Tag Archives: Wordpress

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

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

Piano Technique: Scoop it up, loop around 4-note Arpeggios (in inversions)

These particular arpeggios in 4-note sequences are some of my favorite warm-up routines. Although most students find them tricky to navigate, certain “cues” planted in the psyche assist a smoother ride. The video demonstration below lays out preliminary blocking techniques … Continue reading

Posted in arpeggios, arpeggios in inversions, classissima, classissima.com, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano arpeggios in inversions, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano technique, shirley kirsten piano teacher B, Shriley Kirsten piano teacher El Cerrito California, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Piano Technique: Looping Arpeggios in Contrary Motion and how to master them

Arpeggios are fun-filled, broken chord escapades across the keyboard. In legato form, they’re chock full of rolling motions–but even if rendered staccato, they never really lose their SHAPE. In the attached video I explore the very build-up I use when … Continue reading

Posted in piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano technique, shaping arpeggios at the piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, word press, word press.com, wordpress, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Piano Technique: No back and forth head bobbing for Contrary Motion scales

Many students have dizzying head movements when faced with the challenge of playing scales (or arpeggios) in contrary motion, (or from opposite directions starting at a keyboard mid-point) To address a growing problem among students young and old, I devised … Continue reading

Posted in classissima, contrary motion scales for the piano, f minor scale in contrary motion, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano technique, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Alessandro Deljavan is a Cliburn winner for me!

Over at the Piano World forums, it’s the morning after selection of Cliburn Competition finalists, and many are aghast that a dynamic, soulful, and risk-taking pianist was overlooked. Here’s what one poster said: “Competition winners are typically the reliable pianists … Continue reading

Posted in Alessandro Deljavan, Bohzanov pianist, classissima, classissima.com, piano competitions, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Seymour Bernstein’s riveting statement about the piano competition environment and what changes are needed

“Are all of you listening to one spectacular young pianist after another? (Cliburn Competition in progress) “Why should they have to be placed in the position of competing against one another, and facing the possibility of being rejected by a … Continue reading

Posted in Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano competitions, Seymour Bernstein, shirley smith, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Van Cliburn piano competition | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Journey down memory lane

A timely posting in advance of my Big Apple touchdown Continue reading

Posted in New York City, the perils of visiting NYC, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Tribute to traveling piano teachers

I’m lucky that for decades I’ve been a stationary piano teacher, home-based for Skype, but having two youngsters whom I teach at their house up in the El Cerrito Hills. Fortunately, I get chauffeured to and from the location so … Continue reading

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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

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