MCPM: More Letters from Our Teachers

Dear Mayron,
Just had to let you know that as soon as I had assigned your piece to one
adult, he went to the web and looked up information on you. He found a lot
and related it to the others in our first group. I only added a little
more. Will read your bio to them this month. This week, he came in and
said "I love Daisy!!!!!". Today, another adult was getting ready to play
"Walk in the Woods" for me and said "I just love this..all of the pieces in
this book."

They are working on the ensemble "Oct. Morn" and will start the Christmas
medley in two weeks for a Dec. 3 recital. Maybe we can do the "Forever
River" for the May recital.

Dear Mayron,
This year I am teaching in another low income school which, before my arrival, got a VH1 grant for a keyboard lab. Remember the Level 1A books you donated four years ago? The kids are loving them, absolutely having a wonderful time in spite of the hums and pops and bad headphones. I have a keyboard club which started before school and after school on Tuesdays and thought I would pull out some of your ensembles and have some fun. The last line of Tap Tappy Tap Tap hasn't gotten any easier, but we will prevail. Mayron, I have one little fourth grade boy who is hyper as all get out and started the year out on the wrong foot. He comes in at 7:30 all nice and calm and really works on the keyboard. I asked him who he lived with the other day so I could call about his permission forms. He said, "I live with my Mom and grandmother. My dad killed somebody and is in jail." And I thought, I have to tell Mayron what her music is doing for this kid. So there you have it, my little rapper playing Tap Tappy Tap Tap and Tiptoe and putting in a few body percussion sounds along the way to "improve" the music! I'll try to take some pictures in the next few weeks and e-mail them. He's going to be in heaven when we add the sequencer!
I hope you and Bill are well and enjoying life!
Love,
Sarah Miller
Simpsonville, SC

I thought I would brag a bit to you. Dena Maxwell and I just hosted our fourth “Piano Olympics”. We started with about 12 kids the first year and this year we had nearly 100 kids participate. We had all gold medals and only 8 silver medals. I had 7 (which is really great) students who got Distinction pins. The judge picks a few kids that play flawlessly for that honor. Our judge was blown away by each child’s precision in rhythm and note reading.

I attribute your method for the success of Olympics this year. Even though most of my students were in their third year and the music was more difficult they came out sparkling! I was even able to teach a piece that alternates between 4/4, and 2/4 rhythms. It is a great song and when I taught privately with other methods, only the most talented could play it. Thank you a hundred times over!!!

Well, it’s audition time (for Mayron Cole’s operetta “Toy Shop Christmas”) and I will be emailing you info as it happens. Chirstmas will come to Oklahoma in July and I know they are gonna love it.

I’ve enclosed an audition flyer and also a photo of one of my classes playing your new theory game “Under the Sea”. Before we played the game, I served cups of goldfish crackers to eat as a snack. They loved it. Of course then we had to wash our hands again. It is a great game and always changing because of the many options. It’s just plain fun!
Say ‘hi’ to Bill for me.

I can’t begin to tell you how proud my third grade classes are of what they have accomplished using your books. They come to class eager to practice. Even the children who have trouble focusing are doing well. So far we have only done CDE songs. I have some Orff instruments that I let the kids use so everyone is either playing a keyboard or a glockenspiel. Our progress has been slow but steady and the beauty of it is that they have truly learned to work as a team. Thank you for making it possible for these children.

We’ve been playing See the Leaves using the strings sound on the keyboards and the kids are quite taken with the sound. I can hardly wait until they get to Indian Campfires, one of my personal favorites. We will have lots of fun using our homemade drums with that one. Thank you so much.

— Sarah M.
South Carolina

Bonnie Walker, a North Carolina teacher, is shown teaching The Mayron Cole Piano Method to a mother and her two sons at their group piano lesson.

Tanya U. receives newspaper coverage about her group piano studio. Tanya is shown teaching THE MAYRON COLE PIANO METHOD.

Dear Mayron:

I love teaching your method!!! I have a Menehune class that I started last September and they are doing such an awesome job! I’m beginning an older beginner class this week and I hope to continue opening more group classes using your method. I also hope to do your Blast Off With Piano camp this summer. I recently contacted you about the Toy Shop Christmas production that my studio put on. We had so much fun doing it and it really built up the student’s confidence and self-esteem. I’m just totally impressed with your method and know that it is the best way to teach music! And you are always so kind and helpful when I’ve called. I’ve appreciated your help. I’m still anxious to try more of your materials, especially your ensembles. You are a very talented lady and so kind to share your gifts with others.

Please continue your fine work. I enjoy your website and always find something on it to inspire me.

Thanks for all you do!
– Denise T.
Utah

Happy New Year!

We love the “Under the Sea” game. The students have been thrilled to play a new game. Thank you!

– Larci L.
Iowa

Dear Mayron and Bill:

My teaching partner and I had a "Super Dome" experience last week (remember when you said you could teach group piano to a Super Dome filled with people?) We had fifteen kids in our Blast Off camp. We split them into three groups and I would say, "This side of the room, play the first line of Tap, Tappey Tap Tap! (echo, echo, echo!) We had fourteen of them sign-up for the fall! We think the other one was a spy from another studio! (Just kidding!) We sure had fun. Thanks again for writing this wonderful piano camp music. The kids were so happy and excited.

We have another piano camp this week with ten children. I've had to open another day to get everyone in.

— L.C.
Ohio

Mayron,

As always, thanks so much for the quick response! And BRAVO and CONGRATULATIONS on a beautiful web site! Last time I saw you, you had just finished Level 5! Great testimonials! Great pictures! Great audio and easy downloading! Wonderful to see and hear that you are growing and growing! Very best wishes and continued success!

— D.G.A.
Connecticut

Mayron,

Thanks for the new arrangement of "Jesus Paid It All". It is great! I keep wondering why you don't put out a collection of these for your students. I'm always searching for good arrangements for all levels and always have to compromise due to the available music. Okay, I know you're way too busy, but I have to encourage you anyway! I imagine if you could do it, you'd have a top seller for all levels. In particular, though my daughter and I would love more arrangements like the one you just sent us!

I always tell my students who are asked to play in church to use any of your music for offertories, preludes, etc. When they say "Mom or Dad says it isn't appropriate," I always counter that the music was written by a wonderful Christian lady and thus ALL of it is appropriate. When my daughter first played "Midnight on Boggy Creek" for offertory, the congregation loved it! When they asked what "hymn" it was, I had her tell them it was a new arrangement of "Crossing the Jordan River." The time one of my students played "Leaf River", the pastor had just read from the Bible. After she played, he stood and said, "Wow! Talk about the Holiness of God!" You'd never convince him, or the congregation, that it wasn't a "church song". I also have my Level 6 students play "Camel Caravan" as the entrance theme for The Three Kings at Christmas. So I use the music from all your books. But, of course, you know how parents and grandparents love to hear the old hymns.

Thanks!
KW
Oklahoma