Creative explorations are intrinsic to musical growth at all stages of learning, so piano teachers should encourage students to compose at every opportunity.
Liz rose to the occasion and shared her first creation that followed a lesson segment that focused on echo phrases. She had watched a you tube video of duo pianists, Arie Vardi and Yeol Eum Son playing a set of Haydn variations that were permeated with echoes, and these turned out to be a nice springboard for understanding form and aesthetic. The listening example also had the dual effect of inspiring Liz to try her own hand at composing that was followed by analyzing what she had played so she might teach it to others.
The process of “organizing” notes in groups; discovering symmetries between phrases, and exploring rhythm/dynamics proved to be a valuable learning experience.
For the teacher, the activity provided a challenge to “compose” a Secondo to enrich the student’s Primo with a bed of harmony.
International Online Piano Teacher, blogger, recording artist, composer, piano finder, freelance writer, film maker, story teller: Grad of the NYC H.S. of Performing Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, NYU (Master of Arts) Studies with Lillian Freundlich and Ena Bronstein; Master classes with Murray Perahia and Oxana Yablonskaya. Studios in BERKELEY, California; Member, Music Teachers Assoc. of California, MTAC; Distance learning by Zoom and Face Time with supplementary videos:
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21 thoughts on “Liz, age 8, composes a piece at her third piano lesson”
21 thoughts on “Liz, age 8, composes a piece at her third piano lesson”