Tag Archives: keyboard lessons

piano solo sweet georgia brown oscar peterson piano lessons portland

Video – Amazing Piano Solo Sweet Georgia Brown in Oscar Peterson Style

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Here is an amazing piano solo of “Sweet Georgia Brown” played by Gyuri Villas. This piano style is very much like Oscar Peterson, and includes some nice Art Tatum elements.

This is a high level example of piano mastery by a very good player. Learning to play Jazz can be challenging. At my piano studio, here in Portland, students taking piano lessons or keyboard lessons who are interested in learning improvisation can get a good start by learning Blues Improvisation. Blues is a much simpler and easier style to learn than Jazz and includes many of the same basic concepts of jazz. I’ve taught Blues Piano to many students who are just starting out. It’s great fun, very exciting, and fairly easy to learn.

Video – Arlo Guthrie Plays Piano and Sings – City of New Orleans

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A great video of Arlo Guthrie playing piano on his famous track “City of New Orleans”, showcasing Arlo’s voice and piano playing. “City of New Orleans” was written by Steve Goodman. It’s about a train trip from Chicago to New Orleans. Arlo recorded the song in 1972 and it has become one of his biggest hits. Arlo took that train ride for the first time in December of 2005, traveling with other musicians to New Orleans to raise money for local musicians needing help after the devastating Hurricane Katrina.

Arlo Davy Guthrie was born in 1947, in Brooklyn, New York. He is the son of the famous singer Woodie Guthrie. Like his father, Arlo is known for singing songs about social injustice. One of his best known songs is “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree”, a 18 minute satirical blues song. Arlo Guthrie is best known as a singer, songwriter, and musician. He also has done some acting in films and television. His most noted role was in “Alice’s Restaurant”, an adaptation of his song in which he play’s himself. He has recorded numerous albums and made a huge contribution to American Folk music.

While taking piano lessons and keyboard lessons, some of my students express interest in being able to accompany themselves on piano. There are some basic technique that we work on to make the switch from solo piano to accompaniment. This video is a great example of how to play piano while singing.

Some Songs by Arlo Guthrie
Alice’s Restaurant (1967)
Arlo (1968)
Running Down the Road (1969)
Washington County (1970)
Hobo’s Lullaby (1972)
Last of the Brooklyn Cowboys (1973)

more about Arlo Guthrie

Beginner Piano Lessons and Keyboard in Portland OR – Fun For All Ages

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Learning to play piano is a skill you’ll enjoy for many years. People who play piano find it a rewarding and inspiring experience. Piano lessons will motivate and challenge you to learn the skills to understand music in a special way. The best way to learn to play piano or keyboards is with private, individual piano lessons.

My students range in age from 4 years up to over 80. Children and adults get to work on the kinds of music that is perfect for them to play. You can learn to read music, play by ear, improvisation, accompanying voice, theory, and lots more. Learn to play classical, popular, blues, jazz, new age, and folk music. Learning to play piano will give you a chance to express your creativity and individuality. It’s also a great way to feel a strong sense of achievement. My studio is a supportive environment in which to learn to play piano. Students get to learn at a comfortable rate. I use a modern, effective, and personal approach to teaching and make the lessons relaxed and stress-free. Call to find out more about lessons.

Norm Zarr
503-253-8021

more on Piano & Keyboard Lessons in Portland

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Studies Show Piano Lessons Can Increase Your IQ At Any Age

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Piano teachers have known for years, that children who take piano lessons or keyboard lessons, do significantly better in school. Now, new research has validated this.

Many people think of IQ as a genetic trait you’re born with it. However, research is now showing that a person’s IQ can rise and fall over the years. IQ Scores can change gradually or quickly, after as little as a few weeks of cognitive training. In one study, IQ scores increased as much as 15% or more for some students.

Recent studies by several researchers have made a connection between music lessons and IQ level. The most pronounced results were in younger people. According to research by E. Glenn Schellenberg, psychology professor at the University of Toronto at Mississauga, music lessons are linked to higher IQ throughout life. He states that six years of music lessons increased children’s IQ scores an average 7.5 points.

In a 2011 study, researchers at the University of Kansas found that practicing musicians who are active for a decade or more continue to post higher IQs beyond age 60. A score in the 90 to 110 range is considered average. A “genius” may score 140 and above. A person’s IQ score fluctuate over their lifetime and is influenced by complex musical training, jobs, advanced schooling experiences, and new experiences. It has been discovered that learning new tasks stimulates the brain the most.

People can take practical steps to increase their long term improvements to IQ. People whose work involves complex relationship or problem solving perform better long term on cognitive tests. Peoples whose jobs little thought will experience declining IQ scores. A 30-year study at the National Institute of Mental Health found that people whose work involves complex relationships, setting up elaborate systems or dealing with people or difficult problems, tend to perform better over time on cognitive tests. Test scores of people whose jobs are simple and require little thought actually tend to decline, according to the research.

from the WSJ

blues piano player

Learn To Play New Age Music – Piano Lessons Keyboard Lessons – Portland Oregon

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blues piano playerMany of my piano students love playing New Age music. It can be learned fairly quickly and is lots of fun to play. The music flows with a relaxed, evolving soundscape. New Age piano music often brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the listener. It gives students an exceptionally natural connection to the piano. For a piano teacher, this is a perfect kind of music to give students to sharpen their focus on their listening skills.

“Enya” is a very well known composer of New Age music. Students like playing her well known songs and they are great as solo piano pieces. New Age music is very unique, draping the listener in a world of ever changing sound. The music often features drawn out chords, pulsing with hypnotic colors and images. Harmonies are rich and evoke musical paintings. New Age pieces are often quite long and develop an easy familiarity with the listener. It common for the left hand to be playing arpeggiated chords, while the right hands develops the melody.

Vocals are not very common in New Age music although they are found in ethnic variations. New Age music is derived from other genres of music and is played on many different instruments including piano, keyboards, guitar, drums, winds, strings, and others. Songs are composed in acoustic or electronic arrangements. Often, a diverse number of tribal, percussive instruments are used in New Age music.

Students taking piano lessons or keyboard lessons will find that learning New Age music will increase their playing skills in some new and useful ways.

Influenced and shaped by many composers and musicians, New Age music continues to constantly evolve. Some of the people who have contributed to this sound are: Philip Glass, Brian Eno, Pat Metheny, Steve Reich, and Pink Floyd.

Some well known New Age musicians & composers are:

Enya
Jim Brickman
Yanni
Vangelis
Peter Gabriel
Paul Winter
Jean Michel Jarre
Kitaro

Find more on New Age music…