WHAT PEOPLE SAY

"Diane’s creativity and skill in teaching is a winning combination for developing her fabulous teaching materials.  I cannot wait to see what clever ideas are in store."

 

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—  Lizbeth Atkinson

Upper Arlington, Ohio

Piano Town Method

 

Developed with Keith Snell, Piano Town is a fun and easy-to-teach method for children ages 6 and up.

Recordings

Download recordings of Diane playing many standard teaching pieces.

 

Student Repertoire

 

Charming, original pieces approved by the NFMC for various student levels with teaching notes, recordings and teaching videos.

Sight Reading

 

Sight reading books and flashcards including the new sight reading series by Diane and Keith Snell

 

Technique Books

CopyCats and SmartScales provide engaging exercises for beginning students.

 

© 2019 by Diane Hidy

You'll wonder how you ever taught without this 32-page book. I made these cards for my students to give them plenty of opportunities to practice all the different skills they were acquiring. This series starts with the simplest possible rhythmic patterns on the Landmark notes Middle C, Bass F and Treble G. Each set becomes incrementally more difficult.

Here are a few of the many different ways to use these cards:

  • Encourage students to write in their own fingering. This paves the way for making true fingering choices later on

  • Circle the thirds before starting to read the flashcards. This helps the student focus on the difference between steps and skips.

  • Help your student write in their own staccatos and slurs. Try them out. Talk to them about why they do or don't like them. 

  • Help the student add dynamics and phrase marks.

  • Print these in their entirety and use them as a book.

  • Print them on heavy paper or card stock and cut them into separate cards. Trying sending home a set with a student and ask them to become proficient with each one. At the next lesson, mix them up and play them in random order. It’s a nice combination of preparation and reading.