The current Omicron wave is at least the third time in Ontario that music teachers have had to switch to full online teaching. This time around I was prepared for full days of working with students on devices all day, and made sure that I was standing and pacing at regular intervals, helping both my focus and my back. Doing at least some form of physical activity throughout the rest of the day is important as well. My students were all okay with online lessons, and they appreciate the one-on-one attention compared to the anonymity of much online class learning.
Although that I'm back to a regular writing schedule, at the start it was necessary for me to get a better sense of what I had previously written after going on hiatus for so long. I did a quick inventory of the subjects that I write about on each of three platforms (Foley Music and Arts, the Collaborative Piano Blog, and here on the newsletter), resulting in 20 Things I Like to Write About. If you're not yet familiar with my blog writing, this is a practical introduction to the stuff I'm interested in; hopefully there are some surprises in there for regular readers.
Earlier this week John Gray messaged me out of the blue with a short electronic piece he had recently composed exploring the sonorities of a recorded fragment he once played on an old piano later destroyed in a fire. This ties in with a fascination I have with liminal spaces, something we've all experienced during the long months of lockdown and isolation.
At the same time, we're all hoping for a return to normalcy in the coming months. If you're a collaborative pianist looking to gain some experience in coaching the operatic repertoire and able to travel to Germany this summer, you might want to check out Musiktheater Bavaria's collaborative piano programs.
Here are some other articles to check out:
- Give up now. - The new year is a time of renewed resolutions and goals. Valerie Dueck talks about the worst advice she ever received while on her daily runs, and the importance of replacing "Give up now" with "Courage!".
- The Magic of Solstice - Those of us in the northern hemisphere might be suffering through the long nights now, but they're getting shorter every day. Susan Eichhorn Young offers a short meditation on finding stillness as we reset the path under our feet.
- On long books - What are the advantages to tackling long books? These observations by Nate Meyvis might give you reason to choose one this year, including reaping the benefits of commitment, compounding, and taking advantage of our newfound ability to binge watch.
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Wendy Hatala Foley's "Winter's Dance" (acrylic on canvas 48x30) currently resides in our entrance hallway, but could have a happy home in your own living space. You can purchase this and many more paintings on our website.