Tag Archives: Oberlin Conservatory

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

Posted on December 8, 2012 by arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

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 1893 Steinway B, classissima.com, classissma, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, New York City, New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York State Employment Service, NYC High School of Music and Art, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, playing piano, Schoenhut piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Steinway B, Verdi Square in NYC, Wordpress, wordpress.com, You Tube, you tube.com | 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 arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

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 "Tales of a Musical Journey" by Irina Gorin, El Cerrito piano studio, Irina Gorin, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Minuet by Reinagle, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, piano addict, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano street, piano teaching, Piano World, piano world wide, POWHOW, POWHOW classes, Reinagle, Rina takes piano lessons, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, teaching piano to children, Word Press, wordpress.com | Leave a comment

Piano Technique: Playing beyond the fingers to sculpt beautiful phrases (Debussy Arabesque no. 1)

Posted on April 13, 2012 by arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Many piano students who practice Debussy’s Arabesque no. 1 tend to grab and articulate notes, rather than let them flow from energy streaming down relaxed arms into supple wrists. Reliance on fingers-down playing becomes the panacea for accuracy, while it … Continue reading →

Posted in "Just Being At the Piano", 19th Century music, 20th Century music, arioso 7, arpeggios, arpeggios for the piano, Claude Debussy, Debussy, Debussy Arabesque no. 1, Impressionistic music, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Just Being at the Piano by Mildred Portney Chase, Mildred Portney Chase, pianist, piano, piano lessons, piano teaching, piano world-wide, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, yout tube | Tagged a supple wrist in piano playing, Claude Debussy, Debussy Arabesque No. 1, El Cerrito piano studio, Impressionistic music, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Just Being at the Piano by Mildred Portney Chase, Mildred Portney Chase, NYC HS of Performing Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano lessons, piano studio, piano technique, Piano World, piano world wide, playing piano, relaxed arms in piano playing, sculpting a musical phrase in piano playing, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, supple wrist, teaching piano, undulating wrist in piano playing, upper arm roll | 4 Comments

Abby Whiteside and playing beyond the fingers as a point of departure (Videos)

Posted on February 26, 2012 by arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

From WIKI: Abby Whiteside (1881–1956) was an influential American piano teacher. She challenged the finger-centric approach of much classical piano teaching and instead advocated a holistic attitude in which the arm and torso are the conductors of a musical image … Continue reading →

Posted in Abby Whiteside, Mastering the Chopin Etudes and Other Essays by Abby Whiteside, phrasing at the piano, pianists, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano playing, piano tutorial, piano world-wide, pianoaddict.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, playing piano with expression, playing the piano, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, singing tone legato, slow mindful practicing, slow piano practicing, Steinway M grand, studying piano, supple wrist in piano playing, technique, the art of piano playing, The Russian singing tone school of piano teaching, video instruction, video supplementation of piano lessons, video uploading, virtual piano lessons, virtual piano teaching, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged Abby Whiteside, Franz Liszt, Frederic Chopin, George Li, Hanon excersises, Irina Morozova, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Lang Lang, masterclasses for piano, Mastering the Chopin Etudes and Other Essays by Abby Whiteside, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano street, piano teaching, Piano World, piano world wide, playing piano, Schmitt piano exercises, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Yeol Eum Son | 2 Comments

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

Posted on February 4, 2012 by arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

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 "Clowns" by William Gillock, Accent on Gillock Volume Two Later Elementary, Arioso7, classissima, classissima.com, creating nuance and dynamics at the piano, dynamics, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, learning piano, learning to play staccato on the piano, Moonbearms and Other Musical Sketches by Shirley Kirsten, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, piano blog, piano blogging, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano repertoire for late elementary piano students, piano student, piano students, piano teacher, piano teaching, piano technique, playing piano, praciticing piano pieces behind tempo, practicing piano pieces in slow tempo, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, staccato, William Gillock, Word Press, You Tube, you tube videos | Leave a comment

Comparison of five performances: Liszt Consolation No. 3 (Piano-videos)

Posted on December 28, 2011 by arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

After listening intently to Horowitz’s reading, I was curious to find others to compare. No doubt a diversity of opinion surrounds any performance, but I had some ideas about why I liked one reading over another. Daniel Barenboim: I always … Continue reading →

Posted in classissima.com, compare performances of Liszt Contemplation no. 3, Daniel Barenboim, George Li, Liszt, Liszt Consolation no. 3, Liszt Contemplation no. 3, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, Romantic era music, Romantic music, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, tempo rubato, Vladimir Horowitz, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged classissima, classissima.com, compare performances of Liszt contemplation no. 3, Daniel Barenboim, George Li, Lang Lang, Liszt Consolation no. 3 for piano, Miami International piano festival, Oberlin Conservatory, piano, piano addict, piano street, Piano World, playing piano, Romantic era music, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Vladiimir Horowitz, you tube. word press | Leave a comment

Shrinking degrees of separation in the music world?

