Category Archives: you tube.com

A Love story born of flowers and set to the music of Bela Bartok

It was my birthday a few days ago, and I was blessed with the gift of flowers and a plant from two close friends. These sit side-by-side atop my upright piano: Little did I know that “Roy” who delivered the … Continue reading

Posted in "Evening in the Country" by Bartok, Ana's Flowers in Berkeley CA, Bela Bartok, bela bartok, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, wordpress.com, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Irina Morozova plays Gershwin!

Here’s a photo-imported version of “I Got Rhythm!” (Click HD) On the artist’s CD menu are the following treats: 1. Gershwin Improvisations for Solo Piano: Clap Yo’ Hands 2. Someone to Watch Over Me 3. Sweet and Lowdown 4. Maybe … Continue reading

Posted in com, George Gershwin, Irina Morozova pianist, word press, you tube, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bach with and without Pluck

Elaine Comparone and Dusan Bogdanovic produced a stunning CD, combining harpsichord and guitar in their J.S Bach Inventions and Sinfonias collaboration. Both musicians have firmly established reputations as fine performers and recording artists so their get-together has surely been a … Continue reading

Posted in Bach with Pluck played by Elaine Comparone and Dusan Bogdanovic, Dusan Bogdanovic guitarist, Elaine Comparone, harpsichord, Harpsichord.org, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Piano performance: The moment of creation can be deceiving and how we can learn from video playbacks

I was telling a musical friend about the discrepancy between what we think we’re hearing during our own performances and what bears out in a review of our self-made recordings. This is why teaching and learning opportunities abound in comparing … Continue reading

Posted in classissima, classissima.com, J.S. Bach, J.S. Bach Invention in 13 minor, J.S. Bach Prelude in C minor, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, pianist, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano teaching, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, videotaping piano lessons, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Piano Lesson to Brazil: Trills and Spills (Beethoven Presto, “MOONLIGHT” Sonata)

This was a SKYPE Day to remember! Not a sinking ship, but a catastrophic event at a musical climax. The Brazilian student, in good form, however, was SAVED by the NEAPOLITAN! He rendered the UNEXPECTED with show-stopping emphasis! Bravo, cavalheiro! … Continue reading

Posted in Beethoven, Beethoven Moonlight, Beethoven Moonlight Sonata Presto movement, classissima, classissima.com, Ludwig Van Beethoven, piano teacher, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Attentive listening, singing, and awareness of harmonic rhythm improve phrasing at the piano

I notice a common thread among many piano students, young and old. They tend to play measure to measure, doting heavily on downbeats as if the first beat of each bar begs for reinforcement. Perhaps a Marching Band might fall … Continue reading

Posted in attentive listening and phrasing at the piano, classissima, classissima.com, Minuet in G from Anna Magdalena's Notebook, piano lessons, word press, wordpress.com, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Should a piano student be a carbon copy of the teacher?

The whole universe of music teaching and learning became crystallized when I found myself bouncing ideas back and forth with two parents of Suzuki-trained children on a blog COMMENTS forum. First, I questioned the purist form of the Japanese imported … Continue reading

Posted in classissima, classissima.com, Mozart Sonata in C K. 545, piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, Piano Street, Piano World, piano worldwide, W.A. Mozart, word press, wordpress.com, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bach to nature: Pairing a Prelude with scenes from Tilden Regional Park (Berkeley CA)

I didn’t think twice about getting double mileage from re-playing J.S. Bach’s ethereal Prelude in C minor, BWV 847. It turned out to be nature-inspired. On a late afternoon trail trek to Tilden Park, I came equipped with a modest … Continue reading

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Piano lesson: Chopin B minor Waltz, Op. 69, no 2. (bouncing phrases back and forth)

Teaching affords the greatest opportunity to listen objectively to students serving up their menu of pieces. It allows ideas to spring forward and bounce back. Today, my Greek student resurrected his Chopin B Minor Waltz in preparation for a forthcoming … Continue reading

Posted in Chopin Waltz in B minor Op. 69 No. 2, Frederic Chopin, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano blog, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano lesson by Skype, Shirley Kirsten, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Comparing Interpretations of Bach Prelude in C minor, BWV 847 (Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1)

Over a year ago, I posted a tutorial about the harmonic rhythm of Bach’s C minor Prelude (WTC I) to help myself and others navigate strings of 16th notes with an awareness of shape, direction, and resolution. This was my … Continue reading

Posted in Bach Prelude BWV 847 in C minor, classissima, classissima.com, harmonic rhythm and Bach Prelude BWV 847, J.S. Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, Jorunal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, word press, word press.com, you tube, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments