Category Archives: piano lessons

J.S. Bach’s ethereal Prelude in F minor, BWV 881 (contour and voices)

Posted on February 25, 2015 by

A kindred musician friend and Baroque scholar residing on the East Coast tipped me off that my “first love” reading of Bach’s Prelude in F minor a few months back, was just the very top layer of a more in … Continue reading →

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Piano Technique: The Rotating Thumb

Posted on January 29, 2015 by

With all the cyber forum posts about thumbs up, thumbs down, early or late, advanced or delayed, the ROTATIONAL dimension of the shortest, and most problematic finger is often overlooked, and because of miss-directed attention, the clunky thumb brigade marches … Continue reading →

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Piano Technique: Self-created Scale and Arpeggio Prep

Posted on January 27, 2015 by

Over months and years, I’ve devised various technique framed routines that happen to be bi-products of trial and error excursions over the keyboard. To the extent that I put myself under self-analysis following a stint of formal piano study, I … Continue reading →

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Playing J.S. Bach with an awareness of Harmonic Rhythm

Posted on January 23, 2015 by

In working through Bach’s two-part Invention No. 13 in A minor, an adult student and I explored harmonic resolutions and their influence on phrasing. *** While many pupils expect cadences to be predictable resting points where pianists typically taper a … Continue reading →

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Teaching J.S. Bach

Posted on January 7, 2015 by

As mentors immersed in a two-way sharing process with students, we’re grateful for opportunities to delve deeply into the masterworks. One companion traveler of mine dotes exclusively on the music of J.S. Bach, preferring this singular journey to any other. … Continue reading →

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An adult student excels: Chopin Waltz in C# minor, Op. 64, No. 2

Posted on December 30, 2014 by

I’m beaming from ear to ear, as I showcase Julie’s progress by way of a recent lesson collaboration. I say collaboration, because students and teachers learn together and gain insights as they take a common musical journey. Julie happens to … Continue reading →

Posted in Chopin, Chopin Waltz, Chopin Waltz in C sharp minor, Frederic Chopin, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano technique, tempo rubato | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Piano Technique: Student/teacher echo exchanges stabilize rhythm and refine articulation

Posted on December 27, 2014 by

Of my favorite teaching strategies is bouncing warm-ups back and forth with students. We echo short phrases in legato and staccato as a form of rhythmic rehab. The recordings of these interactions become valuable practicing aids between lessons. Yesterday, an … Continue reading →

Posted in Dozen a Day by Edna-Mae Burnam, pentascales, piano, piano blog, piano blogging, piano lessons, piano technique, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment