Maia (5 y.o.) and Camelia - Romania

Dear Maia!

Thank you very much for participating in our recital! I want to thank your mom Camelia for teaching you at home. For many people it may be hard to believe that such results could be achieved with home education. I think your determination and discipline alone with the great passion for music was just right combination for such a success. For me as for the creator of this computer based music and piano curriculum ‘Soft Way to Mozart’ your achievements raised the bar of expectations for the next generation of Academy students and parents. As we may all witness here: the Elementary, Visual and Interactive Grand Staff, curriculum and your determination is the right direction to choose to achieve solid and classical music education.

Camelia, I am going to write a review on your performance in a separate place. I already added your name to the adults list here: softmozart.com/forum/67-international-re...ene-hiner.html#15317

Maia, you went a long way in a short time. You developed all the skills necessary for bringing your learning experience to the next level. You play with no visual support (piano stickers or key guides), on the piano with the weighted keys. You also memorized many piano pieces. You built eye-hand coordination, finger awareness and both hand coordination. You are ready for the more advance steps: artistry of playing piano and building proper piano technique.

I see how you started using music dynamics en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamics_(music) , phrasing www.archive.org/stream/cu31924021632256#page/n138/mode/1up , and articulations en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulation_(music) already.

Yes! Following the lesson plan and learning sight-reading, ear training, music appreciation and other subjects from the curriculum, above and beyond, shows not just piano skills development, but educational and cultural background. I think, it is priceless to have and improves quality of education and life in general.

You played ‘Old Woman in a shoe very well: I saw your music ‘drawing’ of a gloomy medieval character. I enjoyed both of the interpretations: solo and duet. It is wonderful, when parents and children can play together!

‘Largo’ – in this piece I saw, how you form the music phrasing. It impressed me.

‘The Han’ – in this piece you combined staccato and legato. I also liked the way you slowed down at the end.

‘Musette’ – you developed a skill to play legato in one hand and staccato in another. Great job!

‘Morning mood’ – this song was played with a good flow. I noticed smart fingering. I would make ending of the song a little more artistic. Can you reach the pedal? You may press last chords with pedal and hear, how the sounds lasting and dissolving in the air.

‘Cat boogie’ – in this piece I noticed how your rhythm improved and you are using all of your gained skills for building phrases: from staccato to legato.

When I was listening and watching ‘Little Dog Gone’ and ‘Away with melancholy’ I notice that your sound production became a little more ‘easy going’. This is the indication of moving from very beginning stage, when every key is being pressed with certain precision to more advance level, when keys are getting connected and notes and keys turning into music.

I would recommend you to keep building your piano technique with playing exercises, practice with TEACHING VIDEO with metronome (we still have to work on keeping the steady beats) and to work with sheet music of songs in regards to phrasing, dynamics and articulation. Keep doing the wonderful job!

I am looking forward to see you at our summer classes and next semesters.
I am going to send you a certificate and little present in a memory of your another great recital!

Sincerely,
Hellene Hiner, Professor of Herzen University (St Petersburg, Russia) - Developer of the Course 'Additional vocational training program and Interactive network technologies'. The author of 'Soft Way to Mozart computer based curriculum for teaching music and piano.

Please, follow the link to find Maia's performance on facebook and like it there too! Don't forget to LIKE the page as well! www.facebook.com/SoftMozart