Tag: piano in Seattle

Rancho La Puerta 2026

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My latest visit to Rancho La Puerta, a world-renowned health and wellness resort in Tecate, Mexico, marked my 17th year as a musical guest at the Ranch. With 40 miles of hiking trails, delicious vegetarian food, stunning gardens, meandering brick paths, swimming pools, fitness classes, and, of course, a gorgeous Steinway B piano and dreamy performance space, the Ranch is my idea of heaven on earth.

While there, I presented two singing classes and a piano concert. My day included early morning practicing from 6–8 a.m. followed by swimming, soaking,  yoga, and long walks. I brought my dear friend Kathy Lee as a guest, and she delighted in attending  a variety of fitness classes, morning hikes, tennis, pickleball,  Pilates, and lectures on diet and brain health.

One of the highlights of my week, in addition to seeing old friends from past visits,  was a dinner for the presenters hosted by the Ranch’s co-founder, Deborah Szekely, who will turn 104 in May. During the dinner, she offered sage advice on living a long and healthy life: stay curious, follow the Ranch diet, and remain positive. Her mind is sharp, her stories engaging, and she continues inspiring  others toward leading healthy, vibrant, and impactful lives. At the dinner she asked me to lead the group in a song, I chose a simple old camp tune that seems perfect for the tranquil  Ranch atmosphere: “I’ve Got Peace like a River.”

Stay curious! Consider learning to play the piano- a wonderful way to engage your brain while adding artistic beauty and joy to your daily life.  Play Piano Today with Laura Dean

LMNOP

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You never know when creative ideas will surface, so I try to keep my heart open to the muse at all times, even when I’m sleeping. For example, in the middle of the night last night, the letters L-M-N-O-P popped into my mind. Perhaps, like “LMNOP” in the alphabet song, the last couple of months have felt like a mashup of musical events, one leading right into the other. Those events have included working as a Visiting Artist in Western Washington, attending local performances, practicing, and teaching. Can you spot the LMNOP in the post below?

Lynden, Washington: For the past few weekends, I’ve been on the road to Redmond, Renton, Auburn, and Lynden—all destinations in Western Washington. This was my first time in Lynden,  a charming, serene small town very near the Canadian border. There, I worked with six teachers and sixteen students whose pieces were magnificently prepared and polished. Our event took place in the middle of a beautiful art gallery on a Schimmel concert grand. When I wasn’t working with students, I enjoyed walking around the downtown area, visiting the bookstore, eating tasty food, and savoring my boutique hotel experience at the Lynden Inn, which used to be a department store back in the day.

Magical Music Moments: While in Renton at  the Red Door Music Studio of  Mary Kay Owen,  I was touched that she had each student warm up with a pioneer song from the Old West as a nod to my book, Music in the Westward Expansion: Songs of Heart and Place on the American Frontier. In addition, when one of the young pianists performed a piece called  Morning in Yellowstone, I was moved to tears at the tenderness and emotional depth of her performance.

Northwest Boy Choir: One of my piano students, Mikey, is  member of the Northwest Boy Choir. Recently his family (Thank you Walt, Karla, Sophia, and Mikey), treated me to a stunning concert at St. Stephens Episcopal Church  featuring a combination of folk and modern songs along with the Fauré Requiem. The performance of How Can I Keep From Singing,  like Morning in Yellowstone, moved me to tears.

My life flows on in endless song
Above earth’s lamentation.
I hear the real, though far off hymn
That hails a new creation.
Above the tumult and the strife,
I hear its music ringing

It sounds an echo in my soul.
How can I keep from singing?

Opera: My friend  Marianne and  I attended Seattle Opera’s latest production – Fellow Travelers. Featuring a small cast, it tells the story of government workers who were persecuted because of their sexual orientation in the McCarthy era. What’s more, the opera is a universal story of love, suffering, betrayal, friendship, and strength of character. I’m still thinking about  the music, the libretto, the set, the costumes,  the singers, and the story.

Walt working with visiting artist Dr. Gabriel Mañalac.

