Piano Classes

Group piano classes are not a common offering at the high school level, but it is exciting to watch them thrive as a good use of our personnel and facility resources. Not to mention, they're just fun. :) Things I love about group piano:

• Positive peer pressure: it is healthy and motivating for students to learn music in a peer group. As a teacher, I work hard to help each class build camaraderie and a spirit of encouragement. I must admit, that's pretty easy to do with the students at BFA. It is so much fun to watch them challenge each other.
• Varied literature: students are learning two to three times the amount of music that they would be learning in private lessons as they listen to their classmates perfect performance pieces alongside their own.
• Ensemble playing: The first time I really played in an ensemble was in college. The experience was transforming to my playing and in helping me realize how God had put me together. I am energized by people, and when given an opportunity to play with others it is really incredible. For introverts and extraverts alike, the experience of playing with a group emphasizes skills like steady tempo, playing through mistakes and sight-reading. These skills are essential for a budding musician.

The picture below is of one of my Piano 1 classes last fall on a performance day. They're a mix of day and boarding students. All but one of them are in a Piano 2 class this spring. I have especially enjoyed watching them grow over two semesters this year. What a privilege it is to teach!

A Staff Recital

"All the believers were together and had everything in common." Acts 1:44

What a treat to plan a musical evening with believing colleagues. This will definitely be an annual event.

Our lovely Estonian voice instructor, Jane.




Brian teaches Bible and is most comfortable in a pastoral role but is also a dedicated guitar student.




My first solo performance with new music in eight years.



See more at http://www.youtube.com/user/bfavideos.

All In A Day's Work

Land Duke van Baden showed up in AP Euro.

Suzanne and I have begun to settle into the school routine and are still figuring out what that should look like as we are now doing this together.

So, in order to give you a feel for a “typical” day in our new married life, I have put together a snapshot schedule for you the curious reader. Not everything below happens every day, but you should be able to see that the teaching schedule is filled with various activities for most of our waking hours.

 o 6:30-Suzanne’s alarm begins to play the sweet melodies of American pop tunes spiced up with German “Nachrichten” (news) and commentary

o 7:15-Isaac’s alarm, which is rather more grating and thus much more able to drive us from our slumber, sounds and finally rouses us

o 7:30-Isaac makes the coffee for Suzanne, the tea for himself, and the lunch for the both of us. Never knew I was a morning person, but I have assumed the role

o 7:45-Suzanne heads off to a meeting with other school department heads having run down the stairs, grabbed her coffee and been bidden “Tchuss” (bye) by Isaac

o 8:23-Isaac enters school, and prepares for AP European History. Today the class is learning about 18th century French Salons, during the "Enlightenment". I am dressed as close as I can be to an 18th century gentleman and one student has also gotten into the spirit and come in period correct costume. The conversation is illuminating and educational.

o 10:40-Suzanne begins her Piano I class of four students by having her students warm-up with various routines with strange musical titles I am incapable of explaining. Something about A flat on a minor tempered clavier…

o 12:35-Isaac and a fellow history teacher begin lunch duty by walking the halls, kicking out the students who have once again found some reason to eat their victuals outside of the designated areas and making conversation about some arcane historical subject

o 3:05-Suzanne begins her Music Appreciation class. Being a new Mac user, she projects a “Keynote” presentation which compares the Marsalis and Bach families, both of musical fame. In spite of the technical savvy of her students, she manages to awe them with her lesson. So much so that a student comments to Isaac that his wife’s computer “owns” his.

o 4:00-Suzanne introduces an after school recital by some violin students to an eager audience of parents while Isaac is mired is AP essay grading and planning for the new US history class he is teaching this year.

o 6:00-Suzanne prepares dinner, while Isaac plans for his sophomore guy’s small group. The new crock pot they received as a wedding present has saved the young couple time and energy and provided many a good chicken meal. Plates are cleared and washed just in time for the young men to arrive.

o 8:30-Isaac is in the midst of his small group and the discussion has turned from soccer to girls to school to prayer. It’s all part of a process…

o 10:00-Isaac and Suzanne are making last minute changes to the next day’s lesson plans. It’s all in a day’s work.