Launch my Facebook page

Two years ago, in a private gathering one of my friend said I have spent too much time solely on piano and music. She encouraged me trying something new. Somehow I agreed with her. So I started writing about piano and piano teaching here.

I recall  what I learnt from books and mostly from my students and organized them into writings. Also, I know more updated ICT knowledge through maintaining this blog. And to my surprise writing blog somehow like undergoing health therapy that help me cleansing my mind and channeling my voice.

Time flies and now comes to my next milestone. I am happy to announce that I launch my facebook page. I hope through this facebook page we can have a more dynamic interaction. Besides publishing the new writing I will also repost some of the old writing with new afterthoughts. You will also find info and news about music from my facebook page.

Please visit and leave comments in my Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/alicepianoho/
And if you like my writing, please like and follow my facebook page.

Hope to hear all of you there!

Copyright © 2016 Alice Ho — All Rights Reserved

Two Years Already!

Time really flies! I start this blog on 2014 January. It is amazing that throughout this two years this little baby grows up gradually. My blog is so far viewed  over 3000 times by over 2000 visitors from different parts of the world. I know this may not be a great deal but as an introvert small potato, this result surprise me a lot! Let me try something new here. Stay tuned!

Also please kindly leave me message for this blog or any topics you are interested.

May music stay with you throughout this year!

Copyright © 2016 Alice Ho — All Rights Reserved

Music makes you feel real

I like this funny advertisement. This is about how to get rid of our mobile phone and  reconnect to our friends, pets and the surrounding. I strongly believe besides drinking coca cola, making music can also make you feel real and solid.

Copyright © 2015 Alice Ho — All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

Happy Chinese Sheep Year!

 

Today is the first day of Chinese New year. In traditional Chinese culture we use 12 animals to represent a cycle of 12 years. And now we switch from horse year to sheep year. The above pic is non-traditional Chinese couplets (揮春) I wrote from google. We are used to write New year wishes on red paper by traditional Chinese pen as couplets and post them on the wall. This year you may try to write your own  electronic Chinese couplets in Google https://chinesenewyear.withgoogle.com/editor?hl=en .

Wish you Happy Sheep Year!

祝你羊年快樂!

Reflections of running piano education business

Today I attend a seminar at Hong Kong Baptist University about the challenges of internationalization for higher education. The speaker, Prof Coats talks about some current trends , such as challenges that universities facing, joint research and publication in science field, and partnership among universities. It follows with a Q & A session. I am impressed by a lady asking whether there is a fine line between education and market place. Prof Coats replies that we should use commercial sense to strike for the core values of university.

Like other arts, music nourishes your inner world. Furthermore, the core values of instrumental learning is to experience the joy and beauty of music through music making by yourself. This kind of experience is greatly different to those just listening to music passively.

Unlike school music, piano teaching is some sort of private sector in Hong Kong. It is not easy to strike balance between maximizing students’ interest and maintaining the business, especially in economic downturn. Thanks Prof Coats for bringing some insights about running a business of education. There is still a long way to go.

 

Copyright © 2015 Alice Ho — All Rights Reserved

 

Me as a very beginner of flute playing

Playing piano has been part of my daily life. Recently I start learning flute. It makes me feel fresh as I was a beginner of piano playing for so many years ago. I re-experience the feeling of very beginner in many aspects. Firstly I have to find a flute teacher. Then I go to buy a flute.

As I have mastered basic music theory such as counting and score reading, in the first lesson my teacher teaches me mostly on mouth shape, breathing technique and flute-playing posture. She also teaches me about the cleaning and maintenance issue of flute.

 

Copyright © 2014 Alice Ho — All Rights Reserved

Parental involvement in piano learning

Parents can play a big role in piano learning. For example they can help me to monitor their kids’ practice sessions at home. They can also foster musical atmosphere through bringing their kids to music concerts or just listening to the recordings together with their kids.

Well, I know I am too unrealistic. In fact many of my students are with working parents. Their parents often have long working hours. They return home late and are already very tired.

Moreover, even though they want to get involve  in their kids’ piano learning, they think they know nothing about piano playing. They feel puzzled on how to get more involvement.

But I think mental support of parents is already the biggest involvement of piano learning. Thanks the help of Internet and communication technology, I find ways to deal with this situation. Let me share one of my experience here.

I am teaching a young student. He is around 5-year-old and studying in pre-grade.  He doesn’t have strong interest in piano playing. He loses concentration easily during the lesson and loses patience in counting and note recognition. He also doesn’t have interest in piano practice at home. But the worst is he doesn’t care about how he plays. So you can imagine how worse the situation is. His mum is cautious about the progession. But she has to work and cannot squeeze time to come and talk to me frequently.

Last week, I asked the kid to play his homework tune in order to record and send it to his mum. We’ve tried several time. But each time when he cannot play the tune continuously he stoped immediately and stared at me. So far we cannot make a complete recording of the tune and he finally realized his discontinuity of his playing.

Then I ask him to play a tune he feel confident with. This time after a few trial he successes. He gave  a big smile when he listened back to his playing. I sent this recording to his mum by whatsapp. The whole family felt happy to enjoy the recording.

 

Copyright © 2014 Alice Ho — All Rights Reserved