Category: teaching a piano student about melody

breathing and piano lessons, classissima, Mozart, Mozart Sonata in Bb K. 281, Mozart Sonata in Bb K. 281 Rondeau, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogs, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano lessons by Skype, piano lessons for adults, piano lessons in Berkeley California, piano lessons in El Cerrito California, piano practicing, piano student, piano technique, playing the piano, playing the piano with a singing tone, practicing difficult piano passages, practicing piano, practicing piano in slow tempo, practicing piano passages with rhythms, practicing piano with relaxation, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, Shirley Smth Kirsten, Skype piano lessons, skyped piano lessons, Steinway piano, Steinway pianos, supple wrist in piano playing, teaching a piano student about melody, teaching an adult student, teaching piano, teaching piano to adult students, teaching piano to adults, the art of piano playing, whole body listening, whole body music listening, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube video, you tube.com, youtube.com

Piano Practicing: Breathing into phrases and blocking out passages (Mozart Sonata, example)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I've picked the first two pages of Mozart's Sonata in Bb Major, K. 281, last movement, Rondeau, Allegro to explore breathing and blocking techniques in the learning process. (These principles can be applied to practicing music from a variety of eras) Starting a composition is often taken for granted. Sometimes students will land on a… Continue reading Piano Practicing: Breathing into phrases and blocking out passages (Mozart Sonata, example)

"Tales of a Musical Journey" by Irina Gorin, El Cerrito piano studio, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, piano lessons, Piano Street, Piano World, piano world-wide, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, teaching a piano student about melody, teaching piano, teaching piano to children, the playground as music teacher, the playground as piano teacher, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, yout tube

Rina, 5, and a review of her staircase activity: The Playground as Piano Teacher (VIDEOS)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I updated the last blog-embedded video that previewed staircase activity planned for Rina's next lesson. It explored the tricky last line of Reinagle's Minuet which has a mix of rhythms and more complex melodic motion compared to the first three staves of music. What I added to the footage, however, was my plan to insert… Continue reading Rina, 5, and a review of her staircase activity: The Playground as Piano Teacher (VIDEOS)

arioso 7, authors den, authorsden, Beethoven, Beethoven "Tempest" sonata op. 31 no. 2, blog, blogger, blogging, blogging about piano, Classical era piano music, classical music, Classical period sonata, classissima, classissima.com, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, pianists, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano pedagogy, piano playing, piano repertoire, Piano Street, piano student, piano studio, piano teacher, piano teachers, piano teaching, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique and the singing tone, Piano World, piano world-wide, teaching a piano student about melody, teaching an adult student, teaching piano, teaching piano to adults, teaching piano to children, teaching piano to teenagers, undulating wrist in piano playing, video instruction, video piano instruction, videotaped piano instruction, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, yout tube

Practicing tips for Beethoven’s “Tempest” Sonata, Op. 31 No. 2, Part ONE: (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Because I found myself rambling on and on about the first page, I decided to compartmentalize the instruction to make it easier to absorb. And since I played the "Tempest" years ago, the surest route to my restoring the piece to a respectable performance level, was to practice it from the ground up in slow… Continue reading Practicing tips for Beethoven’s “Tempest” Sonata, Op. 31 No. 2, Part ONE: (Video)

blog, blogger, blogging, blogging about piano, classissima, classissima.com, ear training, El Cerrito, El Cerrito California, Facebook, Facebook friend, Fur Elise, Fur Elise by Beethoven, harmonic rhythm, How to practice Fur Elise, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, keyboard technique, learning piano, legato playing at the piano, Lillian Freundlich, Lillian Lefkofsky Freundlich, mental imagery, mind body connection, mindful piano practicing, mindful practicing, molto cantabile, molto cantabilie, MTAC, MTAC.org, music, music and heart, music education, music teachers association, music teachers association of california, musical phrasing, musical phrasing and breathing, New York City, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, pianists, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano playing, piano playing and breathing, piano playing and phrasing, piano playing and relaxation, piano playing and the singing tone, piano recital, piano restoration, Piano Street, piano student, piano study, piano teacher, piano teachers, piano teaching, piano virtuosos, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, playing piano with expression, playing the piano, playing the piano with a singing tone, practicing difficult piano passages, practicing piano with relaxation, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, shirley s kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, slow mindful practicing, slow piano practicing, Steinway M grand, Steinway M grand piano, teaching a piano student about melody, teaching an adult student, the ideal piano lesson, the vocal model for pianists, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Irina Morozova’s inspiring words flow through a lesson with an adult student (Beethoven’s Fur Elise-in-progress) Video

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

"From watching great pianists it is obvious that they incorporate quite different movements to achieve the same goals, because people do not play piano with fingers but rather with the mind and the ear. Again, it is the clear image of what kind of sound one wants to achieve, combined with the knowledge of how… Continue reading Irina Morozova’s inspiring words flow through a lesson with an adult student (Beethoven’s Fur Elise-in-progress) Video

Burgmuller "La Chasse", Burgmuller Inquietude, Burgmuller pastorale, Burgmuller Pastorale Op. 100, Burgmuller Tarentelle, Burgmuller The Chase, Burgmuller's Op. 100 Twenty-Five Progressive Pieces, classissima, classissima.com, Friedrich Burgmuller, music, music and heart, music teachers association of california, New York City High School of Performing Arts, Oberlin Conservatory, pianist, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano playing, piano playing and breathing, piano playing and phrasing, piano playing and relaxation, piano practicing, piano repertoire, piano student, piano study, piano teachers, piano teaching, piano technique, piano technique and the singing tone, piano world-wide, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano with expression, playing the piano, playing the piano with a singing tone, practicing difficult piano passages, practicing piano with relaxation, Romantic era music, Romantic era piano music, Romantic era piano repertoire, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, shirley s kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, slow mindful practicing, slow piano practicing, Steinway M grand piano, studying piano, supple wrist in piano playing, swinging arms in playing piano, teaching a piano student about melody, teaching piano, teaching piano to adults, teaching piano to children, teaching piano to teenagers, technique, The art of phrasing at the piano, Twenty five Progressive pieces by Burgmuller, video instruction, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Piano Technique: Burgmuller’s Tarentelle, Op. 100-Fueling and shaping fast passages with a dipping, supple wrist (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Most piano students will have been assigned a Burgmuller selection or two during their formative years of study. And most likely, these would have been snatched from the composer's Twenty-Five Progressive Pieces, Op. 100 that advance by steps in difficulty, though it can be argued that all contain unique technical challenges. Composed in the Romantic… Continue reading Piano Technique: Burgmuller’s Tarentelle, Op. 100-Fueling and shaping fast passages with a dipping, supple wrist (Videos)

Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, phrasing at the piano, pianist, pianists, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano playing, piano playing and phrasing, piano playing and relaxation, piano playing and the singing tone, piano practicing, piano repertoire, piano study, piano teacher, piano teachers, piano teaching, piano teaching repertoire, piano world-wide, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, playing the piano with a singing tone, Rina takes piano lessons, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, shirley s kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, slow mindful practicing, slow piano practicing, Steinway M grand piano, studying piano, supple wrist in piano playing, teaching a piano student about melody, teaching piano, teaching piano to children, the art of piano playing, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Lesson planning for a 5-year old piano student–(Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Rina who's into her sixth month of study, is ready to learn dotted-half notes. Up to now, she's been saturated with black and white cardboard circles included within a packet along with Irina Gorin's Tales of a Musical Journey instruction. The black notes (quarters) are known as "short" sounds, and the white ones (Half-notes), "long-sounds"… Continue reading Lesson planning for a 5-year old piano student–(Video)

