Month: August 2011

Chopin Waltz, Chopin Waltz in c# minor Op. 64 no.2, Chopin Waltzes, Frederic Chopin, piano teaching repertoire, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Uncategorized, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Comparing performances of Chopin’s Waltz in C# minor, Op. 64, No. 2 (VIDEOS)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Last night I sat down at my Steinway M grand and quickly shuffled over to my Haddorff (known as "Haddy") fully intending to record some comments on the lovely C# minor Waltz. As I looked at the dotted-eighth/sixteenth figure that permeated the composition making it stand out as unique among Chopin's Waltzes, I suddenly experienced… Continue reading Comparing performances of Chopin’s Waltz in C# minor, Op. 64, No. 2 (VIDEOS)

phrasing at the piano, piano, piano addict, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano teacher, piano teaching, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, sight-reading at the piano, sight-singing, sightreading at the piano, the ideal piano lesson, word press, wordpress.com

The Ideal Piano Lesson as the main course

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

If I could devise a recipe for an ideal piano lesson, it would contain the following ingredients: A 15-minute warm-up including a scale (one or two plus octaves in parallel and contrary motion) played legato and staccato--adding 3rds, 10ths, and 6ths depending on student level, with an additional assortment of arpeggios. For a Beginner, practicing… Continue reading The Ideal Piano Lesson as the main course

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Rina, age 4, has her THIRD piano lesson using Irina Gorin’s “Tales of a Musical Journey” (Videos in 6 parts)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I enjoyed today's musical adventure with Rina but not all lesson segments are reproduced in completion in order to control length. In instances where my student used her Right Hand, we continued the activity with her Left Hand which is an important component of Irina Gorin's "Musical Journey" through the kingdom of sounds. Every video… Continue reading Rina, age 4, has her THIRD piano lesson using Irina Gorin’s “Tales of a Musical Journey” (Videos in 6 parts)

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Piano Instruction: singing a melody to help shape it and then translate into physical motion (VIDEO)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

In this videotaped example I explore the opening phrases of "Mazurka" by Maria Syzmanowska. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u13hfRsE_2U RELATED: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/piano-study-and-the-value-of-singing-against-a-cultural-backdrop-of-vocal-inhibition/

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My New Piano Studio in El Cerrito, California, and panoramic views taken from Amtrak 711 and 712 along the Bay route

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

*** After my arrival in El Cerrito, I walked to my new location in a very old, established neighborhood with mature shade trees and lush foliage. It had to be the perfect paradise for teaching piano. *** Photos down below were taken at the Bart station looking down from the platform, and then along the… Continue reading My New Piano Studio in El Cerrito, California, and panoramic views taken from Amtrak 711 and 712 along the Bay route

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Piano Study and the value of SINGING against a cultural backdrop of vocal inhibition

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Singing has always been a basic, if not primitive form of communication between parent and infant. A tender melody often lulls a colicky baby into blissful sleep along with rhythmic rocking motions. As the tyke eventually babbles and coos high-pitched sounds that prime his vocal cords, mom or dad will respond in the same squeaky voice… Continue reading Piano Study and the value of SINGING against a cultural backdrop of vocal inhibition

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Relaxation in piano playing and setting a good example for students (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

By all accounts, the piano instructor should be the model of what she embraces as her teaching philosophy at lessons. For example, as I slip into my weeping willow tension-free state, I keep hammering away at my students to relax. But sometimes they're just too wired from pressures at work or at home to unwind… Continue reading Relaxation in piano playing and setting a good example for students (Videos)

blog, blogger, blogging, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano lessons and parental support, piano pedagogy, piano studio, piano teacher, piano tutorial, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Teach Street, teaching piano, teaching piano to children, word press, wordpress.com

Piano Lessons for young children: Once or twice a week?

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I’ve slowly but surely come to the conclusion that once per week lessons are insufficient for the very young beginner. Not having taught a fledgling below the age of 7 until 4-year old Rina came along in August, 2011, as my experiment-in-progress, it became crystal clear that short, quality exposures to piano instruction were more… Continue reading Piano Lessons for young children: Once or twice a week?

Beethoven, Fur Elise, Ludwig Van Beethoven, phrasing at the piano, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano student, piano teaching repertoire, piano tutorial, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, teaching Fur Elise, you tube, you tube video

Some Ideas about playing and learning Beethoven’s “Fur Elise” (even in the dark) Video

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I had noticed that my original instruction had disappeared so I posted another in the inadvertent darkness of my room. Time really flies and the area dims by nightfall. (It could have been a mood-setting suggestion) Ideas about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOEYemWENas The Stormy C section of "Fur Elise" and how to play a legato melody through chords:… Continue reading Some Ideas about playing and learning Beethoven’s “Fur Elise” (even in the dark) Video