Category Archives: New York

After the Revolution is my cousin, Amy Herzog’s tour de force play. (An Aurora Theatre Berkeley production)

Posted on August 15, 2013 by

Amy Herzog is regaled as one of the most gifted young playwrights of her generation. Not only has she been a recipient of the well-regarded Lillian Hellman prize, but she’s amassed a slew of New York Times rave reviews. Charles … Continue reading →

Posted in 4000 Miles by Amy Herzog, After the Revolution by Amy Herzog, Amy Herzog, Beethoven, Fur Elise by Beethoven, Joe Josephs, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Leepee Joseph, Lincoln Center, Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, New York, New York City, Paul Robeson, Pete Seeger, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, The Weavers, Uncategorized, West Village of New York | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The most popular blog explores piano teacher/student relationships

Posted on December 15, 2011 by

I’ve been aware that this particular writing seems to touch a nerve, or strikes a chord of recognition among piano teachers, parents and students: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/pulls-and-tugs-two-sides-to-the-studentteacher-piano-lesson-relationship/ It’s only rival in popularity on my roster has been “Funeral for a Cracked Plate,” … Continue reading →

Posted in "After the Fall", "funeral for a cracked plate", Fresno California, Latour, Latour Sonatina, New York, New York City, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano lessons and parental support, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano society, Piano Street, piano student, piano studio, piano teacher, piano teacher and student relationships, piano teaching, piano teaching repertoire, pianoaddict.com, pianorama, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, Proksch piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, studying piano, Teach Street, teaching piano, teaching piano to adult students, teaching piano to adults, teaching piano to children, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Mozart memories, reflections and revisits (Videos)

Posted on December 11, 2011 by

Andante: second movement, Mozart Sonata K. 545 played on my Steinway, 1917, M. **** 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 … Continue reading →

Posted in Eugen Lehner, Eugene Lehner, Haddorff, harpsichord, Harpsichord Unlimited, interpreting Mozart, Juilliard School, Kolisch Quarter, Kolisch Quartet, learning piano, Lenox, Lillian Freundlich, Lillian Lefkovsky Freundlich, Massachusetts, Merrywood Music Camp, mind body connection, mindful piano practicing, molto cantabile, Mozart, Mozart 545 Andante, Mozart sonata in C K545, Mozart String Quartet K. 387, music, music and heart, music and the breath, music teachers association of california, musical inspiration, musical phrasing, musical phrasing and breathing, New York, New York City, New York City High School of Performing Arts, pedaling at the piano, phrasing at the piano, pianist, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano playing and breathing, piano playing and relaxation, piano repertoire, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, practicing the left hand at the piano, publishersmarketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, singing tone legato, slow mindful practicing, Uncategorized, W.A. Mozart, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Our Family’s Cultural Tradition: The last remnant of my NYC trip (Photos) with an update on the history of Russian piano factories

Posted on October 23, 2011 by

I scanned the memory card of NYC pics stored in my Sony digital camera and came across my mother, (on the extreme Left) and a few other key family members seated around a decorative party table. We were celebrating mom’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Bobby De Niro, Broadway theater, Elaine Comparone, Greenwich Village, Group Theater, John Garfield, Manhattan, Marble Hill Projects, New York, New York City, Off Broadway Theater, P.S. 41 in Greenwich Village | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Between California and Oregon: Skyping Chopin with an eight-year old student (Video of lesson in progress)

Posted on July 17, 2011 by

At the cue of a SKYPE musical trademark ring, I tapped the green-colored phone icon and brought an eight-year old, her dad, and a grand piano into view. A second virtual lesson beamed between California and Oregon officially began! Featured … Continue reading →

Posted in Bay area, blog, blogger, blogging, California, Chopin, Chopin Waltz, Chopin Waltz in A minor, Creative Fresno, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Facebook, Fresno California, keyboard technique, long distance piano teaching, memorizing piano music, mind body connection, MTAC, muscular memory, music, music and heart, music and the breath, music teachers association of california, music video, musical inspiration, musical phrasing, New York, New York City, New York City High School of Performing Arts, New York University, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, phrasing at the piano, pianist, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano society, Piano Street, piano student, piano studio, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano tutorial, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Skype, skyped piano lessons, Skyping piano lessons, slow piano practicing, talkclassical.com, Teach Street, teaching piano, uk-piano-forums, video uploading, virtual piano lessons, virtual piano teaching, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Piano Instruction: The Virtues of Slow Motion Practicing and Attentive Listening

Posted on May 20, 2011 by

It takes patience to approach a piece well behind tempo, tuning in to every nuance and turn of phrase. With ears alert and sensitive, the player tries to create a feeling state where he’s submerged in sound to the exclusion … Continue reading →

Posted in blog, blogger, blogging, classissima, classissima.com, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Fresno, Internet, mental imagery, Mildred Portney Chase, mind body connection, music, music and heart, music teachers association, music teachers association of california, musical inspiration, New York, New York City, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Northwest Fresno, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano technique, piano warm-ups, Piano World, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, self-analysis, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, talkclassical.com, Teach Street, teaching piano, technique, uk-piano-forums | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Emotionally Abusive Piano Teacher and Suggested Rehab

Posted on April 25, 2011 by

Over the years my ears have been pinned back by stories from students who experienced emotionally abusive teachers. One who transferred to my studio from another, described her head having been shoved into the music after striking a wrong note. … Continue reading →

Posted in authorsden, Bay area, blog, blogger, blogging, California, classissima, classissima.com, creative learning environment, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Fresno, humor, keyboard technique, music, music teachers association of california, music theory, New York, New York City, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, piano, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano society, piano student, piano teacher, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, word press, wordpress.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments