Category: Lillian Freundlich

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Memorization at the piano: How to improve your skills

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

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 particular composition without chance reliance on intuition or instinct. So if you suddenly find yourself… Continue reading Memorization at the piano: How to improve your skills

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Piano Instruction: Avoiding a Crash and Burn in Fast Tempo (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

One of my adult students asked about how to stay in control when playing fast passages on the piano. She had found herself stumbling in brisk tempos, getting anxious, over-crowding the notes, and finally becoming so tangled up that she had to stop. The music essentially came to a grinding halt. My advice to her,… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Avoiding a Crash and Burn in Fast Tempo (Video)

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My Haddorff piano plays Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata, First Movement: Adagio Sostenuto (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

A piano with Old World character and honey dipped resonance. Pat Frederick of the Frederick Collection of Keyboard instruments, agreed that my Haddorff has something very special, and she proceeded to share the news of her latest additions: a 1902 Chickering, and Pleyel. These pianos, among other treasures, are living, breathing instruments that are played… Continue reading My Haddorff piano plays Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata, First Movement: Adagio Sostenuto (Video)

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The Art of Phrasing at the Piano: Starting the process with Beginners (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

For some unexplained reason, my earliest piano studies never included the art of phrasing. My primer teacher stressed naming notes, finding them, affixing correct fingering and counting out robotic beats. I knew nothing about feeling a melodic landscape; putting the vocal model center stage in my playing, and breathing through contoured musical lines. My pieces… Continue reading The Art of Phrasing at the Piano: Starting the process with Beginners (Videos)

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Piano Instruction: Out of a Rut with Spot Practicing

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I've discovered a way to advance a piece that's found itself in the doldrums --held back by the same snags that most students dread and want to avoid. The remedy boils down to spot practicing with a generous serving of patience. We all remember our teacher's mantra to separate the hands and play very slowly… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Out of a Rut with Spot Practicing

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In a Piano Teacher’s Arsenal: The Magic bullet piece (VIDEO with Aiden Cat joining in)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

There's always a piece of music lurking somewhere that can save a young student from quitting piano. For those of us who teach the great masterworks, passing a cultural legacy to the next generation, we know lickety-split when it's time to break out our ammunition: the magic bullet piece. Example: An 11-year old had gotten… Continue reading In a Piano Teacher’s Arsenal: The Magic bullet piece (VIDEO with Aiden Cat joining in)

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Why Play Scales?

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Scale practicing examples: https://youtu.be/SJGbnFQB8L8 https://youtu.be/Bo1ptHbMu9M https://youtu.be/W3N_9Me7hXQ *** The Backdrop: As a young piano student living in New York City, I remember my reluctance to prepare a mandatory scale each week for my lesson. In fact my first teacher had so many students, she always seemed to forget the scale she had assigned to me, so… Continue reading Why Play Scales?

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The mapped out manuscript for Bach Invention No. 1 in C

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Here's my hand-written analysis of the Bach Two Part Invention No. 1 in C that supplements the video. I've added more at: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/09/10/revisiting-j-s-bachs-invention-1-in-c-bwv-772-video/ The Main Idea or subject is bracketed, as well as an Inverted form of it. Key changes are also marked in the score. Recap: Instructional video, Bach Invention no.1 in C, BWV… Continue reading The mapped out manuscript for Bach Invention No. 1 in C

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Performance Anxiety and the Pianist

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

For too long performance anxiety was a taboo subject, always swept under the rug. I remember grappling with paralyzing jitters during my years at the New York City High School of Performing Arts. My piano teacher at the time, a seasoned professional, would always say the same thing: "Honey, the music is bigger than you… Continue reading Performance Anxiety and the Pianist

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Piano Lesson: Step by step Diminished 7th arpeggio warm-up with a 10 yr. old student

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I previously discussed diminished 7th chords and how they are constructed as an introduction to an actual warm-up routine. The missing ingredient was the student: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/piano-instruction-playing-diminished-7th-chords-and-arpeggios-video/ In this video, a ten year old pupil fills the bill, romping over the keyboard, joining in a scintillating choreography with her teacher: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhazCUOzzdI Diminished 7th arpeggio sampled: G#… Continue reading Piano Lesson: Step by step Diminished 7th arpeggio warm-up with a 10 yr. old student