Tag Archives: piano instruction

A Russian composer’s colorful pieces with a strong teaching dimension

Native Russian, Samuel Maykapar (b.1867, d. 1938) composed a set of gorgeous, program-inspired pieces, that are carefully phrased, articulated, and fingered. The music is ear-catching in the spirit of Dimitri Kabalevsky and William Gillock as all three composers were highly … Continue reading

Posted in "In the Garden" by Samuel Maykapar, classissima, classissima.com, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Maykapar Russian Composer, piano, piano addict, piano instruction, piano lessons, Piano Street, piano teaching, Piano World, Rada Bukhman, Samuel Maykapar, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, The Russian School of Piano Playing, word press, word press.com, wordpress, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An interview with Rada Bukhman, pianist, teacher, author, about the “Russian School of Piano Playing”

Rada Bukhman, a Vancouver-based piano teacher with native Russian roots, has produced a 212-page soft cover volume that entices with its interspersed selections of compositions at various learning levels. The text offers a variety of fascinating topics, “Developing Initial Musical … Continue reading

Posted in classissima, classissima.com, Discovering Color Behind the Kyes The Essence of the Russian School of Piano Playing by Rada Bukhman, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano teaching, Rada Bukhman, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, The Essence of the Russian School of Piano Playing, The Russian School of Piano Playing, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Artful piano playing: Rising above the notes by “feeling,” singing, and “shaping” phrases

Burmguller’s “Sincerity,” Op. 100 is the perfect vehicle for spinning limpidly beautiful phrases. But how does the pianist go beyond what appears to be strings of 8th notes that can easily sound typed out. To avoid the ponderous, vertical approach … Continue reading

Posted in Burgmuller, Burgmuller Sincerity, Burguller Op. 100 Progessive Piano Pices, classissima.com, Op. 100 Twenty-five Progressive Pieces, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Learning a J.S Bach Sinfonia from the ground up (F Major, BWV 794)

On to three voice counterpoint, following a two-dimensional Bach Invention journey in the company of several piano students. So why not open the door to my private practice room for a layered learning sample a trois. I’m no different than … Continue reading

Posted in Baroque music, J.S. Bach, J.S. Bach Sinfonia in F Major BWV 794, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Romantic era piano repertoire: A murmuring stream and the supple wrist (Burgmuller creates beauty from simplicity)

“The Clear Stream” from Friedrich Burgmuller’s Twenty-Five Progressive Pieces offers a student an opportunity to create limpidly beautiful phrases from unraveled broken chords spun out in triplets. In order to create the “mormorando” (murmuring effect) in the treble, it’s best … Continue reading

Posted in Harmony of the Angels by Burgmuller, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano instruction, piano lessons, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Flamenco” by Gillock is a winner! (Intermediate Level piano repertoire)

Over the years, Gillock’s music has sparked the enthusiasm of piano students who sometimes need a kick start piece to lift them out of a rut. “Flamenco” can be such a game changer! For Fritz, age 9, who’s infatuated with … Continue reading

Posted in Gillock "Flamenco", piano, piano instruction, piano student, piano teacher, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, William Gillock, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Advice for teaching piano students about dynamics and phrasing

This was the hallmark topic at a Linked-in piano forum board, with many piano teachers chiming in with great suggestions. For me, singing beside a student or nudging him/her to join in is always helpful. I focus on shaping phrases … Continue reading

Posted in classissima, classissima.com, Mozart Sonata no. 16 in C Major K. 545, piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano teaching, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Learning J.S. Bach’s B minor Invention No. 15 (BWV 786) in baby steps

Both embedded videos track my step-by-step approach to learning this beautiful composition. In the part one Instruction, I play slowly through the right hand to explore the subject, its articulation, fingering, execution of ornaments, and follow-up strand of 16th notes. … Continue reading

Posted in classissima. om, classissima.com, J.S. Bach, J.S. Bach two part Inventions, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, word press, word press.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Piano Technique: Playing with bigger energies beyond the fingers

Practicing a programmatic miniature from Kabalevsy’s Op. 39 Children’s Pieces can draw on energies well beyond the fingers. “Funny Event” is a good example with its series of sound bursts on the first beat of each measure. If a student … Continue reading

Posted in Kabalevsky, Kabalevsky Funny Event, Kabalevsky Op. 39 Children's pieces, piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, Shirley Kirsten, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.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