Piano (and voice) Lessons: Along side the  travel,  working with students on the road,  attending productions, and preparing my own music for upcoming performances,  there’s the constant wheel of teaching private lessons in my studio. Particularly inpsiring  to me are my adult students. There’s Sean,  a  voice student,  with a lovely baritone voice who is revisiting singing as a creative outlet and as a personal challenge (you should hear him sing Sixteen Tons!).  Walt is an advanced student who beautifully played a Haydn Sonata and Bach Invention for a Seattle Music Artistry Program; Karen recently purchased a new piano and is all in as far as practicing, attending weekly lessons, and bringing a willing attitude and humor  to the challenge of learning to play; Lynh,  an early intermediate student  has already learned to play the theme from Pride and Prejudice, the theme from Pirates of the Caribbean, and is now working on an arrangement of  Nothing Else Matters by Metallica.

Along with these joyful musical events, lessons,  and the daily activities of life, I find myself part of a tiny team, along with my brother Scott and my  beloved Aunt Jeannie. Together we are managing the health care and the living situation for my mom in Montana.

Scott and Laura on the Missouri River walk on a cold morning in Great Falls, Montana

I’m struck that in the middle of difficult personal and family challenges and the day- to-day business of living  a life of music, it is possible to hold the duality of joy while also experiencing sorrow. I’m reminded of this beautiful quote:

I will find new meaning in every joy and sorrow.
— Rumi

Simple Ways to Bring Peace add Light Into Your Life

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Finding Joy in Difficult Times
“We need joy as we need air. We need love as we need water. We need each other as we need the earth we share.”
— Maya Angelou


Many things in our world are out of our control, and sometimes the daily news cycle is enough to make us want to stay in bed with the covers pulled up over our heads. Rather than dwelling on what we can’t change, let’s turn our attention to the loved ones, activities, and rituals that add peace and light to our days.


Here are some of the things that are within my control—bringing me peace and joy this month:
* Long walks in the crisp fall air and beautiful fall color.
* Early morning swim workouts outside in the crisp fall air.
* Attending arts events such as the latest Seattle Opera Production—The Pirates of Penzance
* Purchasing tickets and making plans with family and friends for December Arts Events including: The Jazz Nutrcracker at Roosevelt High School, and Lessons in Carols with the Northwest Boychoir at Benaroya.
* Spending time with my daughter, Ruby.
* Outings and visits with friends.
* Cooking amazing healthy plant-based food to fuel my busy days and my new favorite cookbook-A Grain, a Bean, and a Green! by Gena Hamshaw
* Working on my old house- cleaning up the summer garden and winterizing the outside for the rains, wind, and cold weather to come.
*  Eating tofu and veggie Pho at our new new neighborhood restaurant, Am Nam Pho
* Reading poetry by Mary Oliver.
* Watching videos and dancing to the happy music of Benson Boone, singer and back flipper extraordinaire.
* Teaching and practicing in my studio.
* Preparing for upcoming concerts and gigs.
* Reintroducing my Play Piano Today- learn on your own time- piano course on the newly updated Teachable website. (Playing a musical instrument is an excellent way to bring peace and joy into your life!)

What will you do today to add some joy to your November?

Wild about Barry

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Last Saturday, I attended the Barry Manilow concert at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. My memories of Barry go way back to the ’70s, when my mom would play his records while cleaning the house on Saturday mornings. I love playing his ballads on the piano, and I still remember the words to his greatest hits. I gleefully sang along with my fellow Fanilows to all the songs, which just kept coming all night—Mandy, Weekend in New England, Looks Like We Made It, American Bandstand, and many more, ending, of course, with the grand finale: Copacabana.

Throughout the evening, Barry—who is 82 years old, by the way—sang, played the piano, danced, changed costumes, and told stories about growing up as the child of a single mother in Brooklyn. In particular, he highlighted his special relationship with his grandfather, who encouraged Barry’s musical talent.

