The key of C Major has zero sharps or flats (natural notes only).

The relative minor key of C Major is A minor.

Some pieces I enjoy that are written in the key of C include Franz Joseph Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major and Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 in C Major.

Happy practicing!

I am pleased to announce that the Composer of the Month for October is Erik Satie!

Satie was a French composer who wrote music around the turn of the 20th century. He is most known for his simple yet hauntingly beautiful works for piano.

I first learned of Satie when I was in high school, after hearing my grandmother (who is a pianist) play Gymnopedie No. 1. I was immediately entranced by its dreamlike quality. I wanted to hear it again and again, but this was before we had the kind of immediate access to music that we do now (via the internet). The easiest way for me to hear Gymnopedie No. 1 at the time was to borrow grandma's sheet music and learn to play it myself, so that's what I did! I could often be found at the grand piano in my high school orchestra room before and after rehearsal, working out the music one measure at a time.

I hope you come to love Monsieur Satie's music just as much as I do. Happy listening!

The neighbor who wrote the note remains a mystery to this day, but it was a wonderful reminder of why you and I play music. Even though practicing can feel lonely and difficult sometimes, it's important to remember that the music we create makes the world a nicer place to live, not just for us, but for everyone else too!

I hope all my students keep in mind just how special it is to be a part of something like that.

Hayley