Tag Archives: New York City High School of Performing Arts

Revisiting Beethoven’s “Pathetique” Sonata, Op. 13 GRAVE

Posted on June 12, 2013 by

It’s nostalgia time for me, reconnecting with the Pathetique that I butchered as a teenager before I landed in the good hands of mentor, Lillian Freundlich. The teacher before, lived about 4 blocks away, but was miles off the mark … Continue reading →

Posted in Beethoven Pathetique Sonata, classissima, classissima.com, Grave Beethoven Pathetique Sonata, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to Calfornia, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Ludwig Van Beethoven, piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Photo memories of my December 2012 trip to NYC

Posted on March 21, 2013 by

A native New Yorker, I rarely found myself at the Statue of Liberty, but yes, to Central Park, and gentle walks though Fall and Spring paths. My last visit to the home land, was this past December when I sauntered … Continue reading →

Posted in Central Park, FAO Schwarz, shirley smith kirsten blog, Shirley Smth Kirsten, Verdi Square, word press | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A sentimental journey taken with Mozart

Posted on February 4, 2013 by

Musical memories rekindled Continue reading →

Posted in classissima, classissima.com, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Lillian Freundlich, Mozart, Mozart Sonata no. 9 in D K. 311, New York City High School of Performing Arts, piano, piano addict, piano lessons, Piano Street, piano teaching, Piano World, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, W.A. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rekindling ties with a dear NYC friend, her 1893 Steinway B, and piano tinkering grandbaby

Posted on December 8, 2012 by

Friendship is forever. Coming back to New York City was living proof of it. Continue reading →

Posted in Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, New York State Employment Service, Oberlin Conservatory, Schoenhut piano, Verdi Square in NYC, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rina’s Lesson-in-Progress: From the staircase to the piano (Reinagle Minuet in G) Videos

Posted on April 18, 2012 by

Rina, 5, has embarked upon her 7th month of study and is scaling my staircase before settling down to the piano. I’ve used this routine to imbue a sense of music’s topography before a keyboard transfer. It’s working. Videotaped samples: … Continue reading →

Posted in "Tales of a Musical Journey" by Irina Gorin, Irina Gorin, Minuet by Reinagle, piano addict, piano instruction, piano lessons, Piano Street, Piano World, POWHOW, POWHOW.com, Shirley Kirsten teaches classes at POWHOW, Shirley Smith Kirsten, teaching piano to young children, teaching Rina piano, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, yout tube | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Coming Attractions: A music packed weekend and even more to come

Posted on March 11, 2012 by

Today, in the company of two adult students, I’ll be heading over to Zellerbach in Berkeley, California to hear Murray Perahia’s piano recital. Last year at about this time, he was curbed by injury, but apparently he’s now in peak … Continue reading →

Posted in Mozart Piano concerto no. 21 in C Major, Murray Perahia, New York City High School of Performing Arts, pianist, piano, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, Zellerbach in Berkeley California | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Even piano teachers have their unguarded moments….zzzzz

Posted on February 26, 2012 by

Many of us keep full schedules, often teaching into late evening hours–The following day, we’re up at the crack of dawn to mentor a stream of students. This past week, I Skyped a 7:00 a.m. lesson to Pennsylvania that spilled … Continue reading →

Posted in Fur Elise by Beethoven, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York City subways, pianist, piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano teacher nearly falls asleep, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, teaching an adult student, teaching Fur Elise, video bloopers, video outtakes, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Piano Instruction: A charming, quick-paced piece for late elementary students, titled “Clowns,” by Gillock (VIDEO)

Posted on February 4, 2012 by

Continuing my tribute to the prolific and talented composer, William Gillock, I’ve snatched “Clowns” from Volume Two of his Accent on Gillock collection. (published by Willis Music Company) Not to be long-winded about my approach to teaching this sprightly composition, … Continue reading →

Posted in "Clowns" by William Gillock, Accent on Gillock Volume two Later Elementary, classissima, classissima.com, Gillock composer, mind body connection, mindful piano practicing, mindful practicing, Moonbeams and other Musical Sketches by Shirley Kirsten, MTAC, music, music and heart, music teachers association, Oberlin Conservatory, Op. 39 Children's Pieces by Kabalevsky, phrasing at the piano, pianist, pianists, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano lessson, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano recital, piano repertoire, piano student, piano studio, piano study, piano teacher, piano teacher and student relationships, piano teachers, piano teaching, piano teaching repertoire, Piano World, piano world-wide, pianoaddict.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, playing staccato at the piano, playing the piano with a singing tone, playing two musical instruments, William Gillock, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Murray Perahia, pianist, is in a league of his own! (Videos)

Posted on January 15, 2012 by

Okay, so I borrowed a snatch from a movie title about a woman’s baseball team keeping the diamond percolating with energy during World War II. And Geena Davis did a superb job as the lead, but in all honesty, Murray … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthony Tommasini, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, classissima, classissima.com, Fresno Bee, J.S. Bach, J.S. Bach Partita in E Major, Mozart, Mozart Piano concerto in C K. 467, Mozart piano concerto no. 21 K. 467, Murray Perahia, Murray Perahia masterclass, Nareh Arghamanyan, New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York Times, New York Times arts editor, pianist, pianists, piano, piano masterclasses, piano playing and phrasing, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Schumann Caraval, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

When a NY Times music critic and reader clash over a piano recital

Posted on January 12, 2012 by

I must admit that I chose not to put the title of this writing in the first person. Perhaps, in an egalitarian spirit, I wanted to identify with any audience member or newspaper reader, who might be offended by a … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthony Tommasini, Anthony Tommasini NY Times music reviewer, Avery Fisher Hall, classissima.com, disagreeing with a music critic, Michael Kimmelman, Murray Perahia, Murray Perahia concert, Murray Perahia piano recital, music criticism, music critics, music editor of the New York Times, N.Y., New York Times.com, NY Times arts editor, pianist, piano, piano recital, Robert Schumann, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, The New York Times, The New York Times music page | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment