(1426) MUSIC AND ME (July 20, 2017) MY STYLE IN TEACHING MUSIC AND CHESS

MY STYLE IN TEACHING

MUSIC AND CHESS

AS I WAS taught by Loving, Celerina, Marcela and Pablo of Dionisio family on how to play guitar, marimba and bamboo flute, my teaching style is totally different from their teaching styles. The casual style of teaching is also taught to me by my cousin Wilfredo “Ka Boy” Hernandez, who plays the French horn in a marching band. I remember him teaching me the minor 7^th chords and how he remembers the tune and chords of Barry Manilow’s song “Ships”.

Ka Loving’s fingers are short but he has a way to make chords sound like it is being played by a guitarist who has long fingers. My rapid progress in guitar playing is due to his teaching me to accompany him while playing the bamboo flute. He was many times regional champion of pan flute, pipe and recorder in instrumental competitions in the northern part of Philippines.

Celerina “Ka Rina” has a good ears for chords that if I missed to play the right chords, she’s not letting go that I will resume playing without correcting the chords that I’ve missed. Two years ago, she did the same thing when I missed the G chord while jamming with her husband Rading. They’ve been to Japan 17 times as duo in the same hotel. I’ve taught their 2 daughters Cessa and Kathlyn piano in early 1990’s while they are in Japan for 6-month performance contract.

My style in teaching for kids is by musical notes because they still have long time to learn gradually. When I think it’s time for them to learn by ear, then I will combine by notes and by ears or “oido” as they say it in Filipino language. It is also the style of teaching that I always do to my adult students.

I have taught 3 kids of a Filipino-Chinese Electone organ in 1986 prior to my 2 years and 3 months contract in Bahrain to play keyboard at Khayam Taverna (Greek Restaurant). The kids became very good after a few months that their dad get jealous and he asked me to teach him also at a special day and time (mostly Saturdays) where the kids are not home as he is ashamed to the kids that he is taking also music lessons from me. I taught him by ear as adults learn faster with this style. I remember I came with my 1-year-old daughter Karen because nobody will take care of her while I’m teaching him. He can request to me what kind of songs he would like to learn like “Spanish Eyes” by Engelbert Humperdinck, Mona Lisa, Green Green Grass of Home and more songs from the 1950’s and 1960’s.

My girl student (Michelle) in 1990 is full of potential that her mom, who works in Hong Kong as domestic helper, bought her an expensive Yamaha keyboard. She’s so inspired to learn more due to the advanced features of the keyboard. Her house is just across the road where I, my wife Flor and daughter Karen reside. I stopped teaching her when I work in Palau in 1992. My wife and Karen joined me in Palau in June 17, 1995 and when my mom passed away in 1997, we have a vacation in Philippines to attend her funeral. One time, I rode in a tricycle and I didn’t recognize the driver. He said, “You don’t recognize me, Mr. Robert? I am the brother of your former student Michelle.” I said sorry for not recognizing him as he grown up so fast. I ask,” How is Michelle doing now?”  And he proudly said she is now teaching music!

! I also taught 3 sisters piano about 20 meters from my home. Their doctor mother who always request to me the instrumental “La Decadance” by Richard Clayderman. When one of her daughter and my student got married, the future bride requested me to play at the church/reception 4 songs—Somewhere in Time, Looking Through The Eyes of Love, Endless Love and the 4^th one, I forgot. Her lone brother asked me one time to teach him the song “Ever Since the World Begun” by Survivor.

When I worked in Palau in 1992, I only have very few music students. Chess didn’t get started since 10 years later and my weekly chess articles in Tia Belau started in Dec. 29, 2002 with this 1^st edition…http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2012/01/first-issue-of-chessmate-by-roberto.html

          This lately, I have 3 new students --Cole Abellera, chess every Saturday 11:00 am-12:00 noon. My practice teaching to him is with Samantha Tsao, his cousin, and my piano/guitar student on Fri. 2:30-3:30pm.
          Jake Abellera, Shane and Cole's older brother, piano from 10:00-11:00 am. I tried to teach him guitar 3 weeks ago but I see no potential in him and he will get bore with steel stringed guitar and may feel pain in his fingers. So I shifted from guitar to keyboard.
          Kai is also planning guitar lessons but his fingers are so small yet and I see that potential problem with guitar so I shifted also to keyboard. I taught him for 2 Sat. morning session at Sam's place. His mom wanted to hold it in the MH Dental Clinic where I taught Hanson Campbell for more than a year. I brought the keyboard I am using at Palau Royal Resort but he has also a Yamaha keyboard (61 keys) that uses 6 size D batteries. The plug for the adapter is inside in. I started to teach Kai keyboard on Fri. from 1:30-2:30 pm.
          This Wed., Oct. 04, 2017, I will teach Nicholas Nehez 1 hour piano and 1 hour chess in their house in Airai. I have to charge extra for gas--$15.00/hr. Their 88-key keyboard is coming from America at the end of Oct.


Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- September 25, 2017

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               Soon to be published as a book

              Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
              Tia Belau Newspaper
              March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
              http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
              April 25, 2013 -- September 25, 2017

              The History of Chess in Palau
              By Roberto Hernandez
              June 09, 2002 -- September 25, 2017

(1337) MUSIC AND ME (Dec. 08, 2016) TUNING 3 PIANOS ON Aug. 08, Dec. 14, 20, 2016 in Palau

2 YAMAHA AND 1 SAMICK PIANOS TUNED
     On Aug. 08, 2016, my piano student Lanie Kinsiano asked my to tune the Yamaha piano at Seventh Day Adventist church. Two keys were defective and I was able to fix it and tuned it as well. 4 months and 6 days later, I tuned a Samick piano of Mr. Ha before teaching his grandson piano on Dec. 14, 2016. Six days later, I tuned another Yamaha piano at Palau Mission Academy.
                    (Selfie photo by Roberto Hernandez -- Dec. 14, 2016)

                 TUNING 3 PIANOS ON 
            Aug. 08, Dec. 14 and 20, 2016
                              in Palau

Lanie Kinsiano is my piano student every Sunday afternoon. She can play piano already reading music notes especially Christian songs. She and her husband jog regularly at the Palau Track and Field Oval. Every Wednesday and Friday in early morning hours, I usually saw them walking/jogging there.

Lanie works at the office of Seventh Day Adventist church near their house. Prior to Aug. 08, 2016, she asked me to tune the Yamaha piano at the church. She said she will pay me through petty cash and I have to bring receipt.

That morning, me, my wife Flor and her co-employee Cecile went to get free eye glass near the oval from Japanese volunteer on medical mission in Palau for a week. We fall in line at 7am and get our reading glass after more than 2 hours. 

I dropped them at a store before I proceed to the Social Security Administration office to ask why my $50.00 additional benefit from Palau government was stopped.

I was informed that I have to report to SSA office every 6 months to informed them that I am still in Palau so that they will continue to sent through bank my SS pension. Because I didn't report in June, they stopped my pension for the month of July, which I am suppose to receive in August. They will resume sending it but without the $50.00 from government because it is not from them. And that I have to report again in February 2017.

I explained to them that I thought reporting to them applies only to those eligible to receive pensions but staying in Philippines, who has to report to them every 6 months so that their SS pension will not be stopped.

I proceed to Lanie and said to her that I will tune the piano after lunch because I run out of time because of long line in getting free eyeglass. In going back to Palau Royal Resort, I saw Flor and Cecile walking. They will go first to the other department stores before getting a taxi to get them back at Dragon Tei. 

Have lunch at PRR before tuning the piano at SDA. There are 2 defective keys that are not getting back to its original position after hitting it. It's been the problem of a very old piano that I tuned at I Love Music school a few years ago. I know what to do with it.

While tuning it, a pastor from Palau Missionary Academy in Airai, Pastor Sanchez, asked me to tune also their piano there. I gave him my card for reference in the future.