What a delight and inspiration to see this American treasure—a consummate professional—deliver such a joyful and entertaining concert packed with pizzazz, authenticity, musicality, warmth, gratitude, grace, energy, and compassion. For the hour and a half that he performed, we all forgot about what was going on outside the performance hall and enjoyed the “True Blue Spectacle” that is Barry Manilow.

In addition to his stellar performances, Barry’s legacy project is The Manilow Music Project, which, according to the website, “empowers underfunded school music programs to provide quality music education. By donating instruments and equipment and providing scholarships nationwide, the project gives disadvantaged young people the opportunity to experience community, passion, and creativity through the gift of music.” To date, the Manilow Music Project has given away approximately ten million dollars in instruments and scholarships.

At our Seattle concert, Barry honored Ethan Thomas, a music teacher at West Seattle High School. Barry had Ethan stand up and announced that he would be receiving $10,000 for the school’s music program! Bravo! In his tribute to Ethan, Barry commented, “Music will change a young person’s life.” Indeed!

Rancho La Puerta 2025

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Bird of Paradise outside the administration building at Rancho La Puerta

Cardio funk classes with Milo Levell, nutritional talks with Sohailla Digsby RD, wellness talks by medical adventurer Dr. Brandee Waite, a mountain hike with friend and life coach, Emily Boorstein, time with my daughter, Ruby, swimming, visiting with old friends, and forging new friendships were some of the many highlights of my recent 2025 Rancho La Puerta trip. Rancho la Puerta, on the outskirts of Tecate, Mexico, is an expansive wellness resort that includes 4000 acres of hiking trails, gardens, gyms, yoga and dance studios, spas, swimming pools, a cooking school, an organic garden, and more. I first visited the Ranch in 2009 as a musical guest presenting a piano concert and singing classes, and have returned in the same capacity over a dozen times through the years. In fact, it is where I met my better half, Joe, who was a fitness instructor at the Ranch for some 30 years (that’s another story for another time).

Siempre Mejor, which translates to Always Better, is the motto of the Ranch. Indeed! Each visit provides opportunities for personal renewal and growth. At the end of the week, I ALWAYS leave with a feeling of gratitude and resolve that I am on the right path. My path includes the magic bullet of diet and exercise, self care, friendships, continuing education, travel, and meaningful work: teaching, studying, and performing music. As always, it’s good to return home, and as I look forward to a busy month ahead, which I refer to as “March Musical Madness.” In the next few weeks, I’ll work my own students in my studio as well as take to the road for work with a variety of students and teachers in the Western Washington region. As I step into March, I’m filled with energy, and a sense of calmness, ready to tackle what lies ahead. Siempre Mejor!

The Piano Concert in the Oak Tree
Laura and Ruby
veggie entre
The activity pool for lap swimming
On the edge of the Ranch
Hiking with Emily
Hiking with Pal, Emily

Are you ready to study piano in 2025? Check out my online, and on your own music course.

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I Get By with a Little Help from AI

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Written by Laura Dean and Chat GPT

I just submitted this article to the Clarion, the bi-monthly publication of the Washington State Music Teacher’s Association, and I thought my readers may find it interesting. By the way, this is the first article I have written with the help of openAI.

Have any of you dipped your toe into the world of Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI?  I have. I have used AI to generate a set list for a Gen Z couple who hired me to play for their wedding ceremony and the cocktail hour. I’ve used it to create a short narrative about the major musical time periods for a concert that I’ve given featuring  composers from the Baroque to  the 21st Century. I’ve use it to find weekly music riddles for my students that I write on a white board at the entrance of my studio. I have embraced  ChatGPT  as a personal administrative and research assistant  who is available to answer my requests 24/7. AI has  saved me hours of time and energy, and I think we can all agree that time and energy are among our greatest resources. 

 AI is rapidly becoming a valuable tool for independent music teachers. While some educators may feel hesitant to embrace technology, AI can simplify many aspects of studio management and instruction. Here are a few practical ways AI can enhance your work life while saving hours of labor.

1. Music Theory Assistance

AI-powered chat tools like ChatGPT can generate explanations, exercises, and quizzes tailored to your students’ needs. If a student is struggling with key signatures, AI can instantly create customized drills or explain concepts in new ways.

2. Music History Insights

Need a quick historical background on a composer or musical style? AI can summarize key information, suggest repertoire based on a student’s interests, or even help craft engaging storytelling for lessons.

3. Organizing Your Busy Schedule

AI can help structure your week by generating lesson plans, reminders, and task lists. Tools like Google Calendar’s AI scheduling suggestions or Notion AI can assist in balancing teaching, practice time, and administrative tasks. AI-generated to-do lists can prioritize important tasks, for example, aiding in recital planning, student follow-ups, and lesson prep. 

4. Project & Recital Planning

AI can assist in creating structured project plans, timelines, and even recital programs. Tools like Notion AI or ChatGPT can generate theme ideas, student progress checklists, and repertoire suggestions based on difficulty level and performance goals.

5. Marketing & Social Media

For teachers looking to grow their studios, AI can help generate website content, write engaging social media posts, or draft newsletters. Canva’s Magic Write and ChatGPT can quickly create compelling descriptions for lessons, events, or studio promotions.

Getting Started with AI

OpenAI’s ChatGPT is available for free at https://chat.openai.com, with enhanced features available through a paid subscription. Other AI tools, such as Google’s Gemini and Microsoft Copilot, offer similar capabilities.

Embracing AI doesn’t mean replacing the human touch in teaching—it simply enhances our ability to be more efficient, creative, and responsive to students’ needs. By incorporating AI thoughtfully, independent music teachers can spend less time on administrative tasks and more time focusing on what truly matters: making music. 

Now excuse me, what with all the time that I saved co-writing this article with ChatGPT, I’m stepping out for a long leisurely walk.

By the way, is 2025 the year that you’ve promised yourself that you are going to learn how to play the piano? You may be interested in checking out my online beginning piano course:

PLEASE VISIT ME ON TEACHABLE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SIGN UP FOR  PLAY PIANO TODAY COURSE: AN INTRODUCTORY PIANO COURSE.

More news…I have a newish Youtube channel, and here you can find weekly videos including piano performances and piano tutorials. Be sure to subscribe on the Youtube site! I release a new video each week! https://www.youtube.com/@lauramusicstudio

We Have Reached Our Cruising Altitude

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Photo by Bornil Amin on Upsplash

The following essay recently appeared in the Clarion which is the WSMTA (Washington State Music Teachers) newsletter. I currently serve as the chair of the Independent Music Teachers Forum. One of my duties is writing an article for the Clarion every couple of months. I thought this one might give my readers an insight into the daily life of an independent music teacher.

Back in the early 90’s when I graduated from college, I entertained the thought of becoming a flight attendant. The job appealed to me because it seemed glamorous, interesting, and provided an abundance of travel opportunities. I never became a flight attendant, but I did end up working on cruise ships, which is a story for another time. Along the lines of the flight attendant memory, I’ve been recently thinking about our careers as independent music teachers, and how we might compare a long teaching afternoon to an international or cross-country flight. After all, it takes 6 hours and 15 minutes to fly from New York to London. It takes just over 5 hours to fly from Seattle to Florida. Some of us may spend that amount of time teaching in our studios daily. Let’s consider the parallels of an afternoon of teaching to a long flight.

As teachers, we serve in many roles. We are the ground crew making sure all is well with our instruments and our studio environments. We are also the gate agents , the information desk, the pilot, and the cabin crew all rolled into one. The best that we can hope for is a smooth flight. This would be a teaching day where our students are prepared, they have all their materials with them, they have practiced, they are in good spirits and cooperative, and the schedule runs smoothly from take¬-off (the first lesson of the day) to landing (the last lesson of the day). On some of our musical flights, there is no turbulence, no emergencies, and we thoroughly enjoy a productive and pleasant teaching day – smoothly moving from one student to the next. There is no lost luggage, no one forgets their books at home, no one leaves a coat at the lesson, no one is dissatisfied, and thus, our flight concludes without a hitch.

