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)
Category: molto cantabile
Irina Morozova’s inspiring words flow through a lesson with an adult student (Beethoven’s Fur Elise-in-progress) Video
"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
Mozart memories, reflections and revisits (Videos)
Andante: second movement, Mozart Sonata K. 545 played on my Steinway, 1917, M. http://youtu.be/PPYKK3hOjnk **** My relationship to Mozart and his music began with the violin. At the Merrywood Music Camp in Lenox, Massachusetts, only a stone's throw from Tanglewood, I encountered Eugene Lehner, first violist of the Boston Symphony when I played second violin… Continue reading Mozart memories, reflections and revisits (Videos)
SKYPING Chopin: sculpting phrases with relaxed arms and supple wrists in the Waltz no. 19 in A minor, Op. Posthum. (Videos)
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)
Piano Instruction: Working on the flexible wrist with a hair band (Videos)
I videotaped Nayelli, age 10, practicing the use of a flexible wrist. I also integrated the hair band (demonstrated by Irina Gorin) into the lesson for the purpose of teaching the dead weight drop into notes with a dipping wrist. All advance the singing tone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmBrKEuk3bo Nayelli plays Faber's "Scarf Dance" (Lesson Book 1, Piano… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Working on the flexible wrist with a hair band (Videos)
Piano Instruction: Teaching fluidity of motion, phrasing, and the singing tone, Ilyana, 8, plays “Firefly” (Video)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv5NVmKEN9w Approach: Plan with the student before the piece is played. Map out the dynamics, articulation, whether staccato, legato or a combination. (For tonality, where does piece come to rest?) Identify the "mood" of the piece. Translate sound images into physical motion. (as in the second page of "Firefly," rolling from Right hand to Left… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Teaching fluidity of motion, phrasing, and the singing tone, Ilyana, 8, plays “Firefly” (Video)