As a piano teacher my aim is to recognize, encourage and fertilise each student’s musical talents. My role is to suggest, stimulate and guide, but not dictate…the decision is the student’s.

I encourage older students to create and sculpt each individual sound, first in their head, perhaps through singing, then through their fingers. First, there is the sound upstroke [the slope of the sound],.. then the sound’s loudness intensity.. then the sound’s duration.. then the sound’s downstroke. These help create texture and mood, guided by the clues the composer had written.

… pale colours, bright happy colours, sad colours.

Sound can be also thought of in terms of taste.. Staccato may be crunchy potato chips.. and legato the creamiest icecream ever ...

It’s good fun making colours and food for our ears to enjoy!

• gives enjoyment to listeners

• improves gross and fine motor coordination

• develops discipline of regular practising and time management skills

• assists in recognizing pattern repetition

• allows comraderie when making music with other musicians

• gets rid of pent-up emotions constructively