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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January 31st
Francisco:
“The Entertainer”: Put together the last phrase of the song with both hands. Start slow, and increase the tempo progressively. Then, play the complete song (with its repetitions) at a normal tempo.
Piano Adventures p. 30 “Bus Stop Boogie”: Read complete. Can you name the chords you are playing?
Maria Ines:
“In the Stars”: Practice the verse of the song, specially the second part of the verse, where the left hand bass enters with the bass in octaves and the right hand plays in ‘pendular’ motion. Remember that the Gm chord lasts twice as long as the previous two.
“Payphone”: figure out the melody of the song for next class.
Remember to ask for piano music without lyrics.
Noreet:
Piano Adventures p. 50-51 “Come See the Parade!” Practice form beginning to end. Pay special attention to the change between the left and right hands between bars 6-7 and 9-10. Make sure your hand is extended enough to reach G with the pinky (5) in your right hand.
February 8th
Gerardo:
The Girl from Ipanema: Practice the melody in the right hand and the chords in the left hand for the first section. For the second one, just the melody. Be careful with the fingering.
Start reading “Tchaikovsky’s Theme” (Piano Adventures 3A p. 56-57).
“Snowflake Ragtime”: Study with metronome at 95 bpm (if you can go up to 100, better). Try not to stop, even if you make mistakes. If you hit the wrong notes with the left hand, keep going with the melody.
Eliam:
Piano adventures, p. 33 “Alouette”. Remember to count to 3 in the dotted half notes and to 2 in the regular half notes.
Caedan:
Compose a part 2 for your song and write it.
Piano Adventures p. 19 “Half Time Show” read the whole page. Remember that you have to repeat mm. 1-8. From bar 9 to the end the left hand and the right hand play the same notes.
“Athlete Theme (Mario)”: Practice the first section of the song (if you have doubts about the notes or the rhythm, see the sheet music). Note that you have to play one octave higher than written.
Zoe:
Sonatina 2nd movement: for page 13, practice each line separately first (you can spend 5 minutes of your practice time in each one, for example). Then, practice the following transitions:
-between mm. 15 and 16. You can play first those two bars a few times, then the two lines (mm. 13-18).
-between mm. 23 and 24. Practice bar 23 in a loop; then b. 24 in a loop, then both of them several times. Then play the whole last line.
After you have done that, play the complete page.
The 1: Memorize the lyrics for next class.
Preferred Books for Colomba’s Students
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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
