Dear Friends,

It’s been a busy start to the semester! I’ve been working on YouTube videos and getting ahead on my production schedule – I’m excited to roll out some new topics this month.

And so I skipped a couple of weeks of this newsletter. If you’re new here, welcome to all of my new subscribers! 👋

One thing I always enjoy about a new calendar year is starting a fresh practice journal. (By the way, if you're looking for a great practice journal to use, here's one I recommend.) I know that might sound a little nerdy, but I enjoy starting the year with a fresh book and seeing the pages fill as I plan and track my practice.

Recently, one of my adult students reached a major milestone: she officially logged 10,000 hours of practice! Years ago, she set this goal based on the idea popularized by Malcolm Gladwell that 10,000 hours is the amount of practice needed to achieve expertise.

I was impressed not just by her dedication, but also by the fact that she kept track of every single hour over the years it took to reach that number. To celebrate, I made her a "Certificate of Achievement" for 10K hours of practice and presented it to her at her lesson! 🎉

But here's what's really interesting about this: my student told me she had expected to feel like a true "expert" once she hit 10,000 hours... but she still feels like there’s so much more to learn that the accomplishment felt a little bit hollow to her. It's a reminder that while big goals can be motivating, the goal itself is just another signpost on a longer journey.

Her achievement inspired me to keep track of my own practice hours more closely. I already log my practice, but I rarely add the hours up; maybe it’s time to start!

🎶Upcoming Performances​
I’m currently preparing for a duo recital with flutist Susanna Self. We’ll be performing on February 18 at Butler University (Indianapolis) and again on February 23 in Door County, Wisconsin. The program includes works by Hasse, Prokofiev, and Amanda Harberg. If you're in either of those geographic areas, I hope you can come!

📬Catching Up on Email​
I’ve also been making a concerted effort to catch up on email - I have consolidated my inboxes as part of this effort - so if you’ve written to me, I appreciate your patience!

💬What Are You Working On?​
I’d love to hear from you! What are you practicing right now? Hit reply and let me know!

👋 Have a great week! Happy practicing! 🎹

-Kate

This month’s Practice Theme: “Articulation & Touch"

Practice Tip: Seamless Legato

Legato playing - playing a series of smooth, connected notes - relies on a combination of careful listening and precise physical coordination. Legato is not just about avoiding gaps between notes (which is why simply using pedal is not the answer); it’s about creating a continuous, singing line.

I often tell my students to think of legato playing like walking. When we walk, we don’t hop from one foot to the other (well, unless we’re trying to avoid a puddle!). Instead, we shift our weight gradually from foot to foot, with one foot gradually accepting the weight of the body until all of the weight is on that foot, allowing the other leg to swing forward and prepare to take the weight off of the other foot.

Legato at the piano works the same way: our fingers must take the weight of the arm, and then transfer weight smoothly to the next finger as you move from one note to the next.

When you practice legato this week, play slowly, keep your fingers close to the keys, and practice overlapping your fingers as one key goes down while the other key releases. Listen carefully to the full duration of each note. Listen to the tone. Do any notes drop out unexpectedly? Are there accents where you don’t want them? Imagine your fingers "walking" on the keyboard, with one finger releasing just as the next takes over.

Try singing the phrase first, or even sing along while you play. This helps you internalize the shape of the line while your inner ear listens for a smooth, seamless line.

Challenge: Can you play an entire passage where the notes connect in one unbroken ribbon of sound?

💜 Some of My Favorite Things

1. Performance 🎶: Margaret Bonds’ Troubled Water takes the spiritual "Wade in the Water" and transforms it into a sweeping, virtuosic piano solo, full of cascading arpeggios and gospel-inspired harmonies. It’s both intimate and powerful: like a sermon delivered through the piano! Check out this wonderful recording by pianist Maria Corley.​
2. Podcast 🎧: My friend Christina Whitlock recently celebrated the 200th episode of her podcast, Beyond Measure! To mark the milestone, she distilled each episode into a one-sentence takeaway, creating a jam-packed episode full of practical advice for piano teachers. It’s a must-listen for anyone looking for inspiration and insight in their teaching.
3. Book 📚: Effortless Mastery, by Kenny Werner. This book focuses on overcoming mental blocks to achieve freedom in performance, using meditation and relaxation techniques. Available in Paperback, Kindle, or Audiobook. Check out my other book recommendations here!​

🎹 Stay Connected:

• 📆 Book a lesson or a coaching session with me. I have updated my available dates through the end of February!
• 🎓 Contact me to learn about applying to study with me at Butler University at the undergraduate or master's level. You can also see how to apply to Butler University​ if you are interested in studying with me in Indianapolis. Go Dawgs! 🐾
• 📚 Check out my resource pages, where I share my recommended books, technical exercises, gear and more!
• 🎥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel!
• 📱Follow me on Instagram!