Tag Archives: El Cerrito CA

The business of copying the piano teacher: Who has the final say or PLAY?

Posted on November 9, 2012 by

The latest provocative teacher exchange is taking place on Facebook at the “Art of Piano Pedagogy” which has now become a private forum. When it comes to teaching philosophies, many are intensely opinionated. From my perspective, I passionately believe in … Continue reading →

Posted in classissima, classsissima.com, Nairi Grigorian Akimov, piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Kirsten on POWHOW, shirley s kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, Shirley Smth Kirsten, skype piano lesson, Skype piano lessons, slow mindful practicing, slow piano practicing, teaching piano online, teaching piano to adult students, teaching piano to children, The art of phrasing at the piano, the breath and phrasing in piano playing, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube video, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Piano Technique: Turning a door knob helps a 9-year old piano student in her practicing (Videos)

Posted on July 25, 2012 by

I use various motions extracted from daily life to teach fluidity in piano playing. In this particular example lifted from a lesson-in-progress, Ilyana, 9, applies a door knob-turning gesture to smooth out a passage from William Gillock’s “Splashing in the … Continue reading →

Posted in "Splashing in the Brook" by Gillock, piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano technique, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, teaching piano, William Gillock, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A piano student kicks back over the summer playing a Disney selection while I rekindle old musical memories (Videos)

Posted on July 20, 2012 by

It’s not a big deal when a student forgets her scale, arpeggio, and total assignment, then drifts into a casual reading of “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Pinocchio. Albertina, 13, had brought a coffee-table size anthology of popular … Continue reading →

Posted in "When you Wish Upon a Star" from Walt Disney, duet playing with piano students, Five for Fighting a Hundred Years, John Ondrasik, Liz on Top of the World from Pride and Prejudice, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano teaching, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Taylor Swift, Wlat Disney, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Piano Technique: Rotation, Turnaround, and Curve around of scales, with application to repertoire (Videos)

Posted on July 11, 2012 by

Piano students, by and large, don’t relish playing scales. They would rather eat spinach than practice what they view as tedious, finger-trippers. I have a different perspective. For me, scales are my playground and workout space. They keep me in … Continue reading →

Posted in classissima, classissima.com, El Cerrito piano studio, Latour Sonatina in C, pianist, piano, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, teaching piano, teaching piano scales, teaching piano to adult students, teaching piano to children, teaching piano to teens, teaching scales, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An El Cerrito “Moonlight” Walk to Beethoven (Video)

Posted on July 4, 2012 by

I joined a congenial group of hikers for a challenging trek through the El Cerrito Hills. It was my first, eye-opening, exploration of the California city’s rugged terrain and dense brush. Prior to this rustic romp, my sidewalk sauntering took … Continue reading →

Posted in Beethoven Moonlight Sonata, El Cerrito Hills, El Cerrito nature trails, El Cerrito Patch, El Cerrito Patch blogger, El Cerrito Trail Trekkers, Friends of Five Creeks, piano blog, piano blogging, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

El Cerrito “Sushi” cat is a match for Aiden (Videos)

Posted on May 24, 2012 by

Aiden took the prize for his mini-choreography of Chopin’s C# minor Waltz, but “Sushi” outdistanced him with an impressive break dance routine on the kitchen floor. “Sushi,” the house cat in El Cerrito, is always on the move–resistant to stay … Continue reading →

Posted in Aiden Cat, Aiden the Cat, feline, felines, pianist, piano, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano lesson, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube video, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Skyped Piano Lesson in Progress: Practicing Mazurka by Maria Szymanowska (Videos)

Posted on July 17, 2011 by

My third SKYPED Piano Lesson is brought to you in living color. The adult student framed by an iMac, is one of my regulars up in El Cerrito (Bay area USA) and since I’m unable to travel to her home … Continue reading →

Posted in classissima, classissima.com, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Maria Szymanowska, Mazurka, Mazurka by Maria Szymanowska, New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York University, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano society, piano studio, piano teacher, pianoaddict.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Skype, skyped piano lessons, Skyping piano lessons, slow piano practicing, Teach Street, teaching piano, uk-piano-forums, video performances, virtual piano lessons, virtual piano teaching, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Digital Piano Review continued: On Location at Best Buy in Fresno CA (6 videos)

Posted on June 26, 2011 by

This was such a smooth experience. Matthew Wheeler was found playing drums and keyboard in Best Buy’s atrium, for want of a better name, and he stopped what he was doing to film me sampling digitals. These were console models: … Continue reading →

Posted in Beethoven, blog, blogger, blogging, California, Casio, Casio 830 digital piano, classical music, classissima, classissima.com, digital piano, digital pianos, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Fur Elise, music teachers association, music teachers association of california, New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York University, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, phrasing at the piano, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano teacher, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Roland digital, Roland digital piano, RolandF110, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, word press, wordpress.com, Yamaha Arius YDP141, Yamaha piano, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment