One of my adult transfer students brought an arrangement of Chopin's "Raindrop Prelude" that was an insult to the composer's original intention. It was poorly transcribed in an alien key, awkwardly fingered, and contained a mountain of additional challenges-- a no brain reason to terminate this particular learning adventure. (besides even the "arrangement" was over… Continue reading Piano instruction: Arrangements of Classics or the real deal?
Month: August 2013
After the Revolution is my cousin, Amy Herzog’s tour de force play. (An Aurora Theatre Berkeley production)
Amy Herzog is regaled as one of the most gifted young playwrights of her generation. Not only has she been a recipient of the well-regarded Lillian Hellman prize, but she's amassed a slew of New York Times rave reviews. Charles Isherwood, Arts editor, lauded After the Revolution in a generous media spread that wove in… Continue reading After the Revolution is my cousin, Amy Herzog’s tour de force play. (An Aurora Theatre Berkeley production)
The El Cerrito Hills are alive with the sound of music
In the old days, I commuted by Amtrak from Central CA to the East Bay, chugging along the scenic route with my digital camera pressed against the train window. A few awesome seascapes managed to squeak through the bumpy ride, and these were memorialized by photographic import to my soundtracks, then posted to YOU TUBE.… Continue reading The El Cerrito Hills are alive with the sound of music
KLOUT??
A slew of oddball Linkedin endorsements instantly boosted MY KLOUT score. A measurement of belly punches on the web , it's the latest Internet boxing arena with referees weighing in the world over. Example: After I posted a Facebook LINK to pianist, Murray Perahia’s interview in Israel, 5 Arab cross-over “connections” clicked “PERCUSSION,” drastically boosting… Continue reading KLOUT??
Intermediate Level Piano Repertoire: Album for the Young by Robert Schumann
I took a musical journey down memory lane yesterday, rekindling scenes of childhood as I read through a set of "old" Romantic era compositions. These weren't Robert Schumann's illustrious KINDERSZENEN, but colorful character pieces wrapped into the composer's Album for the Young Op. 68. (As I've said time and again, why give students arrangements of… Continue reading Intermediate Level Piano Repertoire: Album for the Young by Robert Schumann
When bad news arrives by E-mail that a student is dropping piano
There's a hot discussion brewing on a Facebook forum about how piano teachers should handle e-mailed lesson terminations. Some in our profession take the position that it's no big deal. After all, anyone should be able to quit at any time with the tap of a mouse. Many insist that it doesn't even matter if… Continue reading When bad news arrives by E-mail that a student is dropping piano
The Adult Piano Student Rhythmic Quagmire
It's practically a universal problem area for adult students in the beginner to intermediate range. Keeping a steady pulse in scale playing, and then making transitions to double speed, as from 16ths to 32nds is a big challenge for them. Most pupils can handle 32nds alone, and play them evenly. (I set a quarter note… Continue reading The Adult Piano Student Rhythmic Quagmire
A Documentary about Murray Perahia is an ear-grabber
http://www.digitalconcerthall.com/en/concert/111 I'm grateful to my UK-based student for sending me this link to a German-produced documentary about Murray Perahia. Having watched back-to-back Lang Lang and Kissin mega-tributes, this one stands out as a tone poem, with Murray descending from the heavens to bless humanity with his music. (Murray plays generously throughout the film, and provides… Continue reading A Documentary about Murray Perahia is an ear-grabber
Piano Technique: Power forearm staccato/e minor scales AND arpeggios
A good workout at the gym is a great prelim to a power trip at the piano. Take the forearm staccato. A UK piano student in cyber space landed a crisp, definitive set of notes at forte level after a few trial runs. No doubt her fortitude and focus produced a big staccato, and its… Continue reading Piano Technique: Power forearm staccato/e minor scales AND arpeggios
Heart Attacks and Haydn!
I couldn’t help but chuckle at a stream of advertising overlapping my Haydn D Major, Hoboken XVI 37 Sonata: “FOUR SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK”
The Google ad, as it ran, uncannily tracked KILLER passages in this composition that would pose a risk to cardiovascular health (Especially the brutal contrapuntal bass line in the Development section) Or any number of Fortissimo, careening diminished chord figures!
Just minutes before, as I first reviewed the posting (freshly imported to You Tube) a DEMENTIA WARNING plagued my reading. OK so I had to use my music on this one, but was it a predictor of a complete memory breakdown in the offing?
It could have been worse if my Haydn triggered the FACEBOOK UNFRIEND ad! By clicking it, I would have an instant heart attack finding out who had abandoned me!
That would not be as shocking as an ARREST record stream–though…
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