After 2 hours, the piano is tuned and fix. Lanie and her husband were impressed that the keys are now working properly after I hit it repeatedly for at least 400 times.

In early December of 2016, I've got a phone call from Mrs. Ha, the wife of the prominent Korean businessman, Mr. Ha, asking me to call her daughter-in-law for a possible piano teaching of her grandson at their house in the 4th floor of Paradise Hotel.

I talked to So Hee Ha, her daughter-in-law, and we set a date for the boy's first piano lesson on Sat. December 10 at 2 pm. 

After teaching Shane Abellera guitar on that Sat. morning from 8:00-10:00, I went back to PRR for lunch and go to Paradise Hotel at 2pm for the first piano lesson of Edward Ha.

I noticed many out of tuned keys of the piano and suggested to them that I will come 2 hours earlier (2pm) on Wed., Dec. 14 to tune the piano before Edward comes back from school at 4pm. 
So Hee Ha asked me how much I charge for tuning the piano. I said if it's not tuned for a long time, $75.00 and if it's tuned for just a year and earlier, only $50.00. She said it's not been tuned for more than 10 years.

Mrs. Ha is also there and asked me also to tune the piano at the Korean church in Airai if I have free time.

So Hee Ha paid me $87.00 for tuning and Edward's first one hour lesson in Dec. 10. She said she will pay me every Saturday. I charged her $12.00/hour for twice a week lesson. If once a week, $15.00/hour. 

A few days later, Pastor Sanchez asked me also to tune their Yamaha piano at Palau Missionary Academy in Airai. We set the date of tuning on Monday, December 19 at 9am.

During Palau Royal Resort's Christmas party in Dec. 17, I won in the parlor game a gift certificate of free swimming and free use of beach facilities for a day at PRR. There is also a $5.00 cash because we are co-winners. I gave the cash to Sharon Joy Malubay, the cashier, and she willingly chose it adding that me and my wife should use it.

   
          

 
My wife wants to use it on Monday, Dec. 19, with her co-employees Maritess and Ging-Ging for them to swin and she will just enjoy the view and will take many photos.

The date and time, is the same as my tuning of the piano at PMA, so I called Pastor Sanchez to postpone it for Tuesday, the same time. I also add that I charge extra $5.00 for gas whenever I teach or tune piano in Airai.

Before coming to PRR, they bought snacks and drinks that they will consume for a day.

I gave the brochure to Marcia Florentino, who's been working at PRR for 10 years and received a 1 night stay at PRR, some souvenir logo items  and $100.00. 

I will get mine this year.

We have some photos before I go back to PRR Dormitory to watch NFL game...

I sleep with Flor that Monday night. I have breakfast of fruits before proceeding to PMA for piano tuning. Mr. Sanchez is still in the classroom. I waited for him for about 15 minutes.
He brought me to the big room where the piano is. Two of the keys have only one string left. Some others have 1 snapped strings for a total of 13 strings. 

I told Pastor Sanchez that I replaced a B string of the piano that I'm using now at PRR that I got from the old piano of Yuriko Irikedamoto of Dragon Tei. I will try if I can get those snapped strings from her and if not, they have to buy those from Philippines and I will replace those.

After tuning it for 2 hours, I waited again for Mr. Sanchez. He asked me to bring an invoice to the main office in Koror so that they will issue me a check for $80.00.

I'm in a hurry to come back so that I can deposit $50.00 for some help in Philippines. Flor's got a lot of texts and phone call while I'm driving fast. I answered her when I am in line at the bank. The line is long and I will not make it to the lunch time at PRR so I leave the line and rush to PRR for lunch.

Back again to the bank and gave the invoice at the office of 
SDA, who asked me to come back on Fri. to get my check.



Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
                 Tia Belau Newspaper
                 December 29, 2002 -- January 17, 2017

                 Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
                 Tia Belau Newspaper
                 March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
                 http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
                 April 25, 2013 -- January 17, 2017