Dear Friends,

This week was marked by something unusual for me: I did not go to camp for the summer! I did not pack my car to the gills, drive five hours north, and then unpack everything into a dorm room, to settle in for six weeks of teaching at music camp.

For eleven years I taught at Interlochen Arts Camp in northern Michigan, and for the last four of those years I was in charge of running the piano area.

I loved it very much and imagined that I would return year after year. Interlochen is a special place, and I recommend to anyone who has the chance to go there for a summer (or attend the Academy during the year), and anyone who has the opportunity to teach or be a teaching assistant there that they do it.

However, I learned that life has seasons, and ultimately it's possible to have too many things in your life that you love, and sometimes you have to give something up to make room for other things.

And so I let go of Interlochen, which was a very difficult, but ultimately freeing, decision. However, this is the weekend that all of my former colleagues from Interlochen are convening to start their summer together. Even though I know it was the right decision not to go back, I miss them, and the students!

But not attending Interlochen has freed up space for me to practice next year's solo program, go out to Oregon to be the guest clinician at the OMTA State Conference, and premiere a piece at the IDRS Conference in Flagstaff. As well as catch my breath and prepare for the upcoming academic year.

And so, my question for you this week is: what have you had to let go of to make time for practicing and your own musical projects in your own life? Was it worth it? Why or why not?

👋 See you next week! Happy Practicing! 🎹

-Kate

🎶 Today's Practice Tip: Varied Articulations!

I have noticed that students often overlook articulation when they are learning a piece. They tend to focus instead on notes, rhythms, and dynamics.

Examples of articulation markings include:

• Staccato: Play notes sharply and detached.
• Legato: Connect notes smoothly without gaps.
• Tenuto: Hold notes for their full value, emphasizing their weight.
• Accent: Attack notes with extra force or emphasis.

Articulation is foundational to musical expression, shaping the character and emotional impact of each piece you play. Different articulations allow you to convey a range of emotions and characters, from the sharp, energetic quality of staccato to the smooth, flowing nature of legato.

The more proficient you are at accurately playing articulation, the better you will be able to interpret the composer’s intentions and express your own artistic vision.

Understanding how to use articulations effectively also makes your playing more engaging and dynamic, bringing the music to life in a vivid and compelling way.

This week’s exercise: Scales with different articulation

When you practice scales, vary the articulation. Here are some ideas:

• Play each scale twice: first legato, and then staccato.
• Play one hand legato and the other hand staccato, then reverse the hands.
• In order to practice different types of staccato, play a scale extremely quietly, with very short staccato. Then play the same scale at a louder dynamic, with a slightly longer staccato touch. Experiment with different note lengths, all within the staccato touch.

🗳️ Poll Results:

I'm planning to make an online course, and last week I asked my readers to vote between two different ideas I had. And, by nearly a 2-to-1 margin, the winner is....... [drumroll]....🥁

The 30-Day Practice Challenge! 🥳

The 30-Day Practice Challenge will be designed to help you improve your effectiveness in the practice room.

​Click here if you're interested in learning more about this, so I can keep you posted on when it's available and share more details as I develop it. (I promise I won't spam you with a bunch of marketing emails or share your email with anyone - I just want to make sure there is sufficient interest to justify creating the course!) 🥰

🎥 YouTube Update:

This week's video is an update of an earlier video I made on how to improve your hand position at the piano. Over the years I have significantly upgraded my microphones and improved my video-making abilities, so I am working on updating my original series, "Foundations of Piano Technique."

In this video I talk about how to improve your hand position, and I share examples of how to apply these ideas to Debussy's first Arabesque and Mozart's Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 333.

​Click here to watch the video!​

🎹 Want more from me?

When you're ready, here are five things you can do:

1. 📆 Book a lesson or a coaching session with me. (These have proven to be quite popular; I have updated my available dates through July 9.)
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!