Posted on December 26, 2011 by arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

The musical universe is smaller than we think. And perhaps this writing will incubate a linked chain of “connections” that will go further–especially since my relocation to Berkeley, California (September, 2012) So here it is: Now that I’m well past … Continue reading →

Posted in Bel Kaufman, Claudio Arrau, Daniel Waitzman, Elaine Comparone, Eugene Lehner, Franz Mohr, Gerard Schwarz, Herbert Gardner, Indiana University, James Gardner actor, Leon Fleisher, Lillian Freundlich, Lillian Lefkofsky Freundlich, Marble Hill Projects, Marjorie Janove, Menahem Pressler, Murray Perahia, Raphael de Silva, Roselle Kemalyan, Samuel Gardner, Seagate, Seymour Bernstein, six degrees of separation, six degrees of separation in the music world, Theodor Leschetizky, Vladimir Horowitz | Tagged Blue Hill Maine, Elaine Comparone, Ena Bronstein, Eugene Lehner, Franz Mohr, Gerard Schwarz, Indiana University, Kneisel, Leon Fleisher, Lillian Freundlich, Marjorie Janove, Marlboro Music Festival, Merrywood Music Camp, Murray Perahia, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, Peabody Institute, Peter Serkin, Raphael de Silva, Roselle Kemalyan, Rudolf Serkin, Seymour Bernstein, six degrees of separation, six of degrees of separation in the music world, the Boston Symphony, The Kneisel Quartet, the Kolisch Quartet, With Your Own Two Hands | 3 Comments

Is there a short cut route to learning piano?

Posted on September 16, 2011 by arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Promises abound on the Internet about playing piano in a flash. Short cut promoters claim thousands of dollars are wasted on “traditional” piano lessons. A teacher in the Southwest advertises software that speeds up note reading. Children as young as … Continue reading →

Posted in New York City High School of Performing Arts, phrasing at the piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano lessons and parental support, piano practicing, piano technique, pianoaddict.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, studying piano, teaching piano, teaching piano to children, teaching piano to teenagers, traditional piano teaching, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com | Tagged acoustic pianos, computer programs and piano learning, digital keyboards, learning piano, learning piano with a computer, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, piano addict, piano insruction, piano street, Piano World, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, taking piano lessons, teaching piano, the art of teaching piano | 9 Comments

Should piano students listen to recorded performances of pieces they are first beginning to learn?

Posted on July 21, 2011 by arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I was thinking of Palmer’s edition of Chopin, an Introduction to His Music, and when I first purchased it years ago there was no inserted CD of recorded selections contained in the album. With subsequent published editions, a CD popped … Continue reading →

Posted in blog, blogger, blogging, California, ear training, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Fresno, Fresno California, mind body connection, MTAC, Murray Perahia, muscular memory, music, music and heart, music and the breath, music history, music teachers association of california, music theory, New York City, New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York University, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, phrasing at the piano, pianist, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, sight-singing, slow piano practicing, talkclassical.com, Teach Street, teaching piano, teaching piano to children, technique, Theory, uk-piano-forums, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged cds of pianists performing the great works, influence of recordings on piano performances, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, learning to play the piano, NYC HS of Performing Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, piano addict, piano lessons, piano street, piano teaching, Piano World, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, studying piano, Word Press, word press blog, You Tube, you tube performances | Leave a comment

Can Piano Lessons be Skyped?

Posted on May 18, 2011 by arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

The very title of this blog might send readers feverishly rushing off to other sites. I would have had the same fight/flight response before I heard from two happy Skyping students, one of whom was so pan-allergic that any semblance … Continue reading →

Posted in El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Fresno California, Internet, music, music teachers association of california, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, piano addict, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano student, piano studio, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano tutorial, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Skype, Skyping piano lessons, Teach Street, teaching piano, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged classissima.com, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, piano instruction, piano instructiono by Internet, piano lessons, piano teaching, piano tutorial, Shirley Kirsten teacher, Skype, skyping piano lessons, Word Press, wordpress.com, You Tube, you tube piano instruction, you tube video | 2 Comments

Tag Archives: Oberlin Conservatory

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

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

Piano Technique: Playing beyond the fingers to sculpt beautiful phrases (Debussy Arabesque no. 1)

Abby Whiteside and playing beyond the fingers as a point of departure (Videos)

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

Comparison of five performances: Liszt Consolation No. 3 (Piano-videos)

Shrinking degrees of separation in the music world?

Is there a short cut route to learning piano?

Should piano students listen to recorded performances of pieces they are first beginning to learn?

Can Piano Lessons be Skyped?

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