Category: Piano for Kids

After having my parents around for a week, Cass misses her koong koong and granny very much. Yesterday she made a Whatsapp video call to her grandparents in Ipoh and spent a whole half hour talking to them and playing the piano to entertain them.

Yesterday Cass’ piano teacher told me that Cass will be ready to sit for the Grade 1  ABRSM exam next year.  When I first sent Cass to Yamaha to learn piano 2.5 years ago, I did not have intention to let her sit for any exam.  I just wanted to instill the love of music and piano in Cass. I wanted her to play the piano as a hobby.  Practising the same exam pieces every day on end for months was such a bore for me, not to mention the anxiety of sitting for the exams. In those days, the examiners were flown in from England and I’d get really nervous talking to them.

I’m having a change of mind now.  I’ll let her Cass go through the exams leisurely at her pace with no pressure. If she has the talent, I believe that she’ll breeze through all 8 grades and hopefully even the Diploma. I think it’s good that Cass has a backup skill in life which can be a golden ticket to help her earn a living 😉

Cass at 9 years 2 months

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Cass learning musical notes from flash cards that teacher K made.   Cass is being taught musical notes based on do-re-mi rather than ABCs.  Yesterday teacher K flashed the musical notes cards at an alarmingly fast speed, as part of the training in teaching her to do speed sight reading.

Cass managed to read the notes at a speed of 32 seconds for about 10 cards.  That is considered slow. And she is to ramp up the speed by next week. So, here’s to more work for me in practising with Cass at home!

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Cass attended her 5th pop piano course at Yamaha last Saturday. She was introduced to the bass clef (left hand on the piano) and learned some theory in her 5th lesson.

Cass can now play a handful of simple songs from the book on her keyboard that her grandaunt has lent us.  When she goes on to a higher level in a few months’ time, we will have to get her a piano.

Cass can spend hours playing on the keyboard on weekends.  Yesterday, without even informing me, she picked up the house phone and dialled her granny’s house telephone number. She wanted her koong koong and granny to listen to her as she played on the keyboard!   With the phone loudspeaker mode on, she played several pieces for her grandparents in Ipoh to hear…

And now, it looks like the drama queen is also yearning to learn the piano! Hubs and I told her that she can only choose one – hip hop dance or piano!  She chose the former and is now taking lessons from  Cass and me. It’s hilarious and heartwarming altogether to see Cass teaching Sherilyn. At least, this keeps them occupied, keeps them away from the electrical gadgets and keeps them away from disturbing Alycia while she studied for her exam.

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