Category: teaching piano to teenagers

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Piano Technique: Avoiding pencil point playing

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

One of the biggest challenges for piano students of all levels is to produce a lovely singing tone. And the most significant physical impediment to molto cantabile (very singable) playing is having a taut wrist. Without its being supple or flexible, the descent of the finger onto the key is the equivalent of landing stiffly… Continue reading Piano Technique: Avoiding pencil point playing

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Is there a short cut route to learning piano?

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Promises abound on the Internet about playing piano in a flash. Short cut promoters claim thousands of dollars are wasted on "traditional" piano lessons. A teacher in the Southwest advertises software that speeds up note reading. Children as young as two are glued to a computer that's attached to an electronic keyboard with far fewer… Continue reading Is there a short cut route to learning piano?

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Paying a child to practice piano?

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I was scanning *Piano World's forums and noticed posts about paying children to do their daily practicing. An assortment of contributors thought the idea had merit. My first response, without embroiling myself too deeply in the discussion, was to abhor the "practice" altogether. I saw no value in viewing piano playing as a $$$ rewarded… Continue reading Paying a child to practice piano?

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The nitty gritty reasons why piano students drop out: Two staunchly different opinions

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

The current rage on the Internet surrounds a Facebook posting that claims a 95% dropout rate among piano students. The nitty gritty reasons cited by the poster are contained in what I view as a tirade against what he terms "standard lessons." He insists that the "music teaching industry" uses a "status quo method that… Continue reading The nitty gritty reasons why piano students drop out: Two staunchly different opinions

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My New Piano Studio in El Cerrito, California, and panoramic views taken from Amtrak 711 and 712 along the Bay route

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

*** After my arrival in El Cerrito, I walked to my new location in a very old, established neighborhood with mature shade trees and lush foliage. It had to be the perfect paradise for teaching piano. *** Photos down below were taken at the Bart station looking down from the platform, and then along the… Continue reading My New Piano Studio in El Cerrito, California, and panoramic views taken from Amtrak 711 and 712 along the Bay route

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Rina, age 4, has her second piano lesson using “Tales of a Musical Journey” (videos in 6 parts)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I'm videotaping all of Rina's lessons as I travel with her through the "Magical Kingdom of Sounds" from Irina Gorin's Tales of a Musical Journey. Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0WNfp5QIDU Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYkLIYsMQcY Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph7zWYNqNkk Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK1EuaqWAVs Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfXHUEhnEsc Part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqDSmdRgFx4 RELATED: Rina's first piano lesson https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/08/04/piano-lessons-starting-rina-a-4-year-old-using-irina-gorins-tales-of-a-musical-journey-book-1-videos-in-parts/ Rina's THIRD Piano Lesson: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/08/18/rina-age-4-has-her-third-piano-lesson-using-irina-gorins-tales-of-a-musical-journey-videos-in-6-parts/

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Piano Instruction: Avoiding Injuries, using “Butterfly” by Edvard Grieg as a slow practicing example (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0SfJSgp71U About twenty years ago, before I was enlightened about the risk of injuries when I practiced and how to avoid them, I sustained a ligament tear of my ring finger, right hand. It was while playing the Schumann Carnaval, and just before it happened, I had held my hand in a rigid arched position… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Avoiding Injuries, using “Butterfly” by Edvard Grieg as a slow practicing example (Videos)

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About the physical side of playing piano: What we need to teach at all levels (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I wish I could have waved a magic wand when I was six years old and produced a beginning teacher who would have artfully nursed me through my crawling stage to a graceful, phrase-loving adulthood at the piano. I needed to learn how to produce a singing tone, moving with agility from one note to… Continue reading About the physical side of playing piano: What we need to teach at all levels (Videos)

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Piano Lessons and dropout rates: How the initial interview is better than a crystal ball

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I've been eyeing the forums lately at Piano World, and a hot topic is why students drop out of lessons, some after only a few months. A related thread had jabber about a circulating statistic that level 2 method books took a significant marketplace nose dive. What could it mean? I looked into my crystal… Continue reading Piano Lessons and dropout rates: How the initial interview is better than a crystal ball

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How long should a piano student stay with a piece?

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

As a teacher, I've often pondered this question, concluding that there are varying answers which depend on the advancement and motivation of individual students. Certainly no fixed formula addresses the length of time a pupil needs to fully realize his potential when practicing a given composition. By way of example, I have an adult student,… Continue reading How long should a piano student stay with a piece?