Piano Camps Houston – Kids Camps

Posted on May 3, 2012 in Academic & Health Benefits, News & Events, Piano Blog | 0 comments

As the ‘muggy months’ arrive, Houston parents are faced with lazy long days to fill with Summer activities for kids. For many parents, it is preferable to utilize their child’s free time constructively, at least as much as possible, rather than allowing their kids to simply be lazy. Summer programs for kids in Houston can also provide a badly needed couple hours time away from kids to run errands and chance to recharge. We believe, “there is truth to the saying that a happy parent makes for a happy kid.”(1)

We also believe that every life needs music! So what better answer to the question of how to fill the long Summer months than the ‘Way Cool’ Piano for Kids Houston Piano Co. School of Music summer programs? During the months of June and July we are running one-week kids camps that teach beginner piano in a fun, group environment. We have found that the excitement by both kids and parents alike attests to the wonderful environment for learning to play piano Houston!

Download Piano Summer Camps in Houston Flyer

For your kid summer camp is an amazing opportunity to discover new friends and new musical ability! There is no talent or previous experience required for the ‘Way Cool’ Piano Summer Camp. The misconception that playing piano is only for ‘talented’ children has (more…)

Why Music Education Is Important

Posted on Mar 10, 2012 in Academic & Health Benefits, Piano Blog | 0 comments

According to 2009 U.S. Census data, only about 8 percent of Americans play musical instruments regularly. And did you know “that 85 percent of Americans who don’t currently play an instrument wish they had learned to play one?” – 2009 Gallup Poll

This means roughly 282 million Americans wish they could play an instrument, but never learned how!

Why is music education so important?

Besides music being fun and fulfilling to make, playing music has been scientifically proven to benefit people of all ages. Research has concluded that babies come into the world with natural musical ability and an intense interest in learning music. Young children enjoy singing on their own while they play, and even deaf toddlers often sing independently without being prompted.

Pre-school and elementary school students who play music perform better in school and in life, and teenagers can benefit from music’s social aspects. Music in middle school and high school plays a major role in building acceptance and tolerance for people of different ages and cultural backgrounds. It can become a support system for teens desperately trying to build a personal identity within their community of classmates and peers. Also, the ability to express yourself artistically, or even just relieve some aggression through playing music, can be a positive outlet for youngsters that might otherwise use their energy to act out in less positive ways.

The benefits of playing music extend beyond the school years, and especially the embrace of music as an emotional, artistic outlet allows adults who play an instrument—even if it’s just for fun—to reduce their stress and avoid getting “burnt out” at work. Much more fascinating, seniors who engage regularly in recreational music making can better manage diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and increase their self-esteem.

Playing the piano is a dream for many interested in learning to play music, and Houston Piano Co. is serious about making this dream possible for anyone, regardless of age or musical experience. That is why last year we opened the HPC School of Music across the street from our store and recital hall. In less than a full year of operation, our student body has grown to over 120 students in 15 different classes, and it keeps growing every day!

Studying music directly develops many skills necessary for success in life

Science has proven that piano instruction catalyzes changes in the brain, improving intellectual development and enhancing abstract reasoning skills. Studies show that regardless of race, gender, parental musicality (or lack there of), or environment, everyone is born with inherent musical potential. What better way to provide a positive influence on formation of sensitivity, coordination, and memory growth than by learning how to play the piano? Whether you’re five years old or sixty-five, there’s never a better time than right now to begin learning to play piano!

As an organization that fervently promotes the hobby of piano playing, we have put our money where our hypothetical mouth is, pushing a large amount of resources into building and running our new School of Music. Houston Piano Co. purchased a four unit apartment complex to completely renovate and retrofit into group, and private, teaching rooms. We have spent a large amount of energy over the last year and a half organizing classes for all levels, interviewing/hiring educators, working with RMM experts, and communicating our core belief:

You can learn to play, we guarantee it!

Our group lesson teachers are dedicated and energized about making the learning experience fun and enjoyable. We also have relationships with many great private Houston piano teachers that we recommend. If you are a piano teacher and would like to get to know us, become part of our new Piano Teacher Locator system by following the link below.

Piano Teacher Information

Citations:
wannaplaymusic.com/news

Adult Piano Classes Are a Most Rewarding Experience

Posted on Dec 12, 2011 in Fun at HPC!, Image Gallery, Piano Blog | 4 comments

Group Piano Lessons Are For All Ages

At the HPC School of Music, our adult piano classes are really catching on as people are discovering the returns that a fun, supportive environment can bring to learning piano, and having Recreational Music Making in their lives.

Click here to learn more about our Adult Piano Classes, or call:

832.495.4150

You can learn to play, we guarantee it!

FREE Boogie-Woogie Piano Classes w/Ezra Charles Nov. 3 and 6

Posted on Oct 17, 2011 in News & Events, Piano Blog | 0 comments

Having issues with this page? Go to the Eventbrite page: boogie-woogie.eventbrite.com



Gifts that Keep on Giving:
 An Inspirational Story

Posted on Aug 25, 2011 in Academic & Health Benefits, News & Events, Piano Blog | 0 comments

When a child is born into the family, we always wonder what he or she might become one day. Perhaps a gifted singer or actress? A famous scientist, businessman, or engineer?

