M.Mus (York U) in-progress
B.Mus (Pontifical Catholic University of Chile)
B.Arts (Pontifical Catholic University of Chile)
Colomba is a Chilean Canadian pianist and musicologist. Born and raised in Chile, she has been a piano and music theory teacher for over six years. She is currently studying an M.A. in Music at York University with the York Graduate Scholarship.
Colomba completed her Bachelor of Music as well as her Bachelor of Arts (Major in History) at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. During her time there, she served as Teaching Assistant in Harmony, Analysis and Music Theory courses. She also had worked as private Piano Teacher from 2016 and at Schlotfeld’s Online Music Academy throughout the pandemic.
As a pianist, Colomba served in 2019 as keyboardist in the 2022 Pulsar Award Winner (Best Jazz & Fusion Album) “Ensamble Escondido”. She also has experience as a pianist for private events and weddings. Colomba seeks to encourage her students to discover their own music tastes and creativity by balancing traditional skills and innovative methods.
Get to know Colomba…Beyond the Bio!
Hobbies: Piano, music research on Classical and Latin American Popular Music, History, Drawing.
Music influences: Music from the Romantic and Impressionist era; Chopin, Satie and Debussy in particular. Popular Music genres such as Classical and Progressive rock. Folk-rooted Latin American genres (Peruvian Landó, Bossa-Nova, Cuban Son).
Favourite food: Any dessert will do the trick. I also like Italian food, Arepas, Asian food. I’m not a picky eater so I enjoy almost any food.
Least favourite food: Beet salad. It doesn’t have too much flavor.
Favorite music: Anything that has an interesting rhythm and melody. My favorite genres are Jazz, Rock, and Latin American Folk Music. Regarding Classical Music, I’ve always been a fan of the Romantic Era.
Favourite song: I like too many songs to choose just one! Negra Presuntuosa- Susana Baca
Time – Pink Floyd
Favourite movie: No Country for Old Men.
Favourite movie music: Pirates of the Caribbean, The Incredibles.
Favourite musical theatre/opera: Carmen – Georges Bizet.
Best quote from your teacher: “a hard-working student in the long term will surpass a prodigy”.
Favourite quote: “Fools who don’t respect history are doomed to repeat it.” “Traveller, the road is only your footprint, and no more; traveller, there’s no road, the road is your travelling.”
Favourite book: One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel García Márquez.
Best thing about teaching at ABC: Helping people to develop a love for music.
Latest Homework from Colomba
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March 7th
Francisco:
Mario Song: Practice with the technique explained in class for the thirds. Slowly raise the tempo of the song.
Piano Adventures p. 37 “French Minuet”. Go from beginning to end, and be particularly careful with the skips between notes that you marked on your book.
Maria Ines:
Payphone: Practice the chorus of the song several times. Use a metronome and try to slowly raise the tempo until you match the rest of the song.
In the Stars: Incorpore the pedal. Practice changing pedals each time you change a chord in the song.
City of Stars: Take a few minutes to practice the sequence on the left hand. When you feel comfortable playing that, put both hands together (first page).
Noreet:
Write a brief song with the notes indicated in class (black keys + A).
Piano adventures p. 58 “Football Game”. Make sure she’s reading the right notes and following the fingering indicated.
Miabella:
“Siamese Cats”: play from beginning to end. Remember to count in your mind, and follow a steady beat as we did in class.
Practice the following chord sequence, playing three notes in the right hand and the root note in the left hand: C-F-G-Am.
March 15th
Gerardo:
The Girl from Ipanema:
Take the first part of your practice time to practice the B section’s last phrase with the chords (mm. 23-26). When you feel confident with that part, play the complete B section a few times. Since this is the most difficult part of the song, make sure you feel confident with it before trying the whole song.
Caedan:
Practice the Overworld Theme. It would help if you can hear the song a few times before playing it. That will strengthen your memory. Make sure to memorize the whole song.
Piano Adventures: Read Mozart’s Five Names. Remember that mm. 1-2 and 3-4 have the same notes in both hands (different octaves).
Work on your song. If you want to finish it, write a closure. If you decide that you want to make a second part, bring ideas next class.
Zoe:
Practice the A section of Little Piece (mm. 1- 16). Go slow, and count the beats at all times. Pay attention to the accidentals in the piece, and respect the phrasing lines.
Preferred Books for Colomba’s Students
Click to buy them here, and they’ll come right to your house! What could be easier?
Belting - A
Written for ages 5 and 6, My First Piano Adventure captures the child’s playful spirit. Fun-filled songs, rhythm games and technique activities develop beginning keyboard skills.
John Thompson's Modern Course for the Piano
Time-tested bestseller around the world! The legendary Modern Course series provides a clear and complete foundation in the study of the piano that enables the student to think and feel musically. It’s known as the method for quick, dedicated learners. It’s also well-regarded as a self-teaching method for the mature player. The First Grade may be preceded by Teaching Little Fingers to Play and/or Teaching Little Fingers to Play More .
Mikrokosmos
Béla Bartók wrote the first four volumes of the Mikrokosmos as a series of beginning piano exercises for his son Péter. The great Hungarian composer’s complete six-volume collection represents one of the most comprehensive anthologies of contemporary technique ever assembled. This edition, consisting of the first two volumes, presents more than 100 pieces of study material suitable for first- and second-year students.
Rational Principles of Pianoforte Technique
