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Hello, it's Miss Donna here, sharing her thoughts!

​I'm super excited to introduce you all to the new Happy Keys 3.0. We are now a Piano School that specializes in beginner's piano lessons and beyond and mentoring future students who will become the leaders of our next generation. 

I've had the privilege to learn a lot over the 18 years of teaching experiences...and I can't wait to share my knowledge. Teaching has always been my passion but what gets me more excited is seeing the changes in the families and the children's lives. In addition, I'm honoured to have worked with a handful of families for over 5 years and up to coming up 10 years! Isn't this a dream for teachers? It sure is. 

As I sit here to share my current thoughts, I welcome all new prospective families and students who would love to bask in the energy of growth, personal excellence, and dedication. The arts has played a huge role in my life and I know having a teacher that really is my mentor has changed my life. I often think of my piano teacher and how daring she was...to be more than just a piano teacher. 

I too, wish to be daring, and to my inner circle of friends, I probably am the most out there person. I personally believe that if you truly wish to learn something, you can. And, when it's time to find a teacher, then it's time to look far into the future and see if you can see your lives with them. When we start piano, our parents are our main mentors, along with our teachers. But, as we get older and move into pre-teen era, someday, that teacher may become your child's mentor as their prefrontal cortex develops well into their early 20's. And, as I look back in my life.... the times that I've excelled was when I had a mentor or mentors.  Thus, I believe, we excel when we have mentors or coaches in our lives. I now see how paramount it is that I jump into the legacy that I am creating... as my student's evolve and grow...what will they need? The basics of piano will be mastered in no time and what truly is left is a gift of a lifetime of enjoyment. And, that lifetime of enjoyment will crossover to their social lives, their inner lives, and their families and friends...like a ripple effect.

I've been learning the piano since I was 9 years old and I've dedicated 18 years of my life to teaching and growing as a teacher as I am also passionate about researching pedagogy and psychology. This type of dedication and passion is most likely what makes me unique and in a world where most people look for instant results...it can happen too! However, piano is like no other activity. Yes, you can learn a song in a month and guess what? That's just the beginning. Why? There are always steps to getting better and as we evolve as a musician, we will notice even more the subtle nuances. The life-long journey of learning to play any instrument or any art is not only a dedication to the craft but a dedication to oneself. We want to play better, sound better, and ultimately achieve our highest level of playing...and it gives great joy to our parents and grandparents. Playing the piano is like reading books... you don't just read one book in your lifetime. Maybe you do? Well, then it's time to find some new books and jump right in! It's surely can be an adventure if you have the courage to get started.

I wish for everyone to grow, evolve, and to find their own path to personal excellence in 2022. There's a lot happening in the world and it's more important than ever that we contribute our energy to the world by creating love, kindness, and peace. How do we do that? First, we may want to begin with ourselves...and music such as playing the piano is one way to find that love, kindness, and peace within.

~Miss Donna

Thank you parents and students for a wonderful VIRTUAL piano recital! This would not have happened with everyone's efforts and I am so thankful for this opportunity to showcase our student's learning, growth, and talents!

You can view our recital performance in our NEW Youtube page here! Hope you all enjoy! I'm looking forward to what 2021 has to bring and I'm super excited to share with you some new projects. Take care and stay safe! 

#1: CAMERA ANGLE

• Position your phone or camera "horizontally" before filming which creates a more open more and will fill up the entire screen.
• Make sure we can see your smiling face and your piano in the video.

#2: BE READY

• Recital "Fancier/Formal" Outfit.
• Lesson Book(s).
• Printed Songs: If you have not memorized your piece and have various pages, tape them together side by side to avoid having to flip pages.
• Pre-adjust your bench distance and height.
• Find a place where you will stand to introduce yourself and your song(s).
• Decorate your space or surrounding to bring in your holiday vibe! Not necessary at all but if you wish or want to.

#3: PERFOMANCE ETIQUETTE

1. Walk into the "stage" screen and introduce your name and the title of your songs. For songs that are famous, you can name the composer too such as "Fur Elise" by Beethoven.
2. Take a nice bow. Your style.
3. Take a deep breath.
4. Do a nice lift onto the piano with your hands. Find your position.
5. Play your first song.
6. End your first song with a nice lift and place it on your lap.
7. Repeat doing a nice lift onto the piano with your hands for the next song.
8. End your second song with a nice lift. And repeat if you are doing one more song.
9. At the end, stand up and complete the recital with a nice bow.
10. Walk off the screen "stage" confidently.

#4: LIGHTING & SMILE
We want to see your beautiful smiles and enjoyment when playing. This means you want to look into the following:

• Lighting Natural? If it's too dark, we aren't able to see you.
• Room Set-Up / Props.
• Camera angles. If the camera is too close, then we may not be able to see you. Ensure you have a parent/sibling help you film~

#5: HAVE FUN & PATIENCE
You may need to re-film several times since being on camera can be challenging and nerve-wracking. But no worries, this just means we have an active imagination and it's not a bad thing. And, since you are filming from home, you can film as many times as you wish! So, be prepared to have patience when filming. It might be a one-take wonder or it might be 20 takes later.

See this activity as something fun and involve your child in creating the holiday atmosphere by letting them choose their outfits, background props, and encouraging them to keep going. Have fun!

Good luck everyone~~!!! It'll be a fantastic experience.

Warmest, 
Miss Donna
​Your online piano teacher.

If you are wanting to make piano recital practise fun, check our my FREE recital preparation BINGO activity! Click on the photo to download instantly.

Thank you for coming by! If you like this sort of activity, subscribe to my email listing and you will receive directly to your email box when I release the next one!

You can subscribe by going here: http://www.happykeysmusic.ca/subscribe.html

Stay safe and stay warm!

Warmest, 
Miss Donna

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Hosting recitals are my most cherished and happiest times...

​and while this year will surely be different due to Covid-19 and me teaching on my own again, I always want to bring and make the best experiences to my students and families.

Those who've been around me during this time know that I just love making gifts, coordinating the events of the day, and putting together a fantastic show!

​Usually, we would also do a potluck, take a group photo, and socialize but this year we will be doing it online! And, I know it'll still be fun. In fact, we will be pre-recording all of our performances which brings in new challenges and experiences for students. 

In spite of all the ongoing changes in the world, we will continue forward with recital traditions and keep music alive and well! Recitals are 5 weeks away and everyone is learning new songs.

I'm super stoked and this year...I look forward to sharing with you a few things that I'll be doing at the studio. 

Have fun and stay safe!

Warmest, 
Miss Donna

​

I am currently taking in a handful of new students for group piano lessons for ONLINE lessons only and I'm offering 3-week and/or 3-day trial lessons called "PIANO PARTY FOR KIDS!!!" where we are pretending it's everyone's birthday while getting an intro to piano lessons.

This program is co-created with the KeyNotes Group Piano Program which is a fantastic specialized piano program that is made specifically for group piano learning. These lessons are differentiated for all levels of beginner learners and incorporate storytelling, composition, and more! As a teacher, I always want to create an environment where kids who learn quicker can get a bit more learning and kids who need a bit more help to also be a part of the class and moving forward in learning.

Students are invited to join me on these 3 trial lessons first before joining on to the ongoing group piano program. During the trial lessons, there are no obligations to continue and it will give you a great idea if your child is ready for online learning and online group piano lessons. Students will receive a Piano Party workbook before the first day of class (to be printed) and during class online, we will play on the piano, learn terms, play games, sing songs, listen to music, composer a song, and more! Ofcourse, a party is not a part without birthday crowns, blowing out "pretend" candles, and singing Happy Birthday! No, it doesn't have to be your real birthday. It's a pretend birthday party.

I bring all my experiences of teaching in-person privately, in-groups, and online teaching to create a fun and engaging experience for all students who love learning. These group classes require parent engagement for ages 3-5 and on-the-side support for ages 6-11.

I've had a number of parents ask me for private in-person lessons and at the moment, please join my waitlist for private piano lessons and for in-person lessons. The next opening will most likely for 2021-2022. Hence, you're welcome to join me for a group online instead if you do not want to wait!

For more information on the piano programs, click here.

Warmest, 
​Miss Donna

​2 Minute Read >>>

​A quick guide for families to set up their child for success when starting and transitioning into online piano lessons.

They say new habits take at least 3 weeks to consolidate.

Start preparing now with these 7 steps and you will be well on your way to starting piano lessons online successfully! Keep going and be the best you!

Check out our group online piano lessons! It's a great start to learning piano.

Warmest,
Miss Donna