Category Archives: Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California

Keeping up our skills as piano teachers, with an “eye” to taking on challenges

Posted on April 9, 2017 by

I couldn’t resist juxtaposing the importance of learning new and challenging music with an “eye” toward how we can best accomplish our short and long-term goals within our teaching milieu. (The EYE metaphor becomes CLEARER and dual serving as the … Continue reading →

Posted in blogmetrics.org, Classical music blog, French Suite, French Suites, J.S. Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano, piano teaching, Shirley Smith Kirsten | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mirrors and piano playing

Posted on January 27, 2016 by

As we age, we’re reluctant to look at our reflection in the mirror, but as we grow over time as musicians, the mirror of our playing in recorded “reflections” can foster quality adjustments in phrasing and interpretation. If we nudge … Continue reading →

Posted in Alfred Brendel, blog metrics, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogging, piano instruction, piano lessons, Piano Street, Piano World, piano worldwide, recording, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Two San Francisco musical attractions: Pianist, Trifonov and a Chinese Harpist

Posted on September 26, 2015 by

Within 48 hours, high-level music-making was heard in vastly different venues. Louise Davies Hall with its golden hue of lights and balconies provided a stunning backdrop for Daniil Trifonov’s heart-throbbing performance of Chopin’s Concerto No. 2 under the baton of … Continue reading →

Posted in blogmetrics, Chinese harp, Chopin, Chopin Concerto in F minor, Chopin Concerto no. 2, Daniil Trifonov, Erhu, Frederic Chopin, Guzheng, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, pianist, piano, piano blog, piano blogging, pianoforte, San Francisco Symphony, Shirley Kirsten, word press, you tube | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

When an adult piano student advances well beyond Primer preliminaries

Posted on August 27, 2015 by

Peter started piano lessons from scratch about 1 and 1/2 years ago, not reading a note of music at the time, but having gads of enthusiasm about his maiden musical journey. Readers will be reminded of his earliest efforts playing … Continue reading →

Posted in adult piano instruction, adult piano students, blogmetrics, Classical music blog, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano, piano blog, piano blogging, piano learning, piano lessons, piano teaching, piano technique | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Applying technical skills to sensitive music learning, and reading between the lines

Posted on August 24, 2015 by

Just when I thought my wellspring of blog inspired ideas had endured a drought, I had a nagging thirst to explore how technical tools (playing scales, arpeggios, chords, octaves, etc) are woven into music study. Allied to this undertaking, was … Continue reading →

Posted in blogmetris.org, Classical era sonata, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Mozart, piano blog, piano blogging, piano teaching, piano technique, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, sonatas, word press, you tube | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Getting immersed in LEARNING Bach’s F minor Fugue, BWV 881 (Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2)

Posted on August 18, 2015 by

My journey through the Baroque master’s Fugue no. 12 has been a labor of love though the form enshrined by J.S. Bach can be intimidating by its structural nit-pickings. Wikipedia, for example, cites BWV 847 in C minor, (the Fugue) … Continue reading →

Posted in Bach, Baroque music, blogmetrics, blogmetrics.org, Classical music blog, classissima.com, J.S. Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano blog, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Haydn on the harpsichord or piano? (Competition interlude)

Posted on June 27, 2015 by

Elaine Comparone insists that playing Haydn’s works on the harpsichord stirs her “imagination to new heights.” The harpsichordist’s upload of Haydn’s eloquent Sonata No. 52 in Eb Major ironically paralleled Reed Tetzloff’s piano performance in Moscow which introduces an aesthetic … Continue reading →

Posted in blogmetrics, blogmetrics.org, classissima, classissima.org, Franz Josef Haydn, harpsichord, Haydn, Haydn Sonatas, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, pianist, piano, piano blog, piano blogging, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments