ravel. He was a French composer, and while he is best known for his orchestral piece, “Bolero,” he also wrote some of the most important and difficult works for piano of the early twentieth century. I recently performed his work, Le Tombeau de Couperin, on one of my doctoral recitals. Even though it requires virtuosic technique, it is also beautiful to listen to and fun to play!

4- What other music styles do you like to play on the piano?
I like playing music from the 20th and 21st centuries. My favorite composers include Alexander Scriabin, Claude Debussy, Toru Takemitsu, Sergi Prokofiev, and Gyorgy Ligeti. These composers wrote complicated pieces that take a long time to understand and perfect, but I enjoy the process of slowly untangling the mysteries they present and helping my audience appreciate them.

5- Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy composing in my free time. Although I used to enjoy writing stories, I found that composing gives me a unique opportunity to express myself without the boundaries of language, and it allows me to let my imagination run free. I also like spending time with my husband, Steve, who has a Ph.D. in musicology. We enjoy listening to music, watching movies, and going for walks together. My favorite movies include Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and The Proposal.

Below is the link to one of Ms.Ming's beautiful performances:

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Article of the Month:
The benefits of playing music help your brain more than any other activity.
by John Rampton

"Science has shown that musical training can change brain structure and function for the better. It can also improve long-term memory and lead to better brain development for those who start at a young age."

This article sheds some light on the reasons why musicians develop great cognitive skills through life.
Read here!

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