ARCT • Teachers’ Diploma (RCM) in-progress
Trained Music Together Teacher
Erin Plank (they/he) is a passionate young piano teacher. For their professional development, Erin received the highest exam scores in all of Canada last year for “Teaching Elementary Piano” with the RCM.
Erin’s main goal is to turn students into lifelong music lovers, not just pianists. I seek to provide them with the tools to practice efficiently at home, sight read a song at their friend’s piano, learn the melody to a song off the radio by ear, and nurture a technical foundation that lasts a lifetime so it’s “just like riding a bike” to play the piano. And even better, they’ll want to.
Get to know Erin…Beyond the Bio!
Hobbies: Piano, weightlifting, playing with my cat, and hanging out with friends
Musical influences: Ben Folds, Brad Mehldau, Edvard Grieg
Favourite food: Fried chicken sandwich
Least favourite food: snap peas, because I ate too many as a kid one time and threw up and now I dislike the smell
Favourite music: Romantic era piano music, Beach Boys and similar era music, math rock
Favourite song: “How Dare You Want More” by Bleachers
Favourite movie: Sing Street
Favouirite movie music: main theme for “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” or anything Star Wars
Favourite musical theatre/opera: Wozzeck
Best quote from your teacher: “Don’t show the audience you messed up, they won’t know! Keep going!”
Favourite quote: “That’s what life is, Happy Sad”
Favourite book: Recursion by Blake Crouch
Best thing about teaching at ABC: Getting to reach and connect with so many lovely people!
Latest Homework from Erin
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December 18 Make-up lessons – Erin P
Marco, Daniel, Julian:
Marco
Keep working on your C and also G major one octave HS scales :) RH fingering is 12312345 and LH is 54321 321 for both. G major is all white keys except for F#. Focus on having as little movement in your arm as you tuck your thumb under. Pretend that tucking your thumb under is the easiest thing in the world and that you can do it without anyone even noticing. A relaxed arm and wrist will achieve this.
Daniel
Keep working on your C, F, G major triads. A broken triad is a lateral movement like a crab where your fingers only play the triad notes (1,3,5) over and over. for example: CEG EGC GCE then CEG. You should use the most ergonomic fingering which is RH: 135 125 135 135. LH it’s 531 531 521 531. The same fingering is used for the solid version also – it is played in a “quarter note, quarter note rest” alternating pattern.

Julian
I’ll hear your pieces on Thursday:)
Today we did note reading, counting, and 5note scales. Great job!
You know your C major one octave scale fingering really well! This winter break, you can take that same fingering and learn the G major scale. It is all white notes except for F#. RH 123 12345. LH 54321 321.
Saturday November 12 Lessons – Erin P
Hello everyone! Thanks for your effort practicing this week :)
Jadon
You’re working on the. first 16 bars of Amazing Grace. Play the RH louder than the LH, like your RH is the singer.
For the Avengers theme, you can change the intro to have a more simplistic rhythm in the LH, simply changing the notes and holding them, as the RH plays the melody. For the 2nd and 3rd pages, play as written because the thicker texture is awesome and very achievable.
We also learnt the 12 bar blues form. It goes I for 4 bars, IV for 2 bars, back to I for 2 bars, then V for 1 bar, IV for 1 bar, and I for 2 bars. For example C C C C , F F C C , G F C C. Practice playing this pattern with different bass lines and in different ways. You also know how to do it in the key of F. Next we could try G.
Recommended practice time: 30 minutes
Grace
Missed you this week. Have a great week and see you soon.
Marco
You’re working on the first 14 bars of Top Secret. Remember it is staccato for the most part, so don’t connect the notes. Today we learnt the part where we move up to F position. Great job with the finger independence needed for this piece! Try working on putting it hands together. Keep your eyes on the page and don’t just rely on memory, this way you’ll notice all the details, like articulation and dynamics (and notes).
Recommended practice time: 20 minutes
Daniel
You’re working on The Spring Session. For the phrases that do not begin on beat 1, practice starting at the beginning of them like a “pickup” at the beginning of a piece. I outlined one of them in line 2, begin on this beat 4 and plays hands together. For the repeated high Gs at the end of line 2 where I drew the bubbles, this is to “go To” beat 1 at the beginning of line 3 so it helps you keep the beat. Keeping a really steady pulse will help you play the melody easier.
You’re also working on The Snake. Great job putting the phrases that overlap together! This week focus on Dynamics, Dynamics, Dynamics. The crescendo and diminuendos are to represent the snake being charmed out (and back in) of it’s little basket. The snake is not just out in the open the whole time (a monotone constant loud sound) because that’s not intriguing. We want to draw the listener in with interest!
Recommended practice time: 25 minutes
Isabella
You’re working on Alouette on page 33. This piece has dotted quarter notes, which take 3 beats. I LOVED how you sung the note names as you played, or counted aloud! Don’t stop this, it’s an amazing habit.
Your warmup exercise is the “skipping” one on C Major. Use fingers 1 3 5 (C E G)and be picky about this! Other fingers might be easier, but with a little bit of practice, this WILL be easy! Do both hands :)
Recommended practice time: 15 minutes
Shelton
You’re working on Roman Trumpets. We learnt the notes D, E and F in the treble clef. They’re all written in so keep your eyes on the page to create the connection between the notes on the piano, with how they look on the page. Keep a steady beat and count, the “hollow” notes (half notes) always must have 2 beats.
I also taught you half of the folk song “Bahay Kubo”. Next week we will learn the other half. Try to remember it and show your Mom!
Your warmup exercise is the “skipping” one on C Major. Use fingers 1 3 5 (C E G) and be picky about this! Other fingers might be easier, but with a little bit of practice, this WILL be easy! Do both hands :)
*Reminder to please purchase this book whenever possible*
Recommended practice time: 20 minutes
Preferred Books for Erin Students
Click to buy them here, and they’ll come right to your house! What could be easier?
BOOK TITLE
COMING SOON
Faber Piano Adventures
The 2nd Edition Level 1 Lesson Book introduces all the notes of the grand staff, elementary chord playing, and the concept of tonic and dominant notes. Students play in varied positions, reinforcing reading skills and recognizing intervals through the 5th. Musicianship is built with the introduction of legato and staccato touches. This level continues the interval orientation to reading across the full range of the Grand Staff. The 5-finger approach is presented here in a fresh, musically appealing way.
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