Here's the link rather than copy/paste. The article is ONLINE! The you tubes are nicely embedded within the writing. http://www.mtac.org/cmt/CMT2012FallTalesMusicalJourney.pdf Now the icing on the cake: Irina needs to make the rounds to branches around the State to sell her stuff and give "live" presentations. Keep the phone lines open!
Category: “Tales of a Musical Journey”
Piano Lessons: Catching up with Rina, age 5
Rina has reached a turning point in her piano studies, just 10 months into them. She's playing the Reinagle Minuet, coordinating bass and treble lines. This is NOT ROTE playing, or any Suzuki variant. Rina knows the music alphabet forward and in reverse; understands up and down, steps and skips, and plays LEGATO five-finger positions… Continue reading Piano Lessons: Catching up with Rina, age 5
Piano lessons should be tailor-made for each student (Videos)
I've come to the conclusion that no full-proof piano method, or method book can be applied across the board to beginning students or those at any level of study. Each pupil is so unique that an individualized growth and development plan is needed. By example, I faced a dilemma when a new adult student who… Continue reading Piano lessons should be tailor-made for each student (Videos)
Piano Technique: The dipping wrist, and how it defies convention (Videos)
One of my adult students echoed a belief that has resonated for generations in piano studios across the country, if not the world. The OLD school of thought was that you played piano with a rigid, arched hand, and if you slipped into a longer, relaxed curve, or dared to DIP your wrist below the… Continue reading Piano Technique: The dipping wrist, and how it defies convention (Videos)
Piano Lesson: Rina, 5, learns to play legato across five fingers from C to G and back
Six months of piano lessons: Rina made a big jump today after having had considerable experience playing single, detached fingers for all notes in the music alphabet. In addition she's been rolling pairs of fingers to create a nice legato from note to note. (2-note slurs) I've prepped her with 1,2 and in reverse, 2… Continue reading Piano Lesson: Rina, 5, learns to play legato across five fingers from C to G and back
Excerpts from Rina’s 9th piano lesson, using instruction from “Tales of a Musical Journey” by Irina Gorin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz31cL5MzC8 Lesson 8 suffered the pangs of loss because of a camcorder shut down so today we switched over to my iMac's iMovie. (I'm still learning the video editing program so apologies for synch-related issues at the track's end) Rina reviewed the musical alphabet and tapped individual notes to various prerecorded CD selections. For "Bear"… Continue reading Excerpts from Rina’s 9th piano lesson, using instruction from “Tales of a Musical Journey” by Irina Gorin
The Art of piano playing is about breathing and phrasing (Videos)
Over the years I've crystallized my thoughts about phrasing and breathing. I know that the pace of the breath and an ability to inhale deeply and relaxingly release air at various phrase intervals create beautiful lines. Music must breathe--notes cannot be crowded even in rapid succession. If the breath is flowing naturally, replenished by a… Continue reading The Art of piano playing is about breathing and phrasing (Videos)
Rina, 4, brings a toy piano to her lesson; creates her own rhythm; and learns A and B; (7th week of instruction using Tales of a Musical Journey) 5 videos
Rina surprised me by bringing her precious mini-purple plastic piano that played a salsa rhythm style piece with very fast notes. It was gratifying to watch her spontaneously point to the "big" and "little houses" on her tiny keyboard that comprise "neighborhoods" or "octaves" in Tales of a Musical Journey. This preceded her relaxation movements… Continue reading Rina, 4, brings a toy piano to her lesson; creates her own rhythm; and learns A and B; (7th week of instruction using Tales of a Musical Journey) 5 videos
Piano Technique: Producing a beautiful singing tone using jello as an image
The following teaching video produced by Irina Gorin, confirmed my belief that a singing tone springs from the imagination along with a consciousness about the physical means to achieve it. On both accounts, Gorin succeeded in the company of a six-year old piano student. The transformation of his C scale from a vertical, poked out… Continue reading Piano Technique: Producing a beautiful singing tone using jello as an image
Rina, 4, has her 6th piano lesson: Learning about short and long sounds using black and white circles (“Tales of a Musical Journey”) 4 Videos
Rina reached another landmark, entering the universe of long and short sounds. She drew on a collection of black and white cardboard circles that came nicely packaged with Tales of a Musical Journey, and embarked upon a hands-on rhythm framed adventure. After floating through her "Harmony of the Angels" relaxation opener, she perched herself at… Continue reading Rina, 4, has her 6th piano lesson: Learning about short and long sounds using black and white circles (“Tales of a Musical Journey”) 4 Videos
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