Dear Reader –
It’s time to get ready for the new teaching term. I have had loads of inspiration over the summer, and I’m excited that it’s time to put these ideas into practice.
**All hyperlinks in bold.
The Big Thing
Next month will be the 18th September in which I will look forward to a new year of piano lessons starting.
A lot has changed in that time, but my core teaching philosophy hasn’t.
In 2005 all I knew was that I wanted to teach the piano in the way the guitar was taught. Enable people to work out melodies, play the chords to the songs they liked, and further down the line maybe figure out those licks or solos that would make them stand out. Make it fun, make it relevant, make it exciting.
Since then I have refined these aims into a structured curriculum with a workbook and online videos. There are 8 levels, designed to take students from the beginning to the stage of being so versatile in their playing that they can be independent of any teacher or sheet music. We don’t skimp on the basics either. The programme comes with the following…
Notes, chord charts and videos for 100+ songs.
Ear training puzzles and challenges.
Group workshops and end-of-term concerts.
Scale and chord technique exercises.
It works. Some former students are now working as professional musicians, others have gone on to further study, and many more I won’t hear about until I meet them on the street and they tell me they are happily playing away for themselves and perhaps their families at home.
I am lucky to have three brilliant ladies - Annette, Scarlett and Niamh - working with me to deliver this programme to students. And this September we will have after-school slots available in both Strandhill and Rathcormac, as well as group adult classes.
More details to come. Please get in touch if you or someone you know may be interested. Maybe this is the year you decide to get back into it!
kieran@kieranquinn.ie
Where else but Sligo?
One of my senior students at the moment is Orla Devlin, who has also taken part in our Teenage Theme Nights for the last two years.
As well as playing piano, she sings and wrote a great song for our Young Songwriters Showcase last April. She was also part of the Sligo Minor team which won a Connacht Championship earlier this year. I’m sure she does lots of other great stuff too of which I’m not aware but you get the impression - she is a talented and hard-working young lady. What’s even better is that she has her head screwed on and is a credit to her parents.
She was at the Gaeltacht this summer and - well - had a slightly different experience to what you might imagine. Her Mum sent me this amazing video - Orla is the lead vocalist. Well done to all involved.
What’s New?
SUMMERFEST REVIEW: When I walked into the Stephen St. Event Centre (as it’s now called), Rovers were 5-0 down and the few supporters who had stayed around were braving another downpour. The situation didn’t look too promising, but after a late penalty, two great support acts, the arrival of some blue skies and a big influx of music lovers we were ready to rock. Thanks to all who made the magic happen last Thursday - it’s always a highlight of my year.
SUMMERFEST HIGHLIGHTS: First on the list has to be the return of Georgie Gorman. The welcome that you guys in the crowd gave him before and after the song was incredible, and I know it meant a lot to him. It was so nice to see him back on stage. A shoutout too to Sinéad Conway, who showed her versatility by performing duets with 5 (yes 5!) different singers.
SUMMERFEST TALENT: Congrats to Paddy Keyes and Callum Wall (both pictured below) who performed their own music on the main stage during the Sligo Summer Festival last weekend. Also to Joy Feehily and her band, Ryan Scanlon, Whatever Suits, Paro, and the other current and ex-Teenage Theme Nighters who rocked the town over the few nights.
Finally…
Two weeks in a row in this slot for Gillian, but given yesterday’s sad news about Olivia Newton-John, I had to share her beautiful vocal on Hopelessly Devoted to You - from the very first Hawk’s Well Teenage Theme Night back in 2017.
Till next time - Kieran.
