It was May 2014, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. I think I had 20 beginning piano students, and most of them had studied the quintessential 12-bar blues called The Low Down Boogie, by Marilyn Lowe. Because the students were learning to audiate (really think music, like you think in English or in images), it was only natural that they would want to “say” their own blues now. So, the theme of the first Piano Party was original 12-bar blues compositions or improvisations.

Cover of the program of the historic 1st Musikhaus Piano Party

Program of the historic 1st Musikhaus Piano Party

I didn’t get to film the event because I was MC, so the videos from the 12-Bar Blues series of posts are from lessons. First, hear The Low Down Boogie (from Lowe’s Music Moves for Piano: Keyboard Games Book B) as played by Laura, age 7.

Now hear Emília’s own original blues composition, inspired by The Low Down Boogie when she was 8:

As for my current students here in Texas, I will start posting their music as soon as I get their parents’ authorizations!

–by Carla J. Seibert