Piano How To

Piano Studio photos

2011-08-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

Please enjoy!

Education Articles - Play Piano - Avoid the 7 Most Common Piano Practice Errors - Amazines.com Article Search Engine

2011-08-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

Education Articles - Play Piano - Avoid the 7 Most Common Piano Practice Errors - Amazines.com Article Search Engine

Let's go over the seven most common practice errors and the secrets to unlock flawless and effortless practice progress:

As a piano teacher or student are we not hearing these daily?

1. I just want to learn to play a piece – I do not have time for boring scales or theory

2. Metronome practice? You must be kidding!

3. The most important thing is to get the notes right

4. If you practice and make a mistake, just keep trying, eventually you will get it

5. Only people who cannot play piano need to write in finger numbers

6. Never mind practicing technique or learning theory, just practice a piece until you get it.

7. If I play a piece often enough I will be able to play it from memory.

Ever heard of these before? - Please, read the article to find my explanations! Enjoy and play well!

Cassiopea M. Bostan, Pianist: Cassiopea (10) plays Invention 1-J.S.Bach

2011-07-20T23:24:00.000-07:00

Cassiopea M. Bostan, Pianist: Cassiopea (10) plays Invention 1-J.S.Bach: "This is Bach's first two-part invention. I enjoy playing Bach, I can feel the musical lines. It makes me happy playing this beautiful music..."

Cassiopea is playing the 1st Invention by J.S. Bach beautifully; cannot wait to hear the next invention she will work on.

Classical Piano Lessons.Com: Piano Scales Free Videos

2011-07-20T01:50:00.000-07:00

Classical Piano Lessons.Com: Piano Scales Free Videos: "Please, enjoy a few of my FREE videos. Absolutely anyone can open up the book Play Piano In All Keys Scales Only by Eva Martin Hollaus fin..."

The Eva Martin Hollaus Piano Studio, Perris, CA, USA: Piano Guild completions May through July 13, 2011

2011-07-18T23:50:00.000-07:00

The Eva Martin Hollaus Piano Studio, Perris, CA, USA: Piano Guild completions May through July 13, 2011: "Eva Martin Hollaus Piano Studio 2011 Guild audition results May through July 13, 2011 No years National Winner Gold ..."

Eva Martin Hollaus Piano Studio Piano Guild Results May through July 13, 2011

2011-07-18T16:18:00.000-07:00

I am so glad the majority of guild auditions are over. Only a few students who could not test earlier will be testing at the end of July and in August.
I must admit everyone played beautifully and the hard work paid off. All I can tell you as a teacher is: I wish I had had this opportunity in my childhood and teens. But out of my struggles came the answers and I am very grateful for my journey. My focus is on sharing my knowledge and get it distributed to whomever wishes to listen.

Here are our results; so far 20 gold medals (that is 10 - 15 pieces performed) and a total of 244 pieces prepared and judged. Still more pieces to get ready -- and my reward? It is hearing my students perform beautifully; that is very rewarding to me. A gigantic thank you, to the parents who needed to make certain practice happened. Even the most responsible talents still require a parental coaxing and sometimes greater push to stay motivated and practice.

If you are wondering how I can get so many students prepared, please take a look at Play Piano In All Keys Complete Workbook that greatly facilitates all teaching and learning of scales chords/cadences and arpeggios and that is the core tool to help students progress so quickly and accomplish so much in a short time. All students except Elementary A students tested on scales, chords/cadences and everyone performing 10 - 15 pieces also performed arpeggios, except my Elementary C student. I was happy that he managed the scales; next year we will add the arpeggios for the white keys.

When I was little, on the contrary no teacher could really explain to me the importance of practicing scales, chords/cadences and arpeggios. Now, that I am teaching, it is all starting to make sense. I am very grateful to the piano guild program that requires scales and cadences and also scales, chords/cadences and arpeggios in lieu of pieces. These skills are easy to master using the book Play Piano In All Keys Complete Workbook, available at: http://playpianoinallkeys.com/complete-workbook/

Here are the results:

Eva Martin Hollaus Piano Studio 2011 Guild audition results May through July 13, 2011
No years National Winner Gold Medal			Classification		# pieces
	Judge: Sylvia Barton	Temecula, CA May 13, 2011
6	Chloe Lovato	Intermediate C	IC	National	10
5	Cynthia Nguyen Phan	Intermediate Special	IS	National	10
5	Kathleen Nguyen Phan	Intermediate C	IC	National	10
5	Stacey Nguyen Phan	Elementary Special	ES	National	10


	Judge: Rita E. Fendrick	Clearwater, FL May 19, 2011
1	Geroge Bostan II	Elementary C	EC	National	10
3	Cassiopea A. Bostan	Intermediate Special	IS	International	15


	Judge: Jean Shackleton	Riverside, CA May 21, 2011
6	Ranen Unger Hicks	Intermediate Special	IS	National	10


	Judge: Sylvia Barton	Monterey Park, CA June 12, 2011
0	Vishakh Pillai	Intermediate B	IB	District	5
1	Vinayak Pillai	Intermediate E	IE	District	5


	Judge: Valerie Vaughan	San Diego - Escondido, CA July 8, July 13 2011
2	Patrick Xu	Preparatory Special	PS	International	15
1	Charys Hong	Elementary A	EA	National	10
1	Rachel Hong	Elementary A	EA	National	10
1	Juliette Beucler	Preparatory B	PB	National	10
5	Andrew Vu	Preparatory B	PB	National	10
5	Nessa Vu	Intermediate C	IC	National	10
4	Victoria Vu	Intermediate C	IC	State	9
5	Kelly Rausch	Intermediate A	IA	National	10
6	Thulasi Yogarajah	Intermediate B	IB	National	10
1	Adam Ghilarducci	Intermediate C	IC	National	10
3	Brittany Durgiah	Intermediate A	IA	District	5
8	Bret Paddock	Preparatory C	PC	International	15
6	Mitchell Johnson	Preparatory A	PA	National	10
3	Anais Perkins	Intermediate B	IB	National	10
9	Sai Sivapalan	Preparatory Special	PS	International	15

			total pieces performed		244

Piano Guild IF- Scales Musicianship Phase, Cynthia Phan (13)

2011-06-23T23:49:00.000-07:00

Cynthia Phan (13) performing Major scales, harmonic minor and melodic minor scales, three octaves in the circle of fifths. She learned all scales fingering using the Play Piano In All Keys Complete Workbook fingering charts. Using this book to prepare Cynthia's piano playing technique made learning scales easy and fun and effortless. Play Piano In All Keys Fingering Charts took the chore out of learning scales. Cynthia has only started paying piano 4.5 years ago. She is a student of Eva Martin Hollaus.

Piano Guild IF- Arpeggios Musicianship Phase, Cynthia Phan (13)

2011-06-23T23:29:00.000-07:00

Cynthia Phan, age 13 performing her Piano Guild arpeggios musicianship phase requirements. Cynthia Phan is a student of Eva Martin-Hollaus. She started playing piano 4.5 years ago. Cynthia enjoys playing arpeggios since she found they were very easy to learn using Eva Martin's book Play Piano in All Keys Complete Workbook. Learning arpeggios with the large, easy to read fingering charts, was an easy task for Cynthia. The book is available at www.playpianoinallkeys.com

Piano Guild IF - Chords/ Cadences Musicianship Phase, Cynthia Phan (13)

2011-06-23T23:05:00.000-07:00

Cynthia Phan, age 13 has been playing piano since 4.5 years and is a student of Eva Martin-Hollaus. She enjoys playing piano and participating in various piano festivals and competitions. This year marks her 5th participation in the National Piano Playing auditions in which she performed the chords and cadences in this video. Cynthia learned all her piano chords using Eva Martin's book Play Piano In All Keys Complete Workbook. Cynthia has performed annually in the Piano Guild auditions with a 10 piece program each year. She also completed the MTAC Certificate of Merit (TM) Level 9 this year. Eva Martin's book uses fingering charts that allow a streamlined approach to learning piano technique. Simply progress three times as fast with Play Piano In All Keys Complete Workbook.

