The Playground

How many times have you embarked on some new project bursting with enthusiasm, only to find that motivation deflated like an old party balloon at the first setback? It’s happened to all of us, and […]

• Written by Guest Contributor on Aug 11, 2015
• enthusiasm, journey, Laurie Richards, long term, motivated, motivation, motivational, music, music lessons, musical, peaks, piano, piano lessons, plateau, play, practice, process, robin keehn, self expression, setback, simply music, the playground, valleys

A rock school is a great endeavour anywhere, but in Mitrovica, Kosovo, split by war into two ethnic groups, it has a special dimension. Young people from both sides ignore those divisions and come together […]

• Written by Guest Contributor on Aug 3, 2015
• inspirational, inspire, laura hassler, music, music lessons, musicians without borders, palestine, piano, piano lessons, robin keehn, rwanda, simply music

A lot of music unites people. Occasionally it divides people. With its contentious depiction of racial stereotypes, the opera Porgy and Bess seems to have experienced the ebb and flow of acceptance over the years, […]

• Written by Gordon Harvey on Sep 10, 2014
• Classics, gordon harvey, music, music education, piano, simply music, Summertime, the playground

  Very early in their learning experience, Simply Music students are introduced to chord accompaniments through songs like Amazing Grace, following written chord symbols represented by alphabetical letters. What they won’t realize at that point […]

• Written by Guest Contributor on Jan 22, 2014
• arrangemenets, chords, coaching, composition, dane andrus, improvisation, jazz, lessons, music, piano, simply music, teaching, the playground

Madison Abrams is a multi-talented, 10 year old, Simply Music Piano student taking lessons through her home-school co-op in Waterford, Michigan. Madison excels in many areas of playing the piano but her specialty is at composing and accompaniment pieces. Her first composition, […]

• Written by SM Admin on Dec 4, 2013
• composing, fur elise, madison abrams, piano, rachel geans, simply music, student

Christmas time has traditionally always been a time for the gathering of loved ones and the playing of music. I felt it would be great to have a collection of carols that anyone in the […]

• Written by Guest Contributor on Dec 4, 2013
• jingle bells, piano, piano tutorial, simply music, the playground, tutorial

Twelve-year-old Ashton Rowe’s path to musical success has not been without its bumps, but has clearly been paved with determination. Starting at age six with Marilyn van Roekel and continuing via Skype with Robin Keehn, […]

• Written by Guest Contributor on Aug 6, 2013
• ashton rowe, Laurie Richards, piano, piano lessons, robin keehn, simply music

In our May issue, Katie Schmidt wrote a great article: Promoting and Releasing Your Songs. Here, we take that information a little deeper and give you some really specific ideas on how to brand yourself […]

• Written by Stephanie Iadanza on Aug 6, 2013
• brand, branding, logo, merchandise, music, musician, piano, promotion, simply music, songwriting, the playground

Since Neil has so wonderfully helped us all understand the power and influence of arrangements, I am certain that when you write a song you envisage a lot more than just you at the piano […]

• Written by Guest Contributor on Jun 27, 2013
• business, katie schmidt, music, piano, simply music, songwriting, the playground, working

I’m sitting here at home looking out of my window. It’s a beautiful morning and it’s very quiet. I’m thinking about what has happened this year. So far, I’ve traveled throughout the USA. I’ve been […]

• Written by Neil Moore on May 19, 2013
• inspiration, music, neil moore, piano, simply music, students, teachers, the playground