I just got my copy of George Skaroulis‘ new CD, Imagine.

Imagine this:  You just finished teaching a particularly difficult student- you know the one I’m talking about.  You start making dinner while trying to keep your toddler happy.  Your toddler is most definitely not happy.  You feel your stress levels rising while you still try to shake off the effects of your difficult lesson amidst whining and screaming and your own attempts to accomplish a task.

You walk over to your CD player, pop in George Skaroulis‘ gorgeous music, and take a step back.  You begin to feel calm.  Your unhappy toddler begins to perk up while she sways and hums to the music.  All is well.

This CD is filled with The. Most. Relaxing. Music.  The songs include “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” “You Raise Me Up,” “Unchained Melody,” and my favorite- the one that is wearing my Repeat button out-”Hallelujah.”

George Skaroulis truly has a gift for composing beautiful arrangements.  His music makes you stop,listen, and truly enjoy.  And you would never know by listening that he is self taught and unable to read music!  Read his amazing bio here.

You can learn more about his music, order this CD, or any of his many other CDs at his site, www.evzonemusic.com.

Happy Monday!  I am so excited to announce this giveaway!

Pianomorning is giving one lucky Piano Teacher’s Retreat reader a free month subscription to their awesome site! 

PianoMorning.com was created by a staff of qualified teachers and composers from the “Canyon Country” area of Southern Utah and Florida’s Orange County in central Orlando.

They provide high quality services to piano teachers everywhere with downloadable theory supplements, new music, monthly articles and “contact” services.

A subscriber to www.pianomorning.com has access to over 200 sheets of theory supplements and music (primer to late intermediate level) with new items added weekly!  You can download the resources as many times as you need while you are a subscriber. 

Doesn’t that sound like a great service?

Now, you’re asking yourself, “Just what do I have to do to win this awesome subscription for a month?”

It couldn’t be easier!  Simply leave a comment on this post telling me why you love me.  Just kidding.  Leave a comment on this post about anything and everything and you will receive one entry in the random drawing which will take place at midnight on Monday, May 25.

If you want to increase your chances of winning this awesome giveaway, tell a friend!  When you tell a friend (that friend must tell me you sent him/her), you will receive THREE additional entries in the random drawing that takes place on Monday, May 25.

If you want to increase your chances even more, blog about this fantastic giveaway!   You will receive FIVE additional entries in the random drawing that takes place on Monday, May 25.

If you’ve been trying to keep track but got lost, I’ll summarize for you:

1. ONE entry for a simple comment on this post. 
2. THREE additional entries for telling a friend (there’s no limit to how many friends you can tell).
3. FIVE additional entries for blogging about this awesome giveaway!

Go check out www.pianomorning.com!  And don’t forget to leave a comment here!

One of my students found the sheet music to Gary Jules and Michael Andrews’ Mad World at www.thepianocian.com.  I’ve only done a little browsing at the site, but it looks like there is a lot of great free pop sheet music!  Go check it out!

A new blog to watch is Dan Starr’s blog for adult instructors.  Starr has been specializing in teaching adults for over 20 years.  I don’t know about you, but I feel I teach my young students much better than I teach my adult students.  I’m excited to glean some wisdom from somebody who has been successful teaching adults!

Here’s a new site to watch: Music for Music Teachers has free sheet music for voice, guitar, and piano.  Most of the sheet music is for beginners, and much of the music is familiar tunes, although some of it is written by the site’s author.  I’ve already used some of the music with a beginner and she loved it!   Check out the site!

I have a new student starting this Friday, and have been reviewing this article by Martha Beth Lewis, a teacher in California, on What to Teach at the First Lesson. (Read Martha Beth Lewis’ impressive Bio here).  I have used this article for all of my first lessons, and love the ideas!

If you have time, stay at her site and look around. It is LOADED with useful information!

I found some good websites for free sheet music as I searched for all the songs the bride wants me to play at her reception/luncheon. FYI: searching for free sheet music is NOT fun. Every site seems to promise free sheet music, but when you arrive, you have to pay a membership fee or something like that. Or the really promising site turns out to be just a site of links to other sheet music sites you must then sift through. There are a gazillion links to sheet music sites everywhere, and here are the ones I found after hours of sifting. Mental note: Build up my pop music repertoire so I don’t have to do this again.

My Piano is a blog that has oodles of pop music, arranged alphabetically.  That little alphabetic detail, my friend, is pure joy.  You would think that would be the most obvious way to arrange such a site, but let me tell you…it’s not obvious to everyone.

Free Piano Music is one of those pages that has a list of links to sheet music sites.  It was the best page of it’s kind that I ran into.

Piano Sheet Music is a blog that is updated frequently with new lists of pop songs.  I couldn’t find a search box, so it made it a little difficult to find specific songs, but if you’re in the mood for browsing, there’s a great selection.

Virtual Sheet Music has oodles of classical sheet music.  You have to pay for most of it, but there is a lot of free stuff too.

My search was mostly focused on pop music this time around.  Do you know of any great pop and/or classical free sheet music sites?