Auction for Japan Tsunami vicims

2011-04-20T21:01:00.001-07:00

Tsunami auction gets $73 million bid for piano - Wire Entertainment - Music News - sacbee.com

This is an amazing gift to pay 73mill dollars for a crystal piano.

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Cynthia Phan received an Honorable Mention in the Piano Guild International Composition Contest

2011-04-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

Cynthia Phan received an Honorable Mention in the Piano Guild International Composition Contest

Cynthia Phan age 12 started to take Piano lessons 5 years ago. She is playing Advanced Level repertoire, passed Level 9 in the MTAC Certificate of Merit (TM) and enjoys composing beautiful music. Her style is unique, creative and musical. Her composition “Sweet Dreams” 140 measures, handwritten, took an Honorable Mention in the Piano Guild International Composition Contest, a great accomplishment considering the hundreds of entries. Cynthia entered the category of Intermediate Specially Gifted Solo Piano Composition. She is looking forward to composing more pieces and sharing her gift with the world.
Cynthia Phan has received all her Piano, music, theory and composition education from Eva Martin Hollaus, author of the innovative Play Piano In All Keys Fingering Charts Series, streamlining piano education, theory fundamentals and composition; Eva Martin Hollaus Piano Studio

National Piano Guild Auditions coming up

2011-04-09T18:31:00.000-07:00

I don't know how you feel as teacher, if you have students entered in the National Piano Guild auditions? I do, I have once again some 26 gold medal programs, that's once again 10 - 15 piece programs. Year after year, I say the same thing - why am I so crazy to go for 10 piece programs with so many students.
Well, I guess, it matters to me and when I see a student can manage, I feel obligated to make it happen. This is just my personality.
Several years ago, I talked to another teacher and he told me - why bother with learning so many pieces, why bring old pieces back, time is so short, just learn new pieces.
I can understand this point of view. However, I really feel that it is absolutely necessary to be able to bring "old pieces back", improve them. These are various skills that come in handy. Sometimes, it is necessary to be pressured to learn a piece in a very short time; it amazes me how able children are, nowadays. They do need to be challenged and each one is different; no-one learns quite alike. Adding a skill to learning quickly, learning to memorize quickly, visualizing pieces, learning a memorization routine that holds up, all are imperative skills.
The ones who never get ready, they will most likely not be ready later either; there's always something that comes in-between deadlines and busy schedules. As teachers, we are always challenged with these situations.
In all the playing requirements, I always insist on scales, chords, cadences and arpeggios. My students start these patterns in the very first lesson and after some short 3 or 4 lessons they show me how they manage to move their fingers running up and down the keyboard in scales patterns with accurate fingering. That always makes me very happy. They learn reading notes while learning to play. These early mechanical times are my GOLDEN TIMES with a student - they cannot yet play pieces and they are happy to move those fingers!
This is where I set my foundation for later on. Good habits, enjoyment of playing, moving the fingers nicely curved - oh wait - that's usually on my wish list and when I have parents who supervise I get nicely curved fingers. I always try to involve parent as much as possible.
So now, the Guild auditions are around the corner and we are on a strict schedule practicing diligently each piece entered a minimum of 5 times when very young and later on broken into sections with many more repetitions at various speeds, error-free. If an error is made the piece needs to be slowed down. The mind simply needs more time to think and it will be error-free if played slow enough.
That is the single most important habit to master that will take a student through any 10 - 15 piece program at any level.
And the second most important skill is scales, chords cadences and arpeggios - or maybe this is the very first utmost important skill to cultivate.
The book Play piano In All Keys Scales Chords Cadences Arpeggios Fingering Charts is the single most important book to have in any piano library. Without this book, I would not be able to take all my students through their large programs for their Guild auditions. And mind you, my students are regular honor students in school who also want to excel in piano.
Before Play Piano in All Keys Fingering Charts books, I would hand draw the scales fingering, now i just turn pages and the students love it, they can effortlessly master these skills time and time again.

