Month: June 2011

El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Fresno California, Major and minor scales, memorizing piano music, mental imagery, mind body connection, MTAC, muscular memory, music, music and heart, music memorization, music teachers association of california, music theory, music video, musical inspiration, musical phrasing, New York City, New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York University, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano scales, piano society, Piano Street, piano student, piano studio, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano tutorial, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, publishersmarketplace.com, scale fingerings, scales, self-analysis, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, singing tone legato, sonatina, talkclassical.com, Teach Street, teaching piano, teaching piano scales, technique, Theory, uk-piano-forums, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Learning and Memorizing Clementi Sonatina in C, Op. 36, No. 1, Mvt. 1 (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I begin by playing the Sonatina, first movement and then I map out the composition to advance thoughtful learning and memorization. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNuMbp_q9X0 RELATED: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/memorization-at-the-piano-how-to-improve-your-skills/

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Memorization at the piano: How to improve your skills

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Memorization should be a natural outflow of consistent, thoughtful practicing. Thoughtful is underscored because it's the most important ingredient in the process of playing a studied piece without music. It means having mental assists that relate to mapping out a particular composition without chance reliance on intuition or instinct. So if you suddenly find yourself… Continue reading Memorization at the piano: How to improve your skills

New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York University, Oberlin Conservatory, Piano World, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, talkclassical.com, Teach Street, teaching piano, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Haddy Haddorff is ear tuned and shows her stuff (from jazz to Classical)-two videos

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89mKlNyi6_4 Yesterday Haddy underwent a necessary procedure. She was ear tuned by Jeff Wood, (RPT--Registered Piano Technician) who drove in from Kingsburg, a Swedish enclave in the Central Valley. Haddy, however, did not get a cheesy work-over by any means. She was fine tuned and toned by an expert who "beat" the dickens out of… Continue reading Haddy Haddorff is ear tuned and shows her stuff (from jazz to Classical)-two videos

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Piano Instruction: Avoiding a Crash and Burn in Fast Tempo (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

One of my adult students asked about how to stay in control when playing fast passages on the piano. She had found herself stumbling in brisk tempos, getting anxious, over-crowding the notes, and finally becoming so tangled up that she had to stop. The music essentially came to a grinding halt. My advice to her,… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Avoiding a Crash and Burn in Fast Tempo (Video)

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My own slow practicing, Presto Agitato, Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata (VIDEO)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

This was an opportunity to sift through the first part of the last movement in slow motion following the collaboration with my adult student yesterday. My below tempo practicing, was a baby step progression to a more bravado reading. (when ripening takes effect) This particular practice routine fleshed out various harmonic landmarks, chordal blocks, and… Continue reading My own slow practicing, Presto Agitato, Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata (VIDEO)

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Piano Lesson: An Adult student practices the Presto agitato mvt. Beethoven “Moonlight” Sonata (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxmwAUIu3eY The Chromatic scale to the end of movement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtquw8qNbXg R.K. wished to remain anonymous because of the nature of his work, but, nevertheless, he's a devoted student of the piano. I met him at the American Cancer Discovery Shop, on Bullard and West in Fresno about 5 years ago when I was a regular… Continue reading Piano Lesson: An Adult student practices the Presto agitato mvt. Beethoven “Moonlight” Sonata (Video)

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Composing activity during a piano lesson: Claudia, age 8, surprises me with her new creation (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTcRB02EVHU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF5sg3LsTe0 Eight-year old Claudia surprised me today when she brought a melody she had composed. Her new book, Faber Adventures, Lesson Book One inspired her to create a piece beginning with notes on the first four lines of the treble staff. Together, we explored the first phrase of her music, worked on fingering, rhythm… Continue reading Composing activity during a piano lesson: Claudia, age 8, surprises me with her new creation (Video)

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Piano Instruction: Teaching fluidity of motion, phrasing, and the singing tone, Ilyana, 8, plays “Firefly” (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv5NVmKEN9w Approach: Plan with the student before the piece is played. Map out the dynamics, articulation, whether staccato, legato or a combination. (For tonality, where does piece come to rest?) Identify the "mood" of the piece. Translate sound images into physical motion. (as in the second page of "Firefly," rolling from Right hand to Left… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Teaching fluidity of motion, phrasing, and the singing tone, Ilyana, 8, plays “Firefly” (Video)

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Piano Instruction: Phrasing and singing–A 10 year old beginner plays “Russian Sailor Dance,” Faber Bk. 1 (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Singing is the best model for phrasing. In the learning environment, the student and teacher are on an interactive vocal wavelength experiencing the contour and shape of a musical line. Using syllables of various kinds that reflect the inner density and motion of the music is intrinsic to the activity. The video attached gives an… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Phrasing and singing–A 10 year old beginner plays “Russian Sailor Dance,” Faber Bk. 1 (Video)

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Piano Lesson: W.A. Mozart Rondo Alla Turca: Allegretto from Sonata, K.331 (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

In my instructional video, I discuss how Mozart's light-hearted Rondo is formed and ways to practice it. (The Rondo has a redundant "A" section, interspersed with contrasting B, C, D, etc. musical material) There's a dualism of "A" minor/"A" Major in this concluding movement, not to mention a very moving "D" section interlude in F#… Continue reading Piano Lesson: W.A. Mozart Rondo Alla Turca: Allegretto from Sonata, K.331 (Videos)