Steinway Factory Tour (Who needs Willy Wonka?)

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Luba

With so much to reflect upon after the MTNA conference, I think my best bet is just to go backwards! In this case, it is kind of like starting a meal with dessert…The Steinway Factory Tour!

I am really excited!

I had been looking forward to this part of the trip with barely contained excitement, and after some delayed-subway drama that resulted in me attempting to run 6 blocks and just barely making the bus, the day did not disappoint. The early morning group was small, and our “guide” was John Marek, Manager in Charge of Fabrication. Saying that this was an “inside look” barely begins to describe it.  John spent over 90 minutes taking us through the factory, in and amongst the workers going about their daily production. I came away with a head full of facts and statistics, but even more so, a sense of awe at the time, care, detail and craftsmanship that goes into the creation of a Steinway piano. The factory currently produces about 5 grands and 1 upright a day. Not unlike a baby, the process of building a single piano takes about 9 months.  Here are a few snapshots!

the newly bent rims, ready to cure

matching wood for the soundboard

Steinway has very strict specifications for the soundboard: the grain of the wood should run at 90 degrees, with a 15 degree deviation acceptable in each direction. There must also be no fewer than 10 tree rings per inch. About 50% of the wood for soundboards is rejected because it does not meet those standards. (Did I mention all the statistics?)

carving the bridge by hand (by hand!)

stringing by hand

our guide was not as interested in this part, but we sure were!

In light of all the economic doom and gloom of the last several years, it made me feel rather warm and fuzzy to see the very blue-collar inner workings of the Steinway company (an American company through and through– this was mentioned many times during the tour!) Most of the materials are sourced within the US (wood mostly from the Northwest, wool for the felts from New Hampshire sheep, strings made by a company in Kentucky) and many of the highly skilled workers come from several generations of Steinway builders (and are members of United Piano Workers Local 102).

So, I highly recommend that all piano geeks (and manufacturing geeks, at that…) take a bit of a detour on your next New York trip and head over to Astoria, across the Queensborough Bridge. The Steinway factory does tours on Tuesday mornings, but you must schedule in advance by contacting info@steinway.com

If New York is not on your upcoming itinerary, the marvels of the Steinway factory can be experienced through the 2007 documentary Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037. I saw the movie back when it came out, and the DVD was one of the several souvenirs I came away with from New York. I’m excited to finally own a copy so that I can lend it to all my piano students!

Posted in pianos | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

In one week…

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Luba

…I will be on my way to New York for the MTNA 2012 National Conference. I anticipate being in a complete “kid-in-a-candy-store” haze the entire time I am there. The other day, I was starting to figure out the schedule of sessions, master classes, etc. and ended up cutting and pasting together a sloppy Word Document of the schedule since there was not a convenient format of it to be found on the MTNA site. Today, however, while poking around on Twitter, I discovered that MTNA (@mtna1 on Twitter) is actually being quite tech savvy and has the entire conference info available for the Guidebook App (A free app available both on Android and IPhone). Once I downloaded the app, my initial searches for “mtna” and “new york” did not turn up anything, but upon looking under the main “Trade Shows and Events” heading, sure enough, there it was! From the app, it is possible to view the daily schedule (with room specifics listed), maps of the hotel and both exhibit halls, a listing of all the marketplace exhibitors with their booth numbers, and even add specific events to your own “schedule” within the app.  Quite convenient! So, if you are headed to the conference, get Guidebook, and follow @mtna1 on Twitter, and maybe follow me while you are at it…@missluba. I’m usually pretty quiet over there, but I think my conference excitement is likely to manifest itself in the Twitter-sphere!

Posted in logistics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Studio News: Bravo!

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Luba

Congratulations are in order! On February 18th, Sophie, Karen, Sarah, and Picabo had the opportunity to perform at the CAPMT state conference as part of the Carnegie Hall Royal Conservatory Achievement Program 2012 California Celebration of Excellence Recital. The girls were invited to participate in the event because they each earned one of the highest scores in California for their exam levels last last year! Dr. Peter Simon, president of the Royal Conservatory, was on hand to give the keynote address and present the students with their certificates at the conclusion of the program. It was a big honor for the kids to meet him, as well as Dr. Jennifer Snow, the Chief Academic Officer of The Achievement Program.  Here we are with Dr. Snow after the performance…

While the conference was just a short drive away for me and for my students’ families, it was wonderful to hear some great performances by kids who had traveled from all over the state. Also, it is exciting to see that The Achievement Program curriculum is beginning to take root in California and throughout the United States!

