Category: Theory

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Piano Lesson: An Adult student practices the Presto agitato mvt. Beethoven “Moonlight” Sonata (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxmwAUIu3eY The Chromatic scale to the end of movement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gtquw8qNbXg R.K. wished to remain anonymous because of the nature of his work, but, nevertheless, he's a devoted student of the piano. I met him at the American Cancer Discovery Shop, on Bullard and West in Fresno about 5 years ago when I was a regular… Continue reading Piano Lesson: An Adult student practices the Presto agitato mvt. Beethoven “Moonlight” Sonata (Video)

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Piano Lesson: W.A. Mozart Rondo Alla Turca: Allegretto from Sonata, K.331 (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

In my instructional video, I discuss how Mozart's light-hearted Rondo is formed and ways to practice it. (The Rondo has a redundant "A" section, interspersed with contrasting B, C, D, etc. musical material) There's a dualism of "A" minor/"A" Major in this concluding movement, not to mention a very moving "D" section interlude in F#… Continue reading Piano Lesson: W.A. Mozart Rondo Alla Turca: Allegretto from Sonata, K.331 (Videos)

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How to Improve Sight-reading at the Piano

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

A universal complaint among piano students relates to sight-reading. They find themselves stumbling through the first playing of a brand new piece, not knowing if an end is in sight. The faltering, (wrong note, right note in treble and bass clefs) can keep a "reader" so contained in one measure at a time, if not… Continue reading How to Improve Sight-reading at the Piano

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Piano Instruction: Flexible wrist, rolling forward motion for shaping groups of notes in Burgmuller’s “Inquietude” (VIDEO)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEAm3TYmSIk I've chosen Burgmuller's E minor "Inquietude" (Restlessness) from the composer's Twenty-Five Progressive Pieces, to demonstrate a spring forward movement of the wrist used with groupings of three slurred 16th notes that permeate the selection. I also enlist syllables, "da-lee-dle" to assist with shaping the 3-note figures. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyzhVZJODn0 The Schirmer edition is below. I use… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Flexible wrist, rolling forward motion for shaping groups of notes in Burgmuller’s “Inquietude” (VIDEO)

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The Art of Phrasing at the Piano: Starting the process with Beginners (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

For some unexplained reason, my earliest piano studies never included the art of phrasing. My primer teacher stressed naming notes, finding them, affixing correct fingering and counting out robotic beats. I knew nothing about feeling a melodic landscape; putting the vocal model center stage in my playing, and breathing through contoured musical lines. My pieces… Continue reading The Art of Phrasing at the Piano: Starting the process with Beginners (Videos)

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To use or not to use a Metronome in the piano studio

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

There's no doubt that one of the biggest challenges in teaching piano students of all ages is imbuing a rhythmic or metrical consciousness. In my experience, younger students, especially, at the primer level of study, want to race off like there's no tomorrow. They might begin a piece in a steady rhythmic frame but succumb… Continue reading To use or not to use a Metronome in the piano studio

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Piano Lesson: Fritz, Age 7, performs his composed piece, “FINDING GOLD” (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFObHOAwNV0 Over a period of three weeks, seven year old Fritz, who'd been taking piano lessons for about 7 months, composed a piece that he titled, "Finding Gold." The student has been using Faber Primer Piano Adventures, with my inserted modifications. He warmed up this past Monday with Lesson Book p. 24, C-D-E-F-G March transposed… Continue reading Piano Lesson: Fritz, Age 7, performs his composed piece, “FINDING GOLD” (Video)

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Music Theory and Piano Study: It doesn’t have to be drudgery

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Music Theory doesn't have to be drudgery If I turn the clock back to my early days as a piano student, I can say without a doubt that I absolutely HATED “Music Theory” or anything remotely related to it. And I can clearly thank my very pedantic teacher, Mrs. Schwed for this aversion. She made… Continue reading Music Theory and Piano Study: It doesn’t have to be drudgery

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Piano Instruction: Teaching Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata, Movement 1 (VIDEO)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGJ_4CS_c4M Beethoven didn't attach "Moonlight" to this first movement of his very popular C# minor Sonata. (Music critics often invented these tags that stuck over centuries) The composer, himself, said his opening was like a fantasy, "quasi una fantasia," and he took particular care to compose his Adagio Sustenuto movement in alla breve, which meant… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Teaching Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata, Movement 1 (VIDEO)

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Are Adult Piano Students Stigmatized?

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Here are riveting quotes from two adult students: The Italics are my emphasis. 1) "I feel like I’m in the adult student ghetto, where much latitude is given and few results are expected. We’re all supposed to be doing it 'for fun.' In a way, of course, that’s right. But in another way, if we… Continue reading Are Adult Piano Students Stigmatized?