Piano Guild Elementary B Scales Chords Cadences Arpeggios Musicianship p...

2011-04-09T18:03:00.000-07:00

The National Piano Playing Auditions are coming up in a few weeks and over the next months. Using Play Piano In All Keys Fingering Charts is an excellent way to master these skills at Elementary and Intermediate levels.

Hanon how to practice

2011-04-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

This is a subject that is really close to my heart. Because somehow, students need to learn control over many varied finger patterns. And I feel it is so easy to get it right and make progress with a few hints. I wish I had known what I am sharing on this video when I started playing piano... that was ages ago... now i can see the results with my students. Enjoy.

Bach English Suite in A minor (Gigue) BWV 807 - Cynthia Phan, pianist

2011-04-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

Cynthia had a great time performing her Gigue. Without her dedicated scales practice the piece would not have turned out as beautiful. The book Play Piano In All Keys Scales, Chords / Cadences, Arpeggios was very helpful.

Piano Guild Practice instructions Intermediate F, IS Scales Chords Caden...

2011-04-07T14:21:00.000-07:00

The Piano Guild auditions are just around the corner. And as a teacher I am always searching for efficient solutions that will take my students to the desired results effortlessly -- well as effortlessly as possible. We still need to practice, but even there Play Piano In All Keys Fingering Charts make all the difference in ease of preparation. I get clean fingering; even very young students can effortlessly learn and review their 1 - 4 octave scales, refresh fingering, patterns, speed, security and sound. I also get effortless chords and cadences and arpeggios.

Before using my fingering charts books, it was quite challenging to say the least, to take students through their 7 piece repertoire and 3 musicianship phases (scales, chords / cadences, arpeggios). but I am adamant about working scales chords cadences and arpeggios and playing repertoire. This is in my opinion the only way how my students can progress so quickly.

Once a student can play a few scales, we can start learning a piece that uses those patterns. How quickly can my students play a scale? Well, I start my scale patterns in the very first piano lesson all ages - so within 2 weeks they can play 1 - 2 octave scales hands separate and together. That's the golden time learning to play piano - they do not know pieces yet and they do not know notes yet and they want to play!!! So it's mechanical patterns first! And at the same time we learn a few notes and beginners method books. Suddenly within a few weeks they play fantastic! - I am talking about ages 5 years on up.

I am posting my Piano Guild instructional videos using my fingering charts books. I hope many students will find how easy it is to accomplish piano scales, chords / cadences and arpeggios and then improve in leaps and bounds learning pieces.

English Suite BWV 807 - J.S. Bach - Cynthia Phan (11)

2011-04-05T00:34:00.000-07:00

Cynthia played this piece last year and this year added the Gigue.

Piano Guild Intermediate B Scales Chords Cadences Arpeggios musicianship...

2011-04-05T00:32:00.000-07:00

Piano Guild Intermediate A, Scales Chords Cadences Arpeggios Musicianshi...

2011-04-05T00:31:00.000-07:00

19 Students pass the Certificate of Merit™ – Eva Martin Hollaus Piano Studio

2011-03-28T13:32:00.001-07:00

19 students from Eva Martin Hollaus Piano Studio in Perris, CA passed the Certificate of Merit ™ musical knowledge examination, yesterday in Riverside, CA at la Sierra University. Students needed to pass a theory examination that had between 100 and 150 questions, they needed to pass sight reading, ear training, technique and performance.

Eva writes:

Hello all:

I can only congratulate everyone for their outstanding efforts in accomplishing this exam.

I would like to highlight: We received this year 4 theory exemptions in the Advanced level, which is the Advanced level theory exam passed at 90% or better and with 150 plus questions that is quite difficult. Congratulations to: Sai Sivapalan, Mitchell Johnson, Sharmini Premananthan and Patrick Xu. Patrick Xu received the highest score of 94% correctly answered theory questions. From now on, all you need is to think about practicing and performing your pieces. Juliette Beucler and Bret Paddock received their exemption status last year and had a great time playing their program.

