TAKE THE EFFORT AND STRUGGLE AWAY FROM TEACHING / LEARNING / PRACTICING SCALES

GUARANTEED RESULTS, ALL LEVELS

Hello,

My name is Eva Martin, Piano Teacher, owner of The Eva Martin Hollaus Piano Studio in Perris, CA and CLassicalPianoLessons.Com my on-line piano Studio.

My deep rooted goal and purpose is to share with you my lifelong passion of piano playing and music.  And in particular of playing Piano WELL. I was not born into a musical family, but even that did not stop me to follow my passion.  All there was, was a piano and until I was allowed to play ON the piano, I was playing UNDER the piano.  My entire life, I could not get away from piano playing, regardless how many other things I also looked into.  But all I can tell you, whatever I did shaped me -- what I doing now -- sharing what I have learned over 43 years of dedication.

Born 1957, raised in Vienna, Austria, and in the country, in Wilhelmsburg a/d Traisen, where my parents built a house over the course of 3 years, complete with a year round orchard and many flowering plants and trees, completely natural. I completed my 8 year Conservatory of Music education with a Bachelor in Music Piano Education at age 18, while also completing the Matura in the Gymnasium Vienna 3, Kundmanngasse 22. Several courses at the University of Vienna, Music Department, followed.  My early years were filled with studies and more studies, visiting the innumerous museums, attending almost weekly performances in the Viennese Opera, Vienna Theater, the Konzerthaus and Musikverein.

Then travels, a few recitals and further philosophic and language studies brought me to the USA, recital at Steinway Hall in Chicago with Violinist Eden Vanning  and moved to Los Angeles. Further travels through South and Central America with my Husband to be: his father pioneered Aviation in these countries and my now "X" received the Aviation Wings of Honors in his father's behalf, got married, further studies with Joanna Hodges and Mark Richman. I had wonderful worry free years practicing 8 hours a day, reading any publication about Pianists, Composers, piano technique and interpretation that I could get my hands on.  Participated in several International Piano Competitions, foremost the Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition in Palm Desert and the 8^th International Beethoven Piano Competition in Vienna.  Several piano solo recitals followed performing the complete Etudes Tableaux Op 39 by Rachmanninov, the complete Romeo and Juliet Suite Op 75 by Prokofieff and the Mozart Sonata K 311.

US citizenship in 1990.

Went on to learn about business in the USA (all I knew was piano and general school from Austria), my "x" "handed" me the opportunity to become the "CEO of a landscaping company" (Yes, I knew NOTHING! The naïve Austrian Pianist!), and I learned in a snap, to become acquainted with American Business.  Took a C-27 (landscaping) license course, passed, qualified the business with the C-27 license, my "x" named  it "Laurels and Mansions Botanical and Horticultural Nature Center" based in Pasadena, CA.  Many interesting business experiences (developed the composting program for the City of Pasadena; presented many live gardening seminars at local garden clubs), business sold in 1997.

Started showing dogs (Italian Greyhounds) in 1992 in breed and agility.  AKC agility judge 1995 - 2007 (officially retired), participated in the first AKC agility trial in 1994. Recent accomplishments:  Long Beach, CA 2007 Eukanuba Best of Breed bred by exhibitor and Award of Excellence.

Teaching Piano full time, since 1998, rebuilt my life and piano Studio in Perris, CA. since 2000.  Annually averaging 25 - 28  students passing the MTAC Certificate of Merit, in the Riverside branch and 25 - 35 students mostly passing the Guild auditions Annually with a National or International program. Many gold medals in local auditions, festivals and competitions (including Junior Bach Branch and Regional Branch Winners, Young Pianist competition, Inland Empire Piano Festival, Young Artists competition, and others.). Averaging 60+ GOLDS or Superiors incl. Certificate of Merit, annually.

Recent year:  internet marketing course studies to expand my Piano Studio online, making my wealth of knowledge available to the World - to whoever is interested.