Posted in studio news | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Musings on the passage of time

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Luba

Happy New Year everyone!

The last months of 2011 were tough in the Miss Luba household, and while all sorts of musings have been bouncing around in my mind, the time to put pen to paper (or whatever we say in the digital age) was simply not there. I’ve been keeping up, reading all my favorite teaching blogs, but I have missed writing and hope plan to get back to it in 2012.

A few weeks before the holidays, one of my students shared with me a video that he created. Since I only really see my kids in the context of piano, it was a great reminder that as time goes by, they grow up into full grown creative individuals!  And of course, it was wonderful to hear his piano playing as the “soundtrack”…

Posted in musings | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Who Made All This Up?

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Luba

As we were working on scales the other day, (talking about the patterns of whole steps and half steps, intervallic relationships, the circle of 5ths and other such musical wonders…) my student asked one of those classic deep questions: “Who made all this up, anyway?”

Feeling a little harried by the lack of preparation on the aforementioned scales, I replied with: “Well, nobody made it up, really. It all has to do with physics…and acoustics…and the vibration of sound waves…and such things.” I know. Hardly a worthy answer of the mathematical marvels that underpin the very existence of Music.

But really, where to even begin?

Luckily, the other day I came across this fantastic video! It illuminates in the most approachable way the nature of the overtone series, the behavior of sound waves, and the way our ear and brain translate all of this into sound. Vi Hart has a fantastic YouTube channel, Mathemusician, where she posts videos bound to get anyone and everyone excited about math.  So, the next time one of your students needs an explanation of the science behind their scales, just have them watch this:

 

Posted in musings | 2 Comments

Happy September!

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Luba

Come on in and get inspired…

But first, you should wash your hands…

The hot seat is ready for you!

Wait! It doesn’t look like that anymore! This is much better.

a few hours at the sewing machine later...

Let the work fun begin!

hard work=fun!

Happy September, everybody!

Posted in picture post | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Marvels of the internet: Spotify

Posted on August 20, 2011 by Luba

In the last few weeks of August, it always seems that my piano teacherly duties keep me largely in front of a computer keyboard rather than the one with 88 keys, over there on the other side of the room…(Writing that sentence just prompted me to count the keys on my computer. There are 78. I think I just understood the amusement that my young students seem to derive from counting the keys on the piano! ) It is the season of getting organized: there are spreadsheets upon spreadsheets, browser tabs open to my Google Calendar, my Toodledo.com to-do list (a major saver of sanity!) and the Inbox which seems to fill with unread messages every time I look away.

One other program constantly running on my computer these days is Spotify. Has anyone else jumped on this bandwagon yet? Spotify has been available in the US since July. Currently, it is not available in Canada. (Sorry, Canadian friends! Though I hear you have something similar? Rdio?) This article gives a good overview of all the specifics and details. Basically, Spotify it is an online music-streaming program, with an Itunes-like interface. Unlike Pandora radio (which I also love), it allows you to search for a specific album (or song, or artist) and listen to all the tracks. The basic service is free! (though you will hear an ad a few times an hour).

The fabulous thing is that many of the big classical labels are on board with Spotify: EMI, Naxos, Deutsche Grammophon! It is all right there! Instantly!  I have a decent collection of classical CDs at home, and I certainly intend to keep adding to it. The permanence of having all those disks lined up nicely on the shelves is always going to be deeply compelling. Still, the ability to pull up a great recording of any piece anytime is incredibly exciting!

