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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November 15th
Francisco:
Piano Adventures pp. 26-27.
For “Planetarium”, remember to repeat the first line. Choose a comfortable tempo for the quarter notes, and remember to follow it for the half notes. Try to use the dynamics (volume markers) indicated: f is loud, mf is moderately loud, and p is soft.
Read as much of “Minuet” as possible.
Maria Ines:
F major scale with both hands in parallel and contrary motion (as seen before with G major). Remember to practice slowly, paying attention to the fingering (5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1 in the left hand; 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4 in the right hand).
“In the Stars” practice the right hand first. Remember that the Bb chords with the different bass (Bb/F and Bb/D) go in the fourth time (you play them just once), followed by the Eb. This means that the Gm chords only last three times.
After figuring out the right hand, add the bass in octaves in the left hand.
Noreet:
Piano Adventures Primer Level: pp. 36. Pay attention to the dynamics (p is soft, mf is moderately loud, f is loud), the rhythm (count ‘two’ for the half notes), and the hand. If possible, read p. 37.
“How You Like That” : practice the bit seen in class.
November 30th
Gerardo:
“The Girl From Ipanema”: Put together the melody in the right hand with the chords in the left hand. If you want, you can use the recording you like to get the rhythms of the melody. Remember that both the Gm7 and the F#º chords last half the others.
“Ice Skaters”: Play with the repetitions in order (first page, second page twice, first page to “fine”). First think about the eight notes in the beginning of the second page to decide the tempo.
Eliam:
My Piano Adventures pp. 79, “Katie’s Dog Tucker”. Remember to keep both hands in the keyboard and one finger per key as indicated.
Caedan:
“The Haunted Mouse”: Play with a steady beat. Remember that the left hand only has an A when playing chords.
“Super Mario Theme”: Memorize up to the point where we are. Try not to stop in between parts.
Zoe:
Sonatina in C Major: Memorize the first movement. For the second movement, play at a slow tempo, so you are able to think and anticipate the next note. Start reading the second page as much as you can. At the same time, try to identify the chords you are playing in order to memorize faster.
“Snow on the Beach”: Practice by memory. Always try to sing louder than you would usually do.
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