Clementi Sonatina in C Op. 36 no. 1, Clementi Sonatina in C Op. 36 no. 1 Vivace, forward rolling wrist motion, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, phrasing at the piano, pianist, pianists, piano, piano addict, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano pedagogy, piano playing, piano playing and breathing, piano playing and phrasing, piano playing and relaxation, piano playing and the singing tone, piano practicing, piano practicing motivators, piano practicing with use of a camcorder, piano repertoire, piano studio, piano study, piano teacher, piano teaching, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano tutorial, piano warm-ups, Piano World, piano world-wide, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, playing piano with expression, playing staccato, playing staccato at the piano, playing the piano, playing the piano with a singing tone, practicing difficult piano passages, practicing piano passages with rhythms, practicing piano with relaxation, practicing the left hand at the piano, publishersmarketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, scale fingerings, scales, scales and arpeggios, scales for the piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, shirley s kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, slow mindful practicing, Steinway grand piano, Steinway M grand, supple wrist in piano playing, swinging arms in playing piano, teaching a piano student about melody, teaching piano, teaching piano to adults, teaching piano to children, teaching piano to teenagers, whole body listening, whole body music listening, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Piano Technique: More wrist-forward rolling motion in Sonatina by Clementi Op. 36 no. 1 Vivace (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

In two videos, I flesh out the need for a rolling forward wrist motion in playing the last movement of Clementi's well-known Sonatina in C, vivace. In addition, a 3/8 meter designation in rapid tempo requires the "feeling" of ONE impulse per measure not three. And this sense of ONENESS suggests CIRCLES of motion which… Continue reading Piano Technique: More wrist-forward rolling motion in Sonatina by Clementi Op. 36 no. 1 Vivace (Videos)

Camille Saint-Saens, classissima, classissima.com, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, MTAC, music teachers association of california, pianist, pianists, piano, piano addict, piano arrangements, piano blog, piano blogging, piano blogs, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano lessson, piano pedagogy, piano playing and breathing, piano playing and phrasing, piano playing and relaxation, piano student, piano study, piano teacher, piano technique, piano technique and the singing tone, piano transcriptions, piano tutorial, Piano World, piano world-wide, pianoaddict.com, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, playing the piano, playing the piano with a singing tone, publishersmarketplace, publishersmarketplace.com, Rina 4 takes piano lessons, Rina takes piano lessons, Romantic era music, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, shirley s kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, slow mindful practicing, Steinway M, Steinway M grand piano, studying piano, teaching a piano student about melody, teaching piano, teaching piano to children, The Lion from Carnival of the Animals, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

An exceptional set of piano “arrangements” for Intermediate Level students (Carnival of the Animals) VIDEOS

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

In the past, I've ranted against giving piano students "arrangements" of celebrated compositions like Fur Elise and Chopin's Waltz in Eb Major. The latter appears, significantly reduced, in the Faber Adult Accelerated edition. It's a token Classical music offering interspersed by Boogie Woogie snatches. Oh, I forgot the revised Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, and a curious… Continue reading An exceptional set of piano “arrangements” for Intermediate Level students (Carnival of the Animals) VIDEOS

classissima.com, pianist, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano playing and phrasing, piano practicing, piano student, piano studio, piano teacher, piano teaching, piano technique, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, singing tone legato, Skype, skyped piano lessons, Skyping piano lessons, sonatina by Latour, studying piano, Teach Street, teaching a piano student about melody, teaching piano, teaching piano to adult students, teaching piano to adults, word press, wordpress.com, you tube

A Skyped supplement to piano lessons (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Here's an example of a Bay area student taking a Skyped piano lesson to supplement her regular weekly meetings with me. These work well, particularly if a pupil has to catch up from a vacation period absence, or needs reinforcement of technique, and/or an added revisit of a piece in progress. In this segment, the… Continue reading A Skyped supplement to piano lessons (Video)

philosophy of eduction, phrasing at the piano, pianist, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano lessons and parental support, piano pedagogy, piano teacher, piano teaching, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Teach Street, teaching a piano student about melody, teaching piano, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Piano Lesson: Rina, 4, climbs the staircase, and then learns about happy and sad in music

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

The first video below showcases the partial content of today's lesson. Because I am a staunch believer in introducing black keys early on in the course of piano study, I explored mood affect in music and lowered the E of "Frere Jacques" to E FLAT. Rina was basically exposed to the "minor" mode without a… Continue reading Piano Lesson: Rina, 4, climbs the staircase, and then learns about happy and sad in music