My first post... and Rhythm Cups

Yes, finally! High time I put up a blog. It seems like everyone else has one. Excuse me while I figure my way around this website. Yes... I am getting on in years and I need time to catch up.
For my very first post, I thought I'd introduce something new we started doing this week --> Rhythm Cups!
We are using "Rhythm Cup Explorations" by Wendy Stevens fromComposeCreate.com
Check out this video of me and my students having fun here: http://youtu.be/BW8GnRZAQlI
I'm thinking of doing a 20-person rhythm cup band during the September group class. Haha. Watch out for it!

Inspired by Dalcroze

I attended some courses on Dalcroze Eurhythmics many years ago and was very inspired from then on to use Eurhythmics in my teaching.

My student, C, had to learn a tricky passage today (Allegretto in F by J. C. Bach, 2013-2014 ABRSM Grade 5 Piano). We overcame it using a movement exercise that I devised to help coordinate her left and right hands.

The plan: walk out the LH part while clapping the RH part. The student has to know exactly how the parts go together in order to do this. We practise this many times until the student is able to do this fluently.

The outcome: the student then transfers this onto the piano. No problems! :)

Here's a video of the process: http://youtu.be/Uf4IhLp4nyo