Arioso7's Blog (Shirley Kirsten)

An adult piano student explores phrase shaping in Chopin’s A minor Waltz, Op. Posth.

I’m always warmed by lovely, contoured phrasing, especially when it’s produced by an adult student who’s reached a new level of aesthetic consciousness through especially attentive and consistent practicing.

This particular player has increased her sensitivity in shaping the Chopin A minor Waltz melody with curves, dips, loops, and tapering, while her left hand that lifts on every beat is not interrupting a pervasively horizontal note progression in the treble. (This is a challenge)

The patience she’s applied in her earliest efforts–parceling out the melody; fundamental bass; and after beat chords, before layering them in baby steps into an integrated mosaic, was no doubt the biggest factor in her leaps of progress.

As an example, she experiments and refines various measures through a spot practicing process. (behind tempo) that’s particularly valuable.

Recording these efforts and forwarding them along is always a practice-framing reminder.

A teacher and student can revisit earlier recorded renderings to appreciate gains a pupil has made.

Such a peek into the past can validate how far a student has come giving him/her affirmation while boosting self-confidence.