I wanted to share with you my findings of my life's journey about Piano scales, chords and arpeggios.  Not enough emphasis is given these skills in early and regular piano lessons.  These skills are often considered too tedious, too difficult to master, not enjoyable, an unnecessary waste of time taking a student away from "what REALLY MATTERS" PLAYING, FUN and ENJOYMENT.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Thank goodness, there are programs that require scales, chords and arpeggios in their examinations:  Guild and Certificate of Merit as the two I enter my students in.  But there are many more examinations that require scales skills.

And ever I can think back, I know scales are hated and mostly not understood and therefore usually not played well. Chords - another memorizing chore and oh god, arpeggios. Never learning the fingering right, just fudging your way through it, getting done as quickly as possible, hoping you'll remember during the exam.

But quite the contrary is true.

Joanna Hodges introduced me to the Russian School of piano technique, having studied herself with Emil Gilels.

I am also certain, that you are all familiar with the MANY fingering charts available, and they are all pretty much the same, every scale book includes fingering, at least a few important numbers.

So WHY can everyone not just PLAY SCALES PERFECTLY and master them perfectly and come out on top?

What is the BIG HANGUP?

It is in the step by step understanding, presentation, teaching and learning of each little segment to result in a flawless scale.

Practicing scales is practice time spent wisely.  But you really need to know HOW! The SECRET is in the step-by-step approach and the result is inevitable!!!

Why are scales so monumentally important?

Well, let me tell you:  When I was in my teens in the Conservatory, scales chords and arpeggios were mandatory - and to tell you the truth, I felt just like my students before learning them right - WHAT A WASTE OF TIME AND HOW BORING!!!!!!!  Let me get done as quickly as possible! When are we PLAYING PIANO?

But 40 years later, I have a much different outlook at this subject.  Sorry, it took me so long, finally sharing my conclusions and "trade secret":

The Classical styles period uses mostly these scales, chords and arpeggios.  I feel it is really DIFFICULT to LEARN TECHNIQUE if you are trying to get a piece ready and you are doing yourself a tremendous disservice not preparing scales / chords / arpeggios by themselves.  It will take forever to learn technically, bring into tempo, memorize.

You know, all these mistakes I am telling you about, I made them myself and I learned the hard way.  But as I have explained things to my students and was able to convey to them the REASONS WHY I suggest HOW TO DO THINGS and EXPLAIN how each action will or will not RESULT in the desired performance down the road. In the same way i am taking the time, preparing teaching manuals and video explanations so EVERYONE can access this information that would only be available to a select few who would be taking lessons here in Perris, CA.

And as you guess, my teaching schedule is full.  And I really do not want to limit myself to student who can AFFORD to travel, study here, relocate to live here in order to take a few lessons with me.

There are many excellent piano teachers 'around', it takes time to find a teacher who is compatible in teaching personality, is affordable, has openings and is able to communicate the exact knowledge to help the student at hand.

Following my passion of sharing my dedicated years of studies, I really wanted to make my abilities available to EVERYONE.

Daily besides my teaching curriculum, I am editing my EBooks and wroking on marketing and also putting the video clips together that hopefully will help thousands of young to adult piano students learn better with their current teachers -- they all try their best -- bless their hearts -- hopefully my suggestions will spark greater understanding of the piano and music basic concepts, that are the foundation for all advanced piano and music studies.

Just today, I was giving the second lesson to two new students, who came to me after 6 years of lessons accomplishing not much.  We discussed the importance of counting out loud.  At the end of the lesson they could play and count in perfect time.  For 6 years their teacher could not get them to count out loudly and play well.  There is much more dedicated work ahead, but really grasping the concept of rhythm made the difference.  Watch for the announcement of my rhythm video presentation.

Another adult student came and took lessons for one months before he had to relocate ot San Francisco for a job.  He had many questions and I was able to provide answers;  but what he thanked me the most for, was, in all the years that he had lessons, no one was able to connect HIM with his inner feelings, the feeling that express the music.  For his entire life he had only played "notes". He felt his music journey had only begun.

And more is coming,....

See you later

Eva

Copyright 2008 © www.classicalpianolessons.com Eva Martin Hollaus. All rights reserved.