Piano Press

Students are encouraged to participate in annual spring and holiday recitals and any of the below-mentioned programs and festivals. Those students not interested in performing may elect not to do so.

Students are regularly encouraged to memorize pieces and receive special reward stickers on their incentive charts when they do. This preparation makes performing by memory at recitals and festivals much easier.

Students' assignments are clearly marked with the date of the lesson in pencil or pen on the pages to be practiced, with a paper clip, and/or in an assignment notebook. Theory assignments are done both in the lesson and as homework, and should be done in pencil.

Students should practice every day, going through the new lesson material first, then spending time reviewing/memorizing previously learned pieces. Each lesson is designed to include technique, scales, warm-ups, finger exercises, teaching pieces, performances pieces, sight-reading, theory, and ear training. Students may at any time request to learn pieces or songs of interest to them.

High school and home school students may apply for independent study credit through their counselor. Students may use their lesson time to prepare for professional auditions.

As an active member of the Music Teachers Association of California (MTAC) Northern San Diego Branch, Ms. Axford's interested and eligible students may participate in the following programs and festivals:

• Bach/Baroque Festival
• Certificate of Merit
• Composer's Today
• Romantic Festival
• Senior Scholarship Program
• Sonata/Sonatina Festival
• VOCE Competition
• Youth Musicales
  

• CAPMT Bartók and Contemporary Music Festival
• CAPMT Concerto Competition
• CAPMT Ensemble Auditions
• CAPMT Honors Auditions
• CAPMT Northern and Southern Piano and Ensemble Festivals
• CAPMT Piano Auditions
• CAPMT Student Evaluations
• MTNA Junior Performance Competitions
• MTNA Senior Performance Competitions
• MTNA Young Artist Performance Competitions
• MTNA Chamber Music Performance Competition
• MTNA Student Composition Competitions

• Diploma Programs
• Duet/Duo Programs
• Ensemble Programs
• Hobbyist
• International Composition Contest
• Jazz Programs
• Memorized Programs
• Social Music
• Special Medal Programs