Category Archives: harmonic analysis

Weaving Theory and Harmonic Rhythm into a piano lesson

Posted on March 20, 2015 by

The flow of harmony in and out of pieces should be a big part of a piano lesson. Yet it’s one thing to isolate chords in student a hand-out, but quite another to bring phrases to life with an infusion … Continue reading →

Posted in adult piano instruction, harmonic analysis, J. C. Bach Prelude in A Minor, J.C. Bach, Johann Christian Bach, piano blog, piano blogging, piano instruction, piano lessons by Face Time, piano lessons by Skype, Theory, Theory and piano lessons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Theory embedded in phrasing/musical expression

Posted on December 21, 2014 by

What am I doing up at 2 a.m.? To put it simply, answering an adult student’s inquiry about the theoretical analysis of J.S. Bach Invention 13 in A minor. At our last lesson, I had tweaked her curiosity about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bach Two Part Inventions, blog metrics, harmonic analysis, J.S. Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, music theory, piano blog, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Practicing knotty piano passages, and tips on how to avoid fatigue while boosting technique (Videos)

Posted on January 28, 2012 by

At my You Tube Channel site, I routinely pick up comments daily, and the majority center on piano technique. While I lay no claim to being an expert in this complex universe, my trial and error practicing over decades has … Continue reading →

Posted in Baroque era music, Chopin, Chopin Nocturne in F Major Op. 15 No. 1, classissima, classissima.com, harmonic analysis, harmonic rhythm, how to boos piano technique, Martha Argerich, pianist, pianists, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano lessons and parental support, piano masterclasses, piano pedagogy, piano playing and breathing, piano playing and phrasing, piano playing and relaxation, piano practicing, piano repertoire, piano repertoire for intermediate level students, piano student, piano students who drop out, piano studio, piano teacher, piano teachers, piano teaching, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano technique and the singing tone, piano tutorial, piano world-wide, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, playing the piano, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, Romantic era music, Romantic era piano repertoire, Romantic music, Scarlatti Sonatas, Scarlatti Toccata in d minor k. 141, Seymour Bernstein, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, shirley s kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, Steinway M grand piano, Steinway piano, Teach Street, teaching piano, trills, Twenty five Progressive pieces by Burgmuller, videotaping a piano performance and self analysis, videotaping at piano lessons, whole body listening, whole body music listening, With your own Two Hands by Seymour Bernstein, word press, wordpress.com, You and the Piano Seymour Bernstein, You and the PIano Seymour Bernstein on You Tube, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Playing through the entire Bach Fugue, BWV847 in C minor, fleshing out form as I go along (VIDEO)

Posted on July 5, 2011 by

The score is copied below the video: http://www.teoria.com/articulos/analysis/BWV847/index.htm RELATED: Analysis of Fugue in C minor, BWV847: Subject, Counter-subject I and II, Exposition, Episodes (Development) Recap subject, etc. https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/07/04/piano-instruction-analysis-j-s-bach-fugue-in-c-minor-bwv847-videos/

Posted in counterpoint, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Facebook, Fresno California, harmonic analysis, J.S. Bach, J.S. Bach Fugue in C minor BWV847, J.S. Bach Prelude in C minor BWV847, J.S. Bach Well Tempered Clavier, JS Bach, keyboard technique, mind body connection, muscular memory, music, music and the breath, music teachers association of california, music theory, musical inspiration, musical phrasing, New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York University, Oberlin Conservatory, phrasing at the piano, pianist, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, Piano Street, piano student, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano tutorial, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Steinway M grand piano, talkclassical.com, Teach Street, teaching piano, teaching scales, technique, Theory, uk-piano-forums, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Memorization at the piano: How to improve your skills

Posted on June 17, 2011 by

Memorization should be a natural outflow of consistent, thoughtful practicing. Thoughtful is underscored because it’s the most important ingredient in the process of playing a studied piece without music. It means having mental assists that relate to mapping out a … Continue reading →

Posted in creative learning environment, developing sight-reading skills as an aid to memorization, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Fresno California, harmonic analysis, improving sight reading skills, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, keyboard technique, Lillian Freundlich, Major and minor scales, memorizing piano music, mental imagery, Mildred Portney Chase, mind body connection, MTAC, muscular memory, music, music and heart, music and the breath, music memorization, music teachers association of california, musical phrasing, New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York University, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, Old Fig Garden in Fresno, phrasing at the piano, pianist, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano student, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano tutorial, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, publishers marketplace, Rondo form, self-analysis, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Steinway M grand piano, talkclassical.com, Teach Street, teaching piano, teaching piano scales, teaching scales, technique, Theory, Uncategorized, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Piano Lesson: W.A. Mozart Rondo Alla Turca: Allegretto from Sonata, K.331 (Videos)

Posted on June 6, 2011 by

In my instructional video, I discuss how Mozart’s light-hearted Rondo is formed and ways to practice it. (The Rondo has a redundant “A” section, interspersed with contrasting B, C, D, etc. musical material) There’s a dualism of “A” minor/”A” Major … Continue reading →

Posted in Classical period sonata, classissima, harmonic analysis, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Mozart, Mozart Rondo Alla Turca, Mozart Sonata K.331 in A Major, New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York University, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano tutorial, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Steinway grand piano, Steinway M grand piano, Teach Street, teaching piano, Theory, W.A. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Piano Instruction: Using the wrist to taper phrases

Posted on May 14, 2011 by

I’ve always believed that it’s not enough to rely on fingers, or finger action alone, to play the piano expressively. For me, enlisting the wrist, and rolling into notes, especially those that are shaped down at the conclusion of phrases … Continue reading →

Posted in authorsden, blog, blogger, blogging, California, Chopin, Chopin Waltz in A minor, classissima, classissima.com, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, flexible tempo, Fresno California, harmonic analysis, keyboard technique, MTAC, music, music and heart, music teachers association of california, New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York University, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano repertoire, Piano Street, piano student, piano studio, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, Romantic era music, Romantic music, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, teaching piano scales, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment