Baroque trills, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Elaine Comparone, essercizi, Facebook, Frederic Chopin, Fresno, Fresno California, Juilliard, keyboard technique, memoir, mind body connection, music, music and heart, music appreciation classes, music history, Music Teachers Asssociation of California, my space, New York, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, pentachords, performance anxiety, piano, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano scales, piano society, Piano Street, piano student, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano warm-ups, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, scales, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Steinway grand piano, Steinway M grand piano, Steinway piano, Steinway studio upright, talkclassical.com, teaching scales, the natural minor scale, trills, uk-piano-forums, video performances, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

More trills, but bucolic and serene: Scarlatti’s d minor “pastorale” K. 9 (VIDEO)

Domenico Scarlatti Sonata K. 9 in d minor (the "pastorale") http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qk88Sn9kHk The trills in K. 9 are far different than those permeating Scarlatti's sonata K. 159 in C Major. The latter has a robust horn call opening with a lavish assortment of ornaments. The bright sounding Major tonality creates a dazzling brilliance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zUmr0vl_-c By contrast… Continue reading More trills, but bucolic and serene: Scarlatti’s d minor “pastorale” K. 9 (VIDEO)

arpeggios, athletic coaching, athletic training, California, cdbaby, classissima.com, counterpoint, Creative Fresno, Domenico Scarlatti, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Elaine Comparone, essercizi, Facebook, Fig Garden Village, five finger positions, five finger warm-ups, Fresno, Fresno California, fresno filmmakers alliance, gymnastics, harpsichord, humor, Internet, keyboard technique, Major and minor scales, mind body connection, MTAC, MTAC Baroque Festival, Music Teachers Asssociation of California, musicology, my space, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, Old Fig Garden in Fresno, pianist, piano, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano room, piano society, Piano Street, piano student, piano teacher, piano technique, piano warm-ups, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld.com, ping pong balls, publishersmarketplace.com, scales, Scarlatti, Scarlatti Sonatas, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, sports, Steinway and Sons, Steinway grand piano, Steinway M grand piano, Steinway piano, talkclassical.com, Teach Street, technique, Theory, trills, uk-piano-forums, video performances, videotaped replay, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Piano Technique: Big Leaps, Crossed Hands, and shifty eyeballs (with slow motion video replay)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZxNy1VeOjk up tempo: http://youtu.be/t-3D6-s5qok Be prepared to exercise your eyeballs minus head movements when tackling large leaps, especially those hand-over-hand acrobatics that are intrinsic to many of Domenico Scarlatti's sonatas. In the first video I've isolated a few of these jumps from Sonata K. 113 in A Major, demonstrating what I've found to be the… Continue reading Piano Technique: Big Leaps, Crossed Hands, and shifty eyeballs (with slow motion video replay)

arpeggios, athletic coaching, athletic training, authorsden, Baroque music, Bay area, California, classical music, classissima.com, counterpoint, Creative Fresno, crossed hands, diminished 7th arpeggios, diminished 7th chords, diminished chords, Domenico Scarlatti, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Elaine Comparone, essercizi, Facebook, five finger positions, five finger warm-ups, Fresno, Fresno California, Fresno Famous, fresno filmmakers alliance, gymnastics, harpsichord, keyboard technique, Major and minor scales, mind body connection, music, music and heart, music teachers association of california, Music Teachers Asssociation of California, musicology, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Northwest Fresno, Oberlin Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory, New York City High School of Performing Arts, ornaments, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano society, Piano Street, piano student, piano teacher, piano technique, piano warm-ups, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, pyrotechnical exercises, Ralph Kirkpatrick, repeated notes, scales, Scarlatti, Scarlatti Sonatas, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, talkclassical.com, technique, Theory, trills, uk-piano-forums, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Domenico Scarlatti Sonata (Toccata) in D minor, K. 141 with reams of repeated notes (VIDEO)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQiaWoJaUfQ Domenico Scarlatti never fails to come up with a flashy pyrotechnical escapade that can make or break a player in progress. I know, because I've walked the plank with this piece until I was able to reverse my fortune and run with it happily into the horizon. Any number of times those repeated notes,… Continue reading Domenico Scarlatti Sonata (Toccata) in D minor, K. 141 with reams of repeated notes (VIDEO)

arpeggios, Baroque music, California, camera tricks, classical music, counterpoint, Creative Fresno, Domenico Scarlatti, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, five finger positions, Fresno, Fresno California, harpsichord, humor, keyboard technique, mind body connection, MTAC, music, music and heart, music teachers association of california, Music Teachers Asssociation of California, musicology, my space, New York, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Northwest Fresno, Oberlin Conservatory, ornaments, pentachords, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano lesson, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano student, piano teacher, piano technique, piano tutorial, piano warm-ups, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, Romantic era music, Romantic music, Rondo form, talkclassical.com, technique, uk-piano-forums, video performances, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Domenico Scarlatti Sonata in A, K. 113–in leaps and bounds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh09WH_g7wo I can always use an extra pair of hands to navigate the Baroque composer's technically challenging sonata It's a real workout playing Domenico Scarlatti's essercizi or sonatas. The impossible leaps, crossed hands, trills and syncopation that permeate the composer's music require a daredevil to take on the challenge. Scarlatti will sometimes defy a player… Continue reading Domenico Scarlatti Sonata in A, K. 113–in leaps and bounds

"Just Being At the Piano", 19th Century music, 20th Century music, arpeggios, Bach Invention, Bach Inventions, Bach Prelude in C Major, Bard College, Baroque music, Beethoven, California, Circle of Fifths, Classical era, classical music, Classical period sonata, classissima.com, counterpoint, Creative Fresno, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, Exposition in piano sonata, gymnastics, Internet, J.S. Bach, John Browning, Juilliard, keyboard technique, music, music and heart, Music Teachers Asssociation of California, musicology, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano lesson, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano room, piano scales, piano student, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, Romantic era music, Romantic music, Rondo form, Rosina Lhevinne, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Steinway and Sons, Steinway grand piano, Steinway M grand piano, Steinway piano, talkclassical.com, Teach Street, technique, tempo rubato, The Well Tempered Clavier, uk-piano-forums, Van Cliburn, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Great Piano Teaching Moments

This remarkable piece of film footage inspired a stream of others. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ur7SoOVRhk Nadia Boulanger (b.1887-d.1979) the esteemed teacher, composer, theoretician, organist, pianist, taught and influenced so many great musical creators such as Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copeland, Virgil Thomson, Walter Piston and Philip Glass. From Wikipedia: "Boulanger's teaching methods included traditional harmony, score reading at the… Continue reading Great Piano Teaching Moments

Edvard Grieg, Elfin Dance, MTAC, Music Teachers Asssociation of California, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Northwest Fresno, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano pedagogy, piano room, piano student, piano teacher, piano technique, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, Romantic era music, Romantic music, satire, scales, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Sony Camcorder, Steinway and Sons, Steinway grand piano, talkclassical.com, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Grieg’s music survived a failing lithium battery!

I was about to throw my camcorder across the room as the supposedly fully charged battery was flickering and about to shut down! There was no reason for the cam to go on strike, especially within minutes of Evan's arrival. He was the last piano student of the day, and had just entered my studio… Continue reading Grieg’s music survived a failing lithium battery!

arpeggios, Bay area, California, cdbaby, Chopin, Chopin Waltz, Creative Fresno, dream piano, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Frederic Chopin, Fresno, Fresno California, Internet, keyboard technique, Major and minor scales, mind body connection, MTAC, music, music and heart, music teachers association of california, Music Teachers Asssociation of California, Music Together, musicology, Musictogether.com, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Northwest Fresno, Oberlin Conservatory, Op. posthumous, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano pedagogy, piano room, piano society, Piano Street, piano student, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano warm-ups, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld.com, ping pong, ping pong balls, Poland, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, scales, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, sonatina, Steinway and Sons, Steinway grand piano, Steinway M grand piano, Steinway piano, talkclassical.com, Teach Street, technique, tempo rubato, trills, Uncategorized, video performances, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

The very first Chopin Waltz that I teach: #19, Op. Posth. in A minor (Video instruction)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ--gGIwgAA After decades of teaching the Chopin Waltzes, I've come to the conclusion that the A minor, No. 19, Op. Posthumous is the best student introduction to the form as the composer cultivated it. While many other Waltzes in Chopin's collection are far more substantial and technically challenging, No. 19, is in my opinion, easiest… Continue reading The very first Chopin Waltz that I teach: #19, Op. Posth. in A minor (Video instruction)