However, some days the flight is bumpy. The first student may cancel at the last minute with a sore throat, another might forget a critical book, another had no time for practice because of a three-day soccer tournament over the past weekend. Another student may be argumentative and uninterested in anything that we have planned for that day. There might even be an emergency! Just a few weeks ago, a student of mine fainted in my studio because she had absentmindedly not eaten enough that day.

As we go about our days, it’s best to remember that one thing is certain, just as in flying, as in our teaching, there may be bumps in the road, schedule changes, difficult situations, and disappointments. However, there may also be days and days of smooth flights, uplifting interactions, inspired students, agreeable parents, and above all, fabulous music making. The best that we can do is be professional, put on a smile, open that door, welcome our student in, and remember that, in the words of the late Thubten Yeshe, a Tibetan Lama, “If you expect your life to be full of ups and downs, then your mind will be much more peaceful.”

For online, at-your-own-pace beginning piano instruction, visit me on Teachable.
Use the coupon code: HOLIDAY for a 25% discount off of my beginning piano course good through January 1, 2025.

Give the gift of music for the holidays! The piano course makes a great gift!

Jubilee presented by Seattle Opera

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Jubilee
Seattle Opera Image

The Fisk Jubilee singers were a group of talented and courageous students from Fisk University of Tennessee, who first toured their musical show across the United States in 1871 while raising money for Fisk University which, at the time, was severely underfunded. I recently saw the world premier of Jubilee presented by the Seattle Opera at the beautiful McCaw Hall. Jubilee was created and directed by Tazewell Thompson with vocal arrangements by Dianne Adams McDowell, and orchestration by Michael Ellis Ingram.

In some 40 spirituals (and one classic aria), the opera tells the story of the often difficult journey of the original Jubilee singers and also highlights their personal victories and struggles. The Seattle Opera program reminds us, “These traditional songs, created, refined, and shared anonymously by enslaved Americans, are the foundation on which all American music has been built.”

File:Fisk Jubilee Singers 1882.jpg
The Fisk Jubilee Singers from 1882
photo wiki-media

In particular, I enjoyed the humorous scene and performance of “Ezekiel Saw the Wheel,” the uplifting “There’s a Meetin’ Here Tonight,” and the emotional “Wade in the Water.” If you aren’t able to make it to the Seattle Opera for the production, you can listen to 10 selected pieces on Soundcloud. For a modern recording of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Celebrating Fisk (The 150th Anniversary Album) is available on Spotify.

Patsy Cline’s Walkin’ After Midnight

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Patsy Cline’s Walkin’ After Midnight, coming out on Sept 17, 2024, a book by Judith A. Proffer with Julie Dick Fudge, and Illustrated by Yoko Matsuoka, celebrates the magical childhood dreams of the legendary country musical artist Patsy Cline. Patsy’s dream world includes daydreams, sleep dreams, and dream walking. This delightful book, beautifully illustrated, includes a white piano, a vintage red radio, a retro soda shop, a charming dog named Pepe, and sweet treats. Throughout the book, Patsy dreams of making it big in country music. The poetic prose and whimsical illustrations made me want to leap into the pages of the book and wander with Patsy through her musical dreamscape.

When I saw the cover of this book, I thought it was going to be a biography of Patsy Cline. However, it is more about dreaming big and following your heart, imagination, and aspirations – wherever it may take you. This tender book, written by Patsy Cline’s daughter, is a delight for Patsy Cline fans as well as all dreamers – both children and adults.

Patsy Cline died in a plane accident in 1963. She remains an indelible influence in country music. Her biggest hit, “Walking After Midnight,” climbed to #2 on Billboard’s country charts in 1957. Her resonant voice and heart felt songs remain relevant in the 21st Century.

Walking After Midnight sung by Patsy Cline.

“Sweet Dreams,” was another big hit for Patsy Cline. Here’s a solo piano version played by Laura Dean.

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