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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May 2nd
Francisco:
Overworld theme: Practice the left hand of the B section. The idea is that you have to be able to play it without looking at your hand. Also practice the bit we put together.
Piano Adventures: “Ode to Joy”. Since you already know the melody, pay special attention to the left hand on p. 45. Try always to read the notes on the staff, even if you don’t need it. Incorporate the dynamics into the piece.
Maria Ines:
City of Stars: Practice the B section with both hands. Go slow, so that you can play the left hand evenly. When you feel confident, you can try and play the whole song.
Another Love: Figure out the introduction of the song. Practice the chords, always playing the bass in octaves in the left hand and the chords in the right hand. Link the chords using the common notes between them. Don’t jump between chords.
Noreet:
Bell of Great Britain: Practice the dynamics in the song. The first line is loud the first time, and soft in the repetition. In the second line, you have to make sure you’re playing each bar softer than the last one, and jumping between octaves.
Read “Come on Tigers!”.
Miabella:
Scales: Practice the C major scale with both hands separately, following the fingering explained in class.
The Brady Bunch: Now that you have the notes, practice the rhythms. I marked each place where you have to stop (wait for one beat) before going on. Use the metronome if it helps, it is a good habit to have!
May 17th
Gerardo:
“Tchaikovsky’s Theme”: Practice with a metronome set at 40 bpm, but remember that that is the “long beat” (so it clicks on beats 1 and 4).
“Willow Tree”: Practice section A, and try to keep the count on your head. Take a few minutes to practice the transition between the bars indicated in class. Make sure that you are following the fingering indicated as well.
Eliam:
Piano Adventures p. 50-51, “Come See the Parade”. Make sure he’s playing the double notes with his thumb and pinky (right hand).
Caedan:
Piano Adventures p. 30-31 “A Mixed Up song”. Make sure that you’re playing the right double notes (C and F), and pay attention to the staccato markings. Read as much as you can.
Practice “Luigi’s Mansion” repeating the A in the left hand as we saw in class.
Zoe:
Polonaise in G minor: Read the first two lines, with both hands. Start slow and be thorough with the fingering. In these types of pieces, it is particularly important to follow the fingering.
A Little Piece: study first with the metronome set at 132 bpm. The idea is that you repeat the piece until you feel comfortable playing at that speed. Then, try to set the metronome at 44 and feel just the first beat.
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
