Category: piano learning

Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano blog, piano blogging, piano instruction, piano learning, piano lessons, piano study, piano teaching, piano technique

The universe of piano study: Too Little or Too Long on a piece

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Not a bullet-proof analysis, but based on decades of teaching piano, I've come to a set of conclusions about why students give up on pieces too soon, or in reverse, prolong their agony, through time-warped months of static practicing. In truth, giving up too soon, or dragging a piece through months of inertia, both result… Continue reading The universe of piano study: Too Little or Too Long on a piece

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Sequences and Phrase contouring in J. S. Bach’s French Suite No. 5, BWV 816

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

An adult student and I explored sequences in the Allemande opener of Bach's French Suite in G as we parceled out the treble and bass lines. (Still another voice that danced from the alto to tenor range, was separately identified and practiced) To craft beautiful phrases in the opening movement that limpidly flows in legato,… Continue reading Sequences and Phrase contouring in J. S. Bach’s French Suite No. 5, BWV 816

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Ear Training and Transposing are intrinsic to piano lessons (examples from an Adult lesson in progress)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

It's not easy to plan a one hour piano lesson to include ear training, solfege and transposing. (They belong together, bundled with Theory, and enrich the learning environment) At the Oberlin Conservatory, Theory, Keyboard Harmony, and Eurhythmics were taught separately. Our piano teachers (applied study) adhered to their rigid routine, rarely fitting solfege, sight-reading, improvising,… Continue reading Ear Training and Transposing are intrinsic to piano lessons (examples from an Adult lesson in progress)

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Sister and brother piano lessons in the Hills

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I enjoy my weekly journey to a home way up in the Hills of El Cerrito (neighbor to Berkeley) There, I teach Lucy and Fritz who play a lovely, resonant Baldwin Acrosonic that I advised mom to purchase (over at DC Pianos) Acros happen to be among my favorites in the spinet/console category. The Back… Continue reading Sister and brother piano lessons in the Hills

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Adult Piano Student Themes and Issues

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Thoughts about the adults I so dearly teach...

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Rina, 5, moves right along in her piano studies (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Rina takes to piano like a duck in water. Yesterday, she began her lesson with a five-finger romp through D Major and minor, adding chords to her repertoire. Did I say "chords?" It's every child's dream to play more than one voice at a time, to fully appreciate the piano as an orchestral instrument. I… Continue reading Rina, 5, moves right along in her piano studies (Videos)

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Using piano repertoire as a springboard for a theory lesson: Major, minor and Diminished Chords (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

One of my adult students is working on the gorgeous J.C. Bach Prelude in A minor which has a second page full of "Major," "Minor" and "Diminished" chords. The sonorities progress in sequences, but they also have a secondary dominant relationship to resolving chords. The "harmonic rhythm" moves quickly. While this particular pupil may not… Continue reading Using piano repertoire as a springboard for a theory lesson: Major, minor and Diminished Chords (Videos)

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Supplementing piano lessons with videos

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Just a few years ago, the furthest thing from my mind would be to send videos to piano students between lessons. In the past, I had routinely e-mailed assignments for the coming week along with practicing suggestions. (This created an organized set of notes to track learning and progress) Those were the old days, before… Continue reading Supplementing piano lessons with videos