"Just Being At the Piano", "The Inner Game of Tennis", Amsterdam Avenue and 74th Street, arpeggios, athletic coaching, athletic training, authorsden, Bay area, Bronx, California, cd baby, cdbaby, children's music, Children's pieces, Circle of Fifths, Classical era, classical music, Classical period sonata, Classical sonatina, classissima.com, counterpoint, Creative Fresno, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Exposition in piano sonata, Facebook, Fig Garden Village, five finger positions, five finger warm-ups, Fresno, Fresno California, great pianists, gymnastics, humor, Internet, Irwin Freundlich, keyboard technique, Latour, Latour Sonatina, Lillian Freundlich, Major and minor scales, mind body connection, MTAC, music, music and heart, music appreciation classes, music history, music teachers association of california, Music Teachers Asssociation of California, Music Together, musicology, Musictogether.com, my space, New York, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Northwest Bronx, Northwest Fresno, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Old Fig Garden in Fresno, ornaments, pentachords, pentatonic song, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano finding, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano pedagogy, piano practicing, piano society, Piano Street, piano student, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano tutorial, piano warm-ups, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, ping pong, ping pong balls, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, satire, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, sonatina, Steinway and Sons, Steinway grand piano, Steinway piano, talkclassical.com, Teach Street, teaching piano to teenagers, technique, Theodore Latour, trills, uk-piano-forums, video performances, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Why Play Scales?

Scale practicing examples: https://youtu.be/SJGbnFQB8L8 https://youtu.be/Bo1ptHbMu9M https://youtu.be/W3N_9Me7hXQ *** The Backdrop: As a young piano student living in New York City, I remember my reluctance to prepare a mandatory scale each week for my lesson. In fact my first teacher had so many students, she always seemed to forget the scale she had assigned to me, so… Continue reading Why Play Scales?

athletic coaching, athletic training, Bach Invention, Bach Inventions, Bach Two Part Inventions, Baroque music, California, Circle of Fifths, classical music, classissima.com, counterpoint, Creative Fresno, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Facebook, five finger positions, five finger warm-ups, Fresno, Fresno California, gymnastics, harpsichord, Internet, J.S. Bach, J.S. Bach two part Inventions, JS Bach, keyboard technique, Lillian Freundlich, Major and minor scales, MTAC, music, music history, Music Teachers Asssociation of California, musicology, my space, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Northwest Bronx, Northwest Fresno, Oberlin Conservatory, Old Fig Garden in Fresno, pentachords, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano pedagogy, piano room, piano scales, Piano Street, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano warm-ups, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, Teach Street, teaching piano to teenagers, technique, whole body music listening, you tube, you tube video

The mapped out manuscript for Bach Invention No. 1 in C

Here's my hand-written analysis of the Bach Two Part Invention No. 1 in C that supplements the video. I've added more at: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/09/10/revisiting-j-s-bachs-invention-1-in-c-bwv-772-video/ The Main Idea or subject is bracketed, as well as an Inverted form of it. Key changes are also marked in the score. Recap: Instructional video, Bach Invention no.1 in C, BWV… Continue reading The mapped out manuscript for Bach Invention No. 1 in C

arpeggios, athletic coaching, athletic training, authorsden, Bay area, California, children's music, Circle of Fifths, classical music, counterpoint, Creative Fresno, diminished 7th arpeggios, diminished 7th chords, diminished chords, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, El Cerrito piano studio, Facebook, five finger positions, five finger warm-ups, Fresno, Fresno California, Fresno Famous, gymnastics, humor, JS Bach, keyboard technique, Lillian Freundlich, mind body connection, MTAC, music appreciation classes, Music Teachers Asssociation of California, musicology, my space, New York City High School of Performing Arts, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano instruction, piano lesson, piano pedagogy, piano society, Piano Street, piano student, piano teacher, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano tutorial, piano warm-ups, Piano World, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, ping pong, ping pong balls, publishers marketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, scales, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Steinway and Sons, Steinway grand piano, Steinway M grand piano, Steinway piano, Steinway studio upright, talkclassical.com, Teach Street, technique, Theory, trills, uk-piano-forums, Uncategorized, video performances, whole body music listening, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Piano Lesson: Step by step Diminished 7th arpeggio warm-up with a 10 yr. old student

I previously discussed diminished 7th chords and how they are constructed as an introduction to an actual warm-up routine. The missing ingredient was the student: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/piano-instruction-playing-diminished-7th-chords-and-arpeggios-video/ In this video, a ten year old pupil fills the bill, romping over the keyboard, joining in a scintillating choreography with her teacher: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhazCUOzzdI Diminished 7th arpeggio sampled: G#… Continue reading Piano Lesson: Step by step Diminished 7th arpeggio warm-up with a 10 yr. old student