I love a great deal! When shopping for pianos or keyboards, parents often look for the best deal. BUYER BEWARE! There are some marketing ploys that prey on parents - deceiving them into thinking they are getting a good instrument for their kids, when it's not even ADEQUATE. In other words, some of these ads lead parents to buy a piece of junk! And what's worse, they have wasted sometimes hundreds of dollars. Their kids bear the frustration of keyboards breaking, or not working right. Enter Sweetwater! I found this wonderful company with GREAT customer service. You can talk to a real person, or do all your business online. Here are the top two keyboards that I recommend from Sweetwater: 1. Roland FP-30 This is one of the keyboards that I have in the studio. It stands up to a ton of use by kids - and keeps going. Great price, great accessories. Here is their bundle: (highly recommended! You don't want your keyboard to fall off of a table or be turned over. AND you need the three pedal kit!) https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FP30BKDlx--roland-fp-30-deluxe-keyboard-bundle 2. Yamaha P125 I recently played on one of these in my student's home. Great value, great sound! https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/P125BK--yamaha-p-125-88-key-weighted-action-digital-piano-black Their accessories are well-priced! Check this out: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LP1BK--yamaha-lp1-3-pedal-unit-black And here is the sweetest deal of all - the furniture stand to keep it all steady! https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/L125BK--yamaha-l125-piano-stand-black  Here's Elena with her updated keyboard setup! She is set to go for years to come. And her family loves the price!
If you have any questions at all about pianos, acoustic or digital, please reach out. I am more than happy to help:) It's fun to plan! And we have some piano activities to make your kids smile:) From trick-or-treat recitals - to celebratory dress-up events - we have something for every pianist in our studio this year. Some like to play by themselves, for family members, or to be featured on our Facebook success page. Others love playing in groups, studying the ins and outs of music notation and history, and making friends with lots of piano kids.
Here's a beginning list of what we are up to this year: Oct. 18, 6:30-KMTA Classics Rock Recital Nov. 9-KMTA Sonatina Festival Nov. 16-KMTA Theory Test Dec. 7 - studio recital at nursing home - space limited Dec. 13 - studio Facebook online recital Feb. 1 - KMTA Boys’ Recital May 15 or 16 - studio spring recitals Stay close to our Facebook page - Kay Lowry Piano - for announcements and loads of piano fun! What do you usually think of when you hear "piano recital"? Stuffy, boring, scary? Here at Kay Lowry Piano - our recitals are the exact opposite! Take a look at the grand entrances of some of our students from last year- it's hilarious! Aren't you excited to participate? Here is what you can do to get ready:
1. Save the date - Friday, May 17, from 7-8 p.m. 2. Start collecting stuff! You will need some of these items: pom-poms, homemade signs, air horns, cow bells, blankets, camp chairs, foam fingers, and general cheerleading items. 3. Plan what to wear. Family colors, face paint - show your spirit! The concert will be very casual. 4. Start "cheering" your student during their practice time at home. See this article for ideas - look for the section on "Piano Parents Turned Music Fans" www.teachpianotoday.com/2014/06/15/why-my-next-piano-recital-may-include-hot-dogs-foam-fingers-and-the-wave/ Don't miss this amazing opportunity to showcase and encourage our fantastic kids! A comment that frequently comes up - "We don't have room for a piano!"Check out this short video on how to measure your room for a piano. You might be pleasantly surprised:) We can't wait to see and hear the awesome music from our students this spring! Here are the detail that you don't want to miss:
It's going to be a fantastic spring! Let's cheer on these amazing kids and compliment them on a job well done. We love to come across ways to make practice fun, easy, and stress-free.It turns out, kids are very social creatures. They learn all day at school in groups. They love to play in groups. Then, they come to piano practice. Often, they are all ALONE. Parents are busy. A million things are going on in the afternoon/evening. How can you encourage practice in a positive way? Andrea and Trevor Dow have solved this problem. Check out this blog post for some great, quick ideas: www.teachpianotoday.com/2014/04/28/shout-this-from-the-kitchen-and-help-your-child-practice-better/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_smartloop&utm_content=smartloop&utm_term=12668622  Let us help you get those little fingers movin'! Call or text us at 281.906.0039. We love to help kids enjoy music and practice!
As a piano parent, are you afraid of "piano wars?"We are here to help. Check out the video below for an easy, tear-free way to get your kids to practice: At Kay Lowry Piano, we give parents the support they need. Do you dread the thought of making your child practice? You are not alone. Practice solutions are as varied as the individuals involved in piano lessons. We are here to help. The best thing you can do as a parent is create a "practice nest" for your child. Here is a wonderful article with great ideas: www.teachpianotoday.com/2015/09/29/creating-a-practice-nest-5-ways-piano-parents-can-improve-home-practice/  Yes - it's great to make time for 30 minutes of piano. But - if that's not possible - even 10-15 minutes a day can be very helpful. And - it doesn't have to be all at once! Try a little in the morning. Even "drive-by" practicing (running over a song quickly before heading out the door) has benefits.  Apps can be a part of practice!Children learn through play - and technology can be educational and fun! The powerful app, Piano Maestro - is free to students of our studio. Piano students around the world have made giant leaps in their progress with this app. And it's super fun!
If you have any questions at all - please reach out to us. We have printables, practice punch cards, and all kinds of resources to help. We love to get those little fingers moving on the piano! Online - is it just as good?Surprisingly, the answer can be yes. I have both taken online piano lessons, and given them. There are a few important differences. Read on to find out more about online lessons, and why piano teachers are learning how to give them.  What's good about online lessons?First, they can be very convenient. Instead of driving through traffic, and shuffling kids here and there - online lessons can be arranged from the comfort of home. Second - because the student is at his home piano, the teacher can observe posture, see the practice environment, and hear your home instrument. This information can help the piano teacher as they try to help your child. Third, the student learns to LISTEN closely in the environment of online piano lessons. With modern techniques of teaching, students can and do learn piano through this exciting technology! Fourth, and I think the BEST - is that the teacher is still the skilled, caring individual you want for your child. Nothing beats human interaction. And, you still get it with online lessons. What's not so great about online lessons?The teacher can't physically touch the student to correct posture or hand position. However, maybe this is not all bad. The students have to take more responsibility in this area, which is good.
Online lessons can be a challenge for the very young student. However, if the parent is willing to stay with the child and be part of the process, it's a great way to offer an experience of music to the child. STAY TUNED for more information on how the Kay Lowry Piano Studio will be offering online piano lessons in the future!  Does your kid love the outdoors? Have you ever wanted to explore music with your toddler, but weren't sure how? Come join us in Avondale Park on June 29. We are going to explore the various ways nature, music, and sound interact. Also get ready for some recycling tips on how to make instruments your kids will love! Keep your kids entertained for hours with the skills and fun ideas from this camp. More info at: http://www.kaylowry.com/summer-camps-and-events.html
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