Month: January 2014
Celebrating Mozart’s Birthday with his music
Multi-cam views during Skype or Face Time piano lessons
I rely on Logitech webcams with a long range panoramic capability and various angled keyboard views, including a DIRECT KEYBOARD overhead as below. These views are just a mouse tap away. For trill and ornament demonstrations, I can highlight the second or third HD PRO cam option listed on my SKYPE (or FACE… Continue reading Multi-cam views during Skype or Face Time piano lessons
Husband and wife pianists I have known and their legacy
This week's practicing and You Tubing hearkened back to my student days in New York City. Lillian Lefkofsky Freundlich was my Rosina Lhevinne. She, like her Russian counterpart, was married to a high profile husband, Irwin Freundlich who doubled as her 4-hand piano partner. When Irwin passed away in his late 60s quite suddenly, as… Continue reading Husband and wife pianists I have known and their legacy
An ageless pianist and her historic concert (I was there)
This is the program that I preserved from the event. It was contained in a boxful of musical artifacts that my mother sent me.
On March 28th, 1960, I was present at Madame Rosina Lhevinne’s Eightieth Birthday celebration concert held at the Juilliard School, and it was an evening to remember. I received the ticket compliments of Lillian Freundlich my piano teacher, through her husband, Irwin, who was then Chair of the Piano Department.
Jean Morel conducted the Juilliard Orchestra as Lhevinne played the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major like an angel. In the audience were many of her students including John Browning and Lee Luvisi. I’m not sure if Van Cliburn made it to the event, but there was a tribute to the pianist given by William Schuman, President.
Years later when I arrived at the Oberlin Conservatory, I discovered a recording on vinyl of this…
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Piano Technique: Arpeggios!
I love these romps through broken chords (around the CIRCLE of FIFTHS) and my adult students "work out" weekly. (The challenge is to have smooth shifts between octaves, a seamless playing in legato minus thumb CLUNKS, and in staccato to play crisp and evenly. Arpeggios (root, third, fifth patterns) can be practiced in parallel motion… Continue reading Piano Technique: Arpeggios!
Piano Lessons: The Raw adult beginner
I use the term "raw" to describe adult piano students who don't read music or play by ear. They often come to their first lesson oozing with enthusiasm, but harboring fears associated with success and failure themes. It's the usual environmental humdrum we all know about that puts the business paradigm squarely at odds with… Continue reading Piano Lessons: The Raw adult beginner
Honoring my “neighborhood” piano teacher amidst melting degrees of separation
The Back Story: After having spent about 30 years in hometown New York City, I emigrated to the agriculture-rich San Joaquin Valley, California, planting myself and family in Fresno. This seemed to be a God forsaken place with excruciating heat (though dry). With its relentless air pollution; bad water from contaminated wells, and high incidence… Continue reading Honoring my “neighborhood” piano teacher amidst melting degrees of separation
A beginning adult piano student has an awakening about musical expression
I have to thank Sam, a Berkeley, California transplant to the UK, for imparting pearly words of wisdom via Skype. He shared an epiphany about music-making that got me thinking. As he observed a London chamber music Masterclass, Sam mentioned how the teacher planted a convincing thought that musicians are "actors,"---how they must capture mood… Continue reading A beginning adult piano student has an awakening about musical expression
Overscheduled Piano Students
This ties in with piano practicing and challenges therein.
Here’s a snapshot of overloaded kids FOLLOWING their Friday afternoon piano lessons.
MOM: “Shiloh, Get ready for swimming. Your towel is folded into your backpack…. Math Club reminder. Your cubic folder is on top of your cups. (athletic protectors), and grab your Ukelele for choir. (The private school purchased 150 ukeleles so each over-booked kid got one.)
“Honey, your fanny pack has three snacks separately wrapped and labeled. They should last you until Ian’s mom swings by for soccer. Grab your cleats, shin guards, and uniform, please. Benedict’s dad should be parked behind the goal posts to take you both to horseback riding. Pack the saddle and riding boots. And put your snorkeling gear on top of your dresser for tomorrow, before Swim Meet and Soccer Play-offs.”
Lila, the older sister, had tennis lessons, breast stroke, harmonica ensemble and miscellaneous. Mom doubled on all instructions, hardware, software, everything short of making sure…
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