December 15, 2021 - O'Connor Online Piano Lessons

Christmas Countdown: The First Noel

December 15, 2021

| Christmas, Composers, Holiday

The First Nowell (also written The First Noël) is a traditional classical English carol, most likely from the 18th century, although possibly earlier. The word Noel comes from the French word Noël meaning “Christmas”, from the Latin word natalis “birthday”. The melody is unusual among English folk melodies in that it consists of one musical […]

🤗 National Hug Day
🎹 Hanon Piano Exercises
Most anyone who has ever played piano has a love-hate relationship with the “Hanon”. The Virtuoso Pianist (Le Pianiste virtuose) by Charles-Louis Hanon, is a compilation of sixty exercises meant to train the pianist in speed, precision, agility, and strength of all of the fingers and flexibility in the wrists.
👍 Chip Clips no more!
I used to use a heavy duty chip clip to keep students' books open during lessons until I found these. Music Book Clip Music Page Holder - Book Page Holder L Size (Blue) are just a little more than $2 each so I bought them for all my students. Note: As an Amazon Associate I […]
🍿 National Popcorn Day!
Join us on January 19 as we celebrate National Popcorn Day! Buttered, salted, kettled, drizzled with caramel, popcorn is one of those snacks perfect anytime, anywhere. It’s great on the go, in the theater, or in your living room! Just be prepared to dig some of it out of your teeth.
🎵 What Does Music Mean? ~ Leonard Bernstein
On January 18, 1958 Leonard Bernstein began presenting his television series What does music mean? The series ran for 53 programs. Some of the episodes can be found below: Part 1 What is Classical Music? Plot: Bernstein conducts Handel’s Water Music and cites it as an indisputable example of classical music. “Exact” is the word […]
🎂 Happy Birthday to Gene Krupa!
Eugene Bertram “Gene” Krupa lived from January 15, 1909 to October 16, 1973. He was an American jazz and big band drummer, actor and composer, known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style. One of my all-time favorite non-piano songs is Sing Sing Sing. Krupa joined Benny Goodman’s band in 1934, where his featured drum […]
🎹 What You Need to Know about Piano Pedals
There are two standard foot pedals on the piano: on the left side is the una corda pedal and on the right side is the sustain (damper) pedal. The middle sostenuto pedal is only standard on the American grand piano, and is very rarely used. With pedals, the pianist can add resonance and color to […]
🐤 Today is Rubber Ducky Day!
According to a 1973 Sesame Street calendar, Rubber Duckie’s Birthday is January 13 so around the country it’s National Rubber Ducky Day! A friend of Ernie and Big Bird, Duckie made his debut in a February 1970 episode. The rubber ducky (also spelled duckie) has come a long way from his first concept as a […]
👏 All About Carnegie Hall
You’ve all heard it before. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. If you want to go, other than practicing, Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south […]
☃️ Snow Days This Week!
No lessons this week due to the snowy weather. Keep practicing! Those using Piano Maestro and/or Sproutbeat may find new assignments.
🎂 Alfred Brendel’s Birthday!
Alfred Brendel was born in 1931 in Wiesenberg, Czech Republic. After World War II, Brendel composed music, as well as continuing to play the piano, to write and to paint. However, he never had more formal piano lessons and, although he attended master classes with Edwin Fischer and Eduard Steuermann, he was largely self-taught after […]
🍝 National Spaghetti Day
National Spaghetti Day on January 4 recognizes that long, thin cylindrical pasta of Italian and Sicilian origin.
🎂 Happy Birthday, Victor Borge!
Victor Borge made his debut as a pianist in 1926, and as a revue actor in 1933. From 1940 until his death in 2000 he worked in the USA for radio, television, and theatre, and has performed with leading symphony orchestras on worldwide tours since 1956. He was best known for his comedy sketches combining […]
2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣ 2️⃣ Happy 2022
New Year’s Day is observed on January 1, and is probably the most celebrated public holiday, often observed with fireworks at the stroke of midnight as the new year starts in each time zone.
🎇 New Year’s Eve!
1929 ~ Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians played Auld Lang Syne as a New Year’s Eve song for the first time. Auld Lang Syne had been the band’s theme song long before 1929. However, this night was the start of a New Year’s Eve tradition as Lombardo’s famed orchestra played at the Hotel Roosevelt […]

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