Practice Challenge

We are really excited to introduce two practice challenges for the 2017-2018 school year! Each student will choose between a 100 day surge challenge, or a 40 piece challenge (they can of course do both if they are feeling really ambitious). And there will be incentives! But before I get ahead of myself, let me explain these challenges.

First challenge! The idea of the 100 day surge is to practice piano every day for one hundred days without missing, as simple as that. This has become very popular in the piano teaching world of late, but I recently learned this is also a training technic that marathon runners often use. (The dad of a friend of mine is at over 900 days running at least a half mile each day without missing!) And we DO have some handy off-the-bench practice options for when you might be away from a piano, so don't let that deter you. Practices will be recorded in a practice journal, with some quick notes about what was practiced each time, so any foul play should be pretty easily detected - although of course that won't happen in our studio, we know all of our students our wonderful.

At day 25, 50 & 75, students will receive a sticker badge, and brag photos that will be added our @dawnspiano #walloffame #100daychallenge

Second Challenge! The idea is to learn 40 pieces in one school year (September-April for us). It is important for students to be exposed to a variety of music. Regularly learning new music develops so many vital musicianship skills. This challenge hopes to prevent students from stagnating on one piece for weeks at a time, and encourages learning multiple pieces simultaneously. You know, like the professional musicians do. (This will be more of a 40 Thing Challenge, as composition, improvisation and transposition will all be eligible).

At 10, 20 & 30 pieces students will receive a sticker badge, as well as the social media brag photos @dawnspiano #walloffame #40piecechallenge.

And the grand prize for students who make it all the way:

• A certificate of achievement awarded on stage at our recital on April 22nd, 2018
• * AND * a personal shoutout on our website and Facebook page. 100 day winners get the added bonus of having their name printed in Piano Explorer Magazine.
• * AND * they will receive an invitation to our exclusive awesome-practicers musical outing (details TBD. This may be a classical concert, a field trip to the LA Opera Open house, a jam session, or a party. What is certain is that it will be fun!)

Heading into a new school year, we all need some momentum and motivation to continue to see our students' music grow. So we can't wait to get these started with your piano kids!