Shanti Ryle and Shalini Nair passed both theory and performance which was a requirement for them to receive their graduating Senior Medals and State Certification. They will be specially mentioned in the Branch Honors recital with a biography and they will be awarded their medallion, plaque and state certification.

There were several students who passed Branch Honors – the requirement being CM level 5 and school grade 7 and performance at 4+ minimum and theory passing.

Juliette Beucler, Bret Paddock, Anais Perkins, Cynthia Phan, Sharmini Premananthan, Shanti Ryle, Sai Sivapalan and Patrick Xu.

Juliette Beucler will also perform in the Convention in Oakland this year.

Congratulations to everyone! Your hard work and dedication was awarded.

Sincerely, Eva

Bach English Suite in A minor (Gigue) BWV 807 - Cynthia Phan, pianist

2011-03-25T00:56:00.000-07:00

Play Piano Major and Minor Scales Chords / Cadences Arpeggios

2011-03-25T00:54:00.000-07:00

Composition award in piano Guild

2011-03-24T20:57:00.001-07:00

My student Cynthia Phan was awarded an Honorable Mention in the International Piano Composition Contest.

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Russian virtuoso pianist performs in Taiwan

2011-01-09T01:59:00.000-08:00

"The 25-year-old musician started learning the piano at the age of five and made her first public performance when she was six.

For the Chopin Piano Competition, Yulianna Adveeva said she had spent a year studying Chopin's life and work so that she would be able to interpret his work to the standard demanded by the contest."

http://english.rti.org.tw/Content/GetSingleNews.aspx?ContentID=117222

I thought it was interesting that she prepared 1 year intensely, studying the life of Chopin - I remember my days when I was in my twenties working towards my own competitions. It gives tremendous insight, reading up on the lives of composers and spending time with contemporaries who write about individual composers, their lives and observations. I highly encourage my students to read about the various composers, their lives, reprints of personal letters, so that composers can be understood and interpreted better.

Play Piano

2011-01-02T15:36:00.000-08:00

Why is playing piano so important?

Well for one thing, you are creatively engaged. You are working each side of the brain - you could say you are giving your brain a workout! The right side of the brain controls the left hand and the left side of the brain controls the right hand.
When you are working scales, chords / cadences and arpeggios you could go through this checklist and find that each are is being improved with piano playing. I am not saying piano playing is the only activity that would improve these areas -- no, not the only one, but a good one:
1. working the brain: right / left
2. working the fingers - obviously
3. eye co-ordination - with your inner eye you are projecting how it should be and with your physical eyes you are observing
4. ear control - you know how you want the sound to be and are imagining this sound with your inner ear and then your physical ears are checking up, that it all actually turned out the way you imagined it
5. oh yes, you are working with imagination!
6. you are projecting your emotion into the tune
7. you are raising your emotion as you relax more and more into the music - the scales - the tune you are playing
8. you are detaching from problems of daily life while playing or practicing piano
9. you are breathing with the pulse of the music you are playing
10. you are adjusting your heart rate up or down; in my opinion, piano playing regardless of the piece or speed, it is relaxing -- even if you play a piece in top speed, your heart rate is not necessarily flying with your piece. You adjust your heart rate by breathing and practicing with the metronome, counting out loudly so you know your count and playing aligns perfectly with the metronomic clicks.
11. So it is important to practice breathing, relaxing arms, shoulders, upper, lower arms lose wrist, hands just enough tension to maintain effortlessly good pianistic hand position.
12. Sit upright, comfortably feeling slight body weight over your feet (well grounded), upper body / shoulders lose - your body is lose enough to vibrate with the sounds you are making - to tune in - in contrast if you are all stiff, shrug shoulders and tense your sound will be wooden and have no ring, or it will sound forced.
13. Think of the beauty and quality of your sounds, the music you are playing. - the esthetics in your playing.

This is what I can tell you today about the importance of playing piano.
Playing Piano is an important and creative step in your daily life.
Enjoy, Eva

How I gave my family a digital detox

2011-01-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

I came across this fantastic article and decided to share it. It is so important to included music, communication, reading and just being there together, rather than just staring at TV or some videos games - or computers. As I am recently saying more and more often: If everyone would play piano, the world would be a better place!

Please, read the article:

The family dramatically increased their enjoyment of music, conversation . . . and sleep

The first day of The Experiment I wake up to a peaceful, almost Zen-like atmosphere in the house. No MTV blaring. No burst of computer- generated anti-aircraft fire from Bill’s room. No pinging, bleeping or — barring the birds outside — chirping of any kind to spoil the quiet.

The background buzz of technology in the household has gone. It feels good.

The only upset is that 14-year-old Sussy has left home. She’s not happy about the new regime and has packed up her gadgets and gone to stay with a friend.

Anni and her friend laugh when they come home at 8pm to find Bill and I eating supper together on the terrace (he’d usually be found hunched over a bowl of cereal or instant noodles in his room as he played his computer games). Anni says it’s ‘creepy’.

I wrote my newspaper column in longhand today. Painful to hand and head. How I miss MS Word and Google! I’m going to have to go to a local cafe to transpose everything on to my laptop then email it.

Had a fight with Anni about dirty dishes

Play Piano Today – creative problem solving

2010-12-30T15:43:00.000-08:00

Play Piano Today – creative problem solving

"As usual, I am reading through the various articles of interest. And there is one that stuck to my mind more than others: It described how children in America, nowadays were notably less creative in early childhood than other children. I’ll post the link to the study, shortly.

As a piano teacher, I have been diligently working on developing each piano student’s ability to make independent decisions. Most of my students are K12 and adult. Being able to evaluate on an ongoing basis what works and what does not work, in my opinion, is a great ability to develop and bring out more. It takes creativity to look at a situation from various angles and find solutions. This is one perspective that I am taking my students through. I want my students to have tools to evaluate, tools to understand how to improve and how to schedule and target to get from here to there..."

Please, follow the link to read the rest of my story... Happy New Year. Eva

The importance of teaching and learning piano in these times

2010-12-26T00:40:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Holiday Season:

Just came across this link and article about the decreasing creativity in American young children. Besides everything mentioned, I am certain that lack of nutrition and lack of purity of water have a tremendous contributing impact as well.

As a piano teacher I have felt an urgency to work extra hard to help students accomplish their goals. From very young and very early on, do I ask for creative ideas, creative ways of looking at music and decision making. Even in little ones, do I ask what they would like to play for me. I leave as much choices to my piano students, as possible.. However, once a program is decided, we work towards it and complete it. Piano playing, since it trains both sides of the brain equally it is a very important area in every student's life to continue to play piano despite so many distractions and school activities, especially nowadays.

I am also always looking for self expression. Music making is a fantastic way to accomplish that. In order to season a piece, the player's personality and feeling need to shine through. I always expect a student to practice humming or singing the tune of the piece during practice, so the individual emotions can shine through.

I am sure my Play Piano in All Keys finger charts books and work books are helping to bring out more personality by providing solid education in Major and Minor scales, chords/ cadences and arpeggios; important patterns that need to be rehearsed very well since most of classical music build on these patterns. These basic patterns are also a foundation for all creative people wanting to create music. If you can pay in all keys, you will be able to improvise and move easier from one key to another.

Here is the newspaper article that I quoted:

Britannica: What are some possible explanations for the recent decrease in creativity in American children?

Kim: The results of my study indicate that children in the U.S., especially kindergarten through third grade, are becoming less creative as measured by the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT), the most respected, tested, and applied creativity test in the world. This is a new finding, so there is no research yet as to the causes for the effect. Still, we can speculate.

Creativity is decreasing for children and adults. For younger children, the decrease probably arises more significantly from their homes than from their schools, because research indicates personality development is most influenced by home environments. Research also indicates that more children are spending the majority of their time in front of televisions, computers, and video games, and less time engaging in what I would consider creative activities.

From: explanations for the decrease in creativity in American children?

Fantastic to keep the arts alive

2010-12-25T23:20:00.001-08:00

Jazz salons keep the beat going - latimes.com