It might soon occur to us that what a child will be is partly just up to her 
or him. Indeed, some part of us is programmed by genetics (about 40-60%). That’s the old nature/nurture battle. 

It is now being recognized that early exposure to language, music, art, kinetics, and so on, has a profound influence on the young, developing child. 
It is also becoming clear that “the younger the better” for this exposure.

I remember being in the Houston Piano Company one day when a gentleman came in wanting to purchase a piano for his grandchild. He wanted him to be exposed to music and learn to play a piano early, like he had done, leading him to be a professional musician for many years. (more…)

Special Features to Look For When Buying Vertical Pianos

Posted on Aug 23, 2011 in Featured Products, Image Gallery, Piano Blog | 1 comment

Take a look at these upright piano features offered on some of our new and used vertical pianos.

Grand Style Music Rack (Kawai 52” only)

Better suited to displaying large scores, song books and hymnals.

Lid Prop (Yamaha/Kawai uprights)

Allows more sound to fill the listening environment, like a grand piano with its lid open.

(more…)

Beginner Players and the Digital Piano

Posted on Aug 8, 2011 in Featured Products, News & Events, Piano Blog | 0 comments

The newest way for a beginner piano player to learn to read music and play the piano is through digital pianos. Digital pianos (especially Roland digital pianos) have a screen displays the sheet music as well as a guide to show finger placement on the keyboard. This program also permits slow and fast-paced practicing. The screen additionally assesses the student’s playing with a score after the song has played—just like a video game.

These digital pianos can be used at home and in group piano classes since they have headphones to prevent the sound of the student’s playing from reaching others close by. The digital pianos also encourage exploring various genres of music like classical, jazz and contemporary to keep the students motivated to practice.

Another benefit to the digital piano is that they have the feel of the acoustic grand piano as opposed to older electric keyboards. In addition, the digital pianos have three pedals like acoustic pianos, while keyboards have one pedal if any at all.

Digital pianos are becoming a popular choice among those learning to play as well as piano instructors; digital pianos are widely used in the Recreational Music Making (RMM) classes which hold 6-8 students on average. Digitals are becoming the piano of choice due to their contemporary and varied sounds and their similarities to the acoustic pianos more so than conventional keyboards.

LOVE HIM OR LEFT COLD, JUSTIN BIEBER PLAYS THE IVORIES

Posted on Jun 9, 2011 in Piano Blog | 1 comment

Love him, hate him or just plain confused by all the hype, Justin Bieber may be more than just a trendy pretty boy with a rather goofy haircut who looks like he’s trying way too hard in his pre-adolescent innocence to figure out what will make ‘tween girls sigh.

It turns out that Justin Bieber, a constant top trender in Twitter (probably the single most influential indicator of popular trends out there today, especially among more social media-savvy youth), plays the piano. And not only does he play piano, he plays drums…and trumpet…

To get a taste of Bieber just playing the piano, check him out on YouTube playing a piece dedicated to his grandmother below.

Justin Bieber Piano Solo at SIRIUS XM (Dedicated to His Grandmother)

So the next time you hear your elementary school students singing Justin Bieber songs or you see your young daughter or granddaughter swooning over Justin or your young son or grandson showing up with his haircut, just say, “Justin Bieber plays piano. Maybe if you take piano lessons, you can become famous and popular like him.”

Should I Start with a Keyboard or a Piano?

Posted on Dec 19, 2009 in Piano Blog | 2 comments

We often get the question at HPC about the benefits of starting off with a keyboard or a piano, especially for kids. Keyboards are definitely inexpensive, so people with a limited budget tend to think of starting there, but at HPC we’re committed to making piano playing affordable for everyone, so we rent pianos starting at just $35 per month. Your rental can even be applied to the purchase of the piano later on.

Keyboards can be light, portable, computer-ready and inexpensive, and they don’t take up a lot space, but they have some pretty notable drawbacks compared to full-fledged pianos as well:

Ø They use an organ touch, not a piano touch, so if your aim is to play the piano eventually, you’ll have to get used to a whole new action once you move to the piano and your hands will need to strengthen to be able to strike the keys on a piano as needed to produce the sound.

Ø They have only one pedal or none at all. This means that you won’t learn how to play with pedals at all and will necessitate a whole other learning curve if and when you migrate to a piano.

Ø They have a multitude of buttons, which can be particularly distracting to a young child trying to learn how to play.

Ø They need external amplification to produce a substantial sound as compared to a piano with own natural resonance and power.

Ø Keyboards aren’t as aesthetically pleasing as traditional pianos in your home if you want to have it out in a more shared space.

Ø According to music pros, due to the tech specs of keyboards, they cannot express the personality, mood or feelings of the player – in short, all the “color” – that a piano can.

Ø Also according to pros, learning on a keyboard can produce boring players because of the lack of color potential stated above. Without the ability to produce crescendo on a keyboard, a whole element of musical flair is missing and would have to be learned later on a piano.

Houston Piano Company offers a very large stock of smaller, space-economical pianos that can be placed along a wall just like a keyboard, but are much more pleasing to the eye and give the full piano-playing learning experience.

Our best advice is that if you’re considering a keyboard – especially for this holiday season – come on down to HPC and try out our traditional pianos even if you are on a tight budget. The benefits of playing the piano are proven, and how big an investment is $35 per month really when you or your kids can learn and master skills for a lifetime and bring the family together through the magic of music?