Dear Friends,

I always keep a box of tissues in my teaching studio. This is because students cry surprisingly often in lessons. I say “surprisingly” because I think most people would expect students at the high school, collegiate, and graduate levels to cry 0% of the time. But the reality is that I have to replace my tissue box about once a year.

This past week I was very glad there was still one tissue left in the bottom of the box, when one of my students teared up in the lesson.

I have come to realize that when a student cries, usually they are tears of frustration, shame or fear. There is something the student wants to do that they can’t (yet), or they feel embarrassment or shame about something, or they are afraid that I might react badly to something. This last instance is usually if they don’t yet know me, so they're nervous about playing for me for the first time.

Crying in a lesson shows you care. These tears of frustration come from having high standards and high expectations for ourselves, and not being able to meet them. They represent a gap between our potential (what we can do someday) and our ability (what we are able to do right now).

This is why it’s particularly important to recognize when we DO reach benchmarks in our progress. These moments can easily be overlooked, but they are important in building confidence and self-efficacy (knowing you can do something if you keep at it and work hard).

My question for you this week is: what small achievements in your piano practice have you overlooked that deserve celebration, and how can acknowledging these moments boost your overall motivation?

👋 See you next week! Happy Practicing! 🎹

-Kate

🏅 Today's Practice Tip: Celebrate Your Achievements!

This week is all about celebrating your achievements. Most of us are more like the student I taught this week: under-confident in our abilities, and don't run the risk of feeling over-confident.

Recognizing your progress along the way allows you to acknowledge your hard work and keep a positive outlook in the practice room, even if you can't play it perfectly yet!

This week’s exercise: Write and reflect ✍️

After each practice session this week, write down one specific thing you improved on that day, no matter how small. Reflect on how writing it down affects your motivation: does it make you feel more motivated, or less motivated?

🗳️ Poll:

I'm planning to make an online course, and I'm in the process of deciding on a topic! You can help me choose!

💜 Three of My Favorite Things

1. 🎻 Performance: I recently heard Grażyna Bacewicz's Third String Quartet in a performance, and I have been thinking about it ever since. I found the piece to be very evocative and powerful in its expression. Here's a recording of the beautiful, searching second movement.
2. 📝 App I can't do without: In April I took a two-day workshop on using Notion. My life hasn't been the same since. Notion is a project management software that you can install on all your devices and use to capture and organize thoughts. I now use Notion for all of my organizing and most of my writing (this newsletter was written in Notion)! You can check Notion out here using my affiliate link.
3. 🎼 Page-Turning App: For years, I have used the app ForScore on my iPad to manage my music and perform with. ForScore pairs with a bluetooth pedal for page turns. Recently, I upgraded to the Pro version which allows me to turn pages just by twitching my face. 🤯 It has been a game changer!

Quote of the Week

🎹 Want more from me?

Here are five things you can do:

1. 📆 Book a lesson or a coaching session with me.
2. 🎓 Contact me to learn about applying to study with me at Butler University at the undergraduate or master's level.
3. 📚 Check out my resource pages, where I share my recommended books, technical exercises, gear and more!
4. 🎥 Watch piano tutorials on my YouTube channel!
5. 📱Follow me on Instagram!