Category: mindful practicing

"Tales of a Musical Journey" by Irina Gorin, acoustic piano, arioso 7, blog, blogger, blogging, blogging about piano, blogs about piano, children's music, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano instruction, El Cerrito piano studio, emotion in music, fingering and phrasing at the piano, fingering and piano technique, five finger positions at the piano, five finger warm-ups, Irina Gorin, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Just Being at the Piano by Mildred Portney-Chase, legato playing at the piano, mental imagery, mindful piano practicing, mindful practicing, molto cantabile, MTAC, MTAC.org, New York City, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, pentascales, phrasing at the piano, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano playing, piano playing and relaxation, piano practicing, piano studio in El Cerrito, piano study, piano teacher, piano teachers, piano teaching, piano world-wide, pianoaddict.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing five-finger positions, playing legato at the piano, playing piano, playing staccato, playing staccato at the piano, playing the piano, POWHOW, POWHOW instruction, POWHOW piano instruction, POWHOW.com, practicing a piece in 7 different emotions, practicing arpeggios, practicing piano, practicing piano with relaxation, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace, Rina, Rina 4 takes piano lessons, Rina takes piano lessons, rotation in piano playing, scales, shirley kirsten piano teacher in El Cerrito, Shirley Kirsten teaches classes at POWHOW, shirley s kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Skype a piano lesson to Australia, Skype piano lessons, slow mindful practicing, slow piano practicing, teaching piano to young children, teaching Rina piano, teachinig piano to young children, technique, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, youtube.com

Growing piano technique in baby steps: Rina, 5, advances to hands together five-finger positions (adding in 10ths)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Rina may not know the words "pentascales" and "tenths," but she has the intelligence to notice when her fingers move up and down together, playing the same notes an "octave" apart. With a sound knowledge of the music alphabet in both directions, she has good cognitive reinforcement. (She also knows "running notes" or 8ths, "long… Continue reading Growing piano technique in baby steps: Rina, 5, advances to hands together five-finger positions (adding in 10ths)

blog, blogger, blogging, blogging about piano, classissima, classissima.com, ear training, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, Facebook, Facebook friend, Fur Elise, Fur Elise by Beethoven, harmonic rhythm, How to practice Fur Elise, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, keyboard technique, learning piano, legato playing at the piano, Lillian Freundlich, Lillian Lefkofsky Freundlich, mental imagery, mind body connection, mindful piano practicing, mindful practicing, molto cantabile, molto cantabilie, MTAC, MTAC.org, music, music and heart, music education, music teachers association, music teachers association of california, musical phrasing, musical phrasing and breathing, New York City, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, pianists, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano playing, piano playing and breathing, piano playing and phrasing, piano playing and relaxation, piano playing and the singing tone, piano recital, piano restoration, Piano Street, piano student, piano study, piano teacher, piano teachers, piano teaching, piano virtuosos, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, playing piano with expression, playing the piano, playing the piano with a singing tone, practicing difficult piano passages, practicing piano with relaxation, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, shirley s kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, slow mindful practicing, slow piano practicing, Steinway M grand, Steinway M grand piano, teaching a piano student about melody, teaching an adult student, the ideal piano lesson, the vocal model for pianists, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Irina Morozova’s inspiring words flow through a lesson with an adult student (Beethoven’s Fur Elise-in-progress) Video

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

"From watching great pianists it is obvious that they incorporate quite different movements to achieve the same goals, because people do not play piano with fingers but rather with the mind and the ear. Again, it is the clear image of what kind of sound one wants to achieve, combined with the knowledge of how… Continue reading Irina Morozova’s inspiring words flow through a lesson with an adult student (Beethoven’s Fur Elise-in-progress) Video

"The Return" by Burgmuller, arioso7, authors den, authorsden, blog, blogger, blogging, blogging about piano, blogs about piano, Burgmuller, Burgmuller's Op. 100 Twenty-Five Progressive Pieces, classissima, classissima.com, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano instruction, El Cerrito piano studio, forearm staccato, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, keyboard technique, learning piano, mindful piano practicing, mindful practicing, MTAC, music, music and heart, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano lessson, piano study, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, Piano World, piano world-wide, pianoaddict.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, playing staccato, playing staccato at the piano, playing the piano, playing the piano with a singing tone, practicing difficult piano passages, Romantic era music, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, shirley s kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, video instruction, word press, word press.com, wordpress, you tube, you tube video