I think the potential to use this in teaching is huge! I encourage my students to listen to classical music in general, and recordings of their pieces in particular. However, this often means sending them off to search on You-Tube. And while there are certainly great treasures to be found there…well, it isn’t Deutsche Grammophon! So, I will be actively encouraging students’ families to get Spotify accounts. Also, it is possible to create and share playlists. So, rather than just sending a student off to search around for a recording of his Chopin waltz, I could create a playlist for him with several renditions of the piece as well as perhaps other selections which could inform his understanding of the music. Plus, if I am teaching and my laptop is nearby, any piece of music is just a quick search away. Oh the marvels of the internet!

Now, I do have to admit that hearing an ad between movements of say, the Dvořák cello concerto, can be rather jarring. Also, the free version does not support listening to music on a mobile device, or saving music for off-line listening. Depending on how much I find myself turning to Spotify in the coming months, I may consider going for one of the paid options. ($4.99 a month for no time limits and no ads, $9.99 a month for no ads and mobile device/off-line listening).

Do you use Spotify? For fun? In your teaching? How do you encourage students to listen to music?

Posted in teaching aids | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

In My Other Life…

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Luba

 

Why hello there, world-wide-web. It sure has been a while. I would love to say that I am off lounging about and relaxing in the summer sunshine. In fact, I am right here—home in freezing and raining San Francisco.  In the summer, I actually work more hours in a week that I do during the school year.  This is partially on account of the fiscal realities of summer in piano teacher land; but to be honest, I cannot resist the urge to become my alter ego: Miss Luba, the fun, hip, musical theater camp vocal coach!

I have worked for San Francisco Arts Education Project every summer for the last seven years as a vocal coach and accompanist. The Broadway Bound summer camp is a chance for kids ages 9-14 to develop the skills of a “triple threat”—singing, dancing and acting.  Working all day in front of large classes of high-energy theater kids is a total shift from my usual routine. Except that after camp, I go ahead and do my usual routine too, teaching my piano students who are in town for the summer.  Every hour of the day is packed and I always feel like I am forgetting something crucial that needs to get done…Still, it sure is a lot of fun!

I’ve realized over the years that I love my camp job because it lets me indulge in a bit of instant gratification. Over the course of a two-week session, I get to see true transformations take place! It is such a thrill to discover a child with passion for performing and giving him a push to really shine.  Not that I don’t regularly thrill at a relaxed thumb, a level wrist or a curved knuckle, but, well, those little things take a long time! And while those details are occasions for a teacher’s celebration, their subtle drama is often lost on the student. Not so with the addictive excitement of getting on stage, belting your heart out and nailing your choreography!

Miss Luba’s alter ego also approaches teaching music with a different energy in this environment. I am able to be both closer to the kids, and to be tougher with them. It makes me happy to find that even when I am exhausted after a day of camp, some of that “theater” intensity finds its way into my piano lessons!

Last week, our campers had a special treat. The young lead performers of the Billy Elliot national tour came and presented a master class. It was quite the big deal for our youngsters, a few of whom even got interviewed by the local news!

Here’s to a bit of instant gratification now and then!

Posted in musings | Tagged | Leave a comment

Feels Like “Happy New Year!”

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Luba

It is June 1st, but here in my corner of piano teacher land it feels a whole lot like January 1st. With the crazy race to the end of the semester finally complete, I sit here in that same post-holiday daze most people find themselves in come New Year’s morning. And it wouldn’t be New Year’s for me without lists! I don’t exactly bother writing resolutions in the usual sense, but I love looking back on the year and trying to think of all the highlights, changes, accomplishments…really, it is like retroactive resolution writing! I just look at all the good things that happened and pretend that I resolved to do them the previous year. Very gratifying, I tell you!
June 1st seems like a good day to apply this very activity to my teaching life, particularly because this past school year was one of many changes for my studio. Once I start musing it is tough to stop, so I warn you that this may turn into the first of several posts. Today we will stick to the concrete and tangible: (I’ll save my philosophizing for another day!)

Semester system billing

The biggest change I made last year was to switch to a semester/tuition system for my private teaching. I plotted out the entire school year calendar based on 36 lessons between September and May and had families pay a set monthly rate. Best decision ever.

Technique Practice Charts

I spent some time last summer planning out a more systematic way of introducing new technical elements for each of the National Music Certificate Program levels. I then created packets of weekly practice charts with checkboxes (oh the gratification of checking a box– no child can resist it!) to help kids track their technique practice. These charts still need some tweaking (summer project) but I’ll post them here sometime soon in case other folks find them to be helpful!

Lesson Notes in Excel

In the past, I have tried various systems of notebooks and such to keep lesson notes. This year I started doing my notes in Excel and though this is another work in progress area, I did a much better job of keeping track of student progress. Plus I could actually remember what happened at the previous week’s lesson!

Music lists on Sheetmusicplus.com

I wrote about this recently here. Ordering new materials became much easier with this system.

Ultimate Music Theory

I have been less than satisfied for a while now with the theory books out there and was thrilled to discover Ultimate Music Theory. As my students have started taking the NMCP Rudiments theory exams these books have been a huge help!

TonicTutor.com

TonicTutor.com is a charming music games website by Christine Donkin. This was my first year using the site and I found it to be a great means of getting my kids to practice ear-training and theory concepts on their own. It has been very neat to watch the site develop and I appreciate how quick the creators are to respond to input from teachers. Some of my kids really took to it and did their games consistently all year. Others were a bit more haphazard, and frankly I did not get into consistent routine with checking in myself. (New Year’s resolution maybe?)

MissLuba.com

Another really big change this year was my discovery of the internet. I mean, sure, I was already online all the time reading cooking and knitting blogs…But somehow it just never occurred to me until recently to investigate whether music teachers were out there in the ether too. I may save some of my poetic thoughts on this subject for my next “philosophical” New Year’s post, but really, I am just brimming with excitement over the amazing community I have discovered. Starting this site has been a fun adventure and I look forward to where it will take me in this New Year!

Posted in logistics | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Now Playing: Denis Matsuev

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Luba

A few weeks back, Jenny at The Teaching Studio kicked off an occasional series on Famous Pianists. I look forward to learning more about the great names of our profession through her future posts. She also inspired me to try my own version: Currently Performing Pianists Whose Concerts I Happened to Have Attended. Catchy, no?

Last Sunday evening I heard Russian virtuoso pianist, Denis Matsuev give a most glorious concert! Judging by the nearly 100% Russian make-up of the audience at Davies Symphony Hall, it seems as though much of the world is missing out. Really, it felt a little bit like being in an alternate dimension. Same city, same symphony hall—but an audience straight out of my childhood! On the first half of the program, Mr. Matsuev played the Schubert Piano Sonata No. 14 in a minor and the Beethoven Appassionata. Having thus warmed up his powerful hands and the piano (which got a tuning adjustment at intermission) he continued the second half with Lizst’s Mephisto Waltz and the Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 2 in B flat Major. Oh and then he played six encores.  As the program suggests, Matsuev’s technique is enough to frighten mere mortals and he can create a torrent of powerful sound. As a person who has been known to turn her nose up at “mere virtuosity,” I have to say that he really blew me away. Matsuev’s playing is emotional, intelligent and communicative. Even his most dramatic moments were musically convincing and did not come across as artifice or gesture for gesture’s sake. Then again, he was not above indulging in a bit of showing off on the encores. Played with an air of slightly comedic brinksmanship, this was encore number six!


 

Some facts on Matsuev (gleaned from his program bio and several charming interviews on Russian talk shows– YouTube never ceases to amaze):

  • born in 1975 in Irkutsk, Russia (Siberia- he takes great pride in being Siberian!)
  • a die-hard soccer fan (apparently his parents convinced him to move to Moscow at age 15 to pursue his musical studies by pointing out that he would be able to watch his favorite team play live!)
  • studied with Sergei Dorensky, whose students have won over 100 prizes at the major international competitions (including first prizes at the Chopin, Van Cliburn and Tchaikovsky competitions)
  • won the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1998
  • chosen by Alexander Rachmaninoff (grandson of the composer) to record some previously never-performed works, on Rachmaninoff’s own piano
  • in additional to classical music, Matsuev loves jazz and apparently is quite the improviser!

If you get the chance, go hear him! (and start practicing your Russian now so that you can chat pleasantly with the person next to you at intermission…)

Posted in concerts, pianists | Tagged | Leave a comment