Burgmuller’s “The Return”–like a light opera, with interspersed drama (videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

"The Return" from the composer's Twenty-Five Progressive Pieces, Op. 100, is ear-catching. Like an Offenbach opera replete with an Overture, it delights in a set of lighthearted staccato chords that spill into a passionate MINOR sequenced interlude, setting the heart afire. Extinguished by the revisit of Eb Major punctuations, the music drifts off by authentic… Continue reading Burgmuller’s “The Return”–like a light opera, with interspersed drama (videos)

"Clowns" by William Gillock, Accent on Gillock Volume two Later Elementary, classissima, classissima.com, Gillock composer, mind body connection, mindful piano practicing, mindful practicing, Moonbeams and other Musical Sketches by Shirley Kirsten, MTAC, music, music and heart, music teachers association, Oberlin Conservatory, Op. 39 Children's Pieces by Kabalevsky, phrasing at the piano, pianist, pianists, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano lessson, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano recital, piano repertoire, piano student, piano studio, piano study, piano teacher, piano teacher and student relationships, piano teachers, piano teaching, piano teaching repertoire, Piano World, piano world-wide, pianoaddict.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, playing staccato at the piano, playing the piano with a singing tone, playing two musical instruments, William Gillock, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Piano Instruction: A charming, quick-paced piece for late elementary students, titled “Clowns,” by Gillock (VIDEO)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Continuing my tribute to the prolific and talented composer, William Gillock, I've snatched "Clowns" from Volume Two of his Accent on Gillock collection. (published by Willis Music Company) Not to be long-winded about my approach to teaching this sprightly composition, I simply outline a step-wise practicing routine. 1) Since the melody is divided between the… Continue reading Piano Instruction: A charming, quick-paced piece for late elementary students, titled “Clowns,” by Gillock (VIDEO)

Aikido, Galop by Kabalevsky, German, Japan, Japanese, Kabalevsky, Kabalevsky Op. 39 Children's pieces, mind body connection, mindful piano practicing, mindful practicing, MTAC, music, music and the breath, Op. 39 Children's Pieces by Kabalevsky, phrasing at the piano, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano playing and breathing, piano playing and phrasing, piano playing and relaxation, piano practicing, piano practicing motivators, piano repertoire, piano student, piano teacher, piano teaching, piano technique, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, playing staccato at the piano, practicing the left hand at the piano, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Taekwando, Teach Street, teaching piano to children, video performances, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Aikido and Piano are a good match for Sakura (Video) (Note the rolling forward wrist motion in Kabalevsky’s “Galop”)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Aikido Main article: Aikido Aikido shihōnage technique. "Aikido (合氣道:あいきどう aikidō?) is a modern grappling-based Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba (植芝 盛平 Ueshiba Morihei, 1883 – 1969). The art consists of "striking", "throwing" and "joint locking" techniques and is known for its fluidity and blending with an attacker, rather than meeting "force with force".… Continue reading Aikido and Piano are a good match for Sakura (Video) (Note the rolling forward wrist motion in Kabalevsky’s “Galop”)

Baroque music, blog, blogger, blogging, Fresno California, J.S. Bach, J.S. Bach two part Inventions, learning piano, mind body connection, mindful piano practicing, mindful practicing, MTAC, music, music and heart, music and the breath, music teachers association of california, musical inspiration, musical phrasing, musical phrasing and breathing, phrasing at the piano, pianist, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano playing and breathing, piano playing and phrasing, piano practicing, piano practicing motivators, piano studio, piano teacher, piano teaching, piano technique, piano warm-ups, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, slow mindful practicing, slow piano practicing, studying piano, teaching piano, teaching piano to children, technique, the art of piano playing, Theory, What pianists can learn from string players, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Piano Lesson Excerpts: Practicing the Bach Invention 13 in A minor (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

This morning, Claudia, 11, practiced the J.S. Bach A minor Invention behind tempo, (in slow motion) to improve her musical/technical understanding of the composition. She worked on "weaving"/shaping the main idea or subject, which is a broken chord figure. The interaction between hands or voices (there are two them) was a particular focus, as it… Continue reading Piano Lesson Excerpts: Practicing the Bach Invention 13 in A minor (Videos)

Chopin, Chopin Waltz in A minor, Chopin Waltz no. 19 in A Minor op. posthumous, Chopin Waltzes, classissima, classissima.com, mindful piano practicing, mindful practicing, molto cantabile, muscular memory, music, music and heart, music and the breath, musical cat, pedaling at the piano, phrasing at the piano, piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano playing and breathing, piano playing and phrasing, piano playing and relaxation, piano practicing, piano repertoire, piano student, piano teacher, piano teaching, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano tutorial, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Romantic era music, Romantic music, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Skype, skyped piano lessons, Skyping piano lessons, slow mindful practicing, slow piano practicing, teaching a piano student about melody, teaching piano, teaching piano to adult students, technique, tempo rubato, The art of phrasing at the piano, the art of piano pedaling, the art of piano playing, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

SKYPING Chopin: sculpting phrases with relaxed arms and supple wrists in the Waltz no. 19 in A minor, Op. Posthum. (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Aside from the prelude to this transmission having been launched by Aiden Cat, most of yesterday's lesson was noteworthy for its focus on phrasing the Chopin Waltz No. 19 in A minor, Op. Posthumous. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epBXjDqFVaA Between California and Australia A new Logitech camera provided an astonishing over the shoulder view of "Daniel" seated at his… Continue reading SKYPING Chopin: sculpting phrases with relaxed arms and supple wrists in the Waltz no. 19 in A minor, Op. Posthum. (Videos)

19th Century music, authorsden, blog, blogging, Chopin pedaling, Chopin Waltz, Chopin Waltz in A minor, Chopin Waltz no. 19 in A Minor op. posthumous, classissima, classissima.com, Creative Fresno, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Frederic Chopin, Fresno, Fresno California, mind body connection, mindful piano practicing, mindful practicing, MTAC, muscular memory, musical phrasing, musical phrasing and breathing, pedaling at the piano, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano playing and phrasing, piano playing and relaxation, piano teaching, piano technique, Piano World, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, the art of piano pedaling, word press, wordpress.com, Yeti microphone, you tube, you tube video

Piano Lesson: Refining the pedaling in Chopin’s Waltz no. 19 in A minor (Op. Posthumous)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Pedaling and its refinement were under consideration following an adult student's initial reading of the Chopin Waltz. This piano lesson was transmitted by Skype to Sydney, Australia. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Fn1xBSuep0

"Tales of a Musical Journey" by Irina Gorin, mental imagery, mind body connection, mindful piano practicing, mindful practicing, music and the breath, phrasing at the piano, pianist, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano playing and breathing, piano playing and phrasing, piano playing and relaxation, piano practicing, piano student, piano teaching, piano technique, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, producing a singing tone legato at the piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, slow mindful practicing, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Piano Lesson: Working with Rina, age 4, on the supple wrist, singing tone approach to individual notes (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Today was Rina's 11th piano lesson. To date we've identified and played the seven notes of the musical alphabet using fingers, 2, 3, and 4 of each hand in various registers. Our follow-up practice focused on how to produce a singing tone in non legato (dropping individual notes one finger at a time) without yet… Continue reading Piano Lesson: Working with Rina, age 4, on the supple wrist, singing tone approach to individual notes (Video)

mindful piano practicing, mindful practicing, music and heart, music and the breath, musical inspiration, musical phrasing, musical phrasing and breathing, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, phrasing at the piano, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano playing and breathing, piano playing and phrasing, piano practicing, piano technique, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, slow mindful practicing, slow piano practicing, studying piano, Teach Street, teaching piano, teaching piano to adult students, teaching piano to children, teaching piano to teenagers, technique, The art of phrasing at the piano, the art of piano playing, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Piano Technique: Avoiding pencil point playing

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

One of the biggest challenges for piano students of all levels is to produce a lovely singing tone. And the most significant physical impediment to molto cantabile (very singable) playing is having a taut wrist. Without its being supple or flexible, the descent of the finger onto the key is the equivalent of landing stiffly… Continue reading Piano Technique: Avoiding pencil point playing