In my tepid re-entry into the universe of piano repertoire for two hands, I chose what would be the antithesis of a comfort zone in my injury recovery phase. But just the same, my brain needed stimulation, building neurotransmitters, as it signaled the hands and fingers to regroup in a gradual healing process. Without doubt,… Continue reading A Bach Fugue is a neuron booster and soul searcher
I was telling a musical friend about the discrepancy between what we think we're hearing during our own performances and what bears out in a review of our self-made recordings. This is why teaching and learning opportunities abound in comparing one reading to another by way of video/audio replays. It's not only our own playing… Continue reading Piano performance: The moment of creation can be deceiving and how we can learn from video playbacks
Claudia, 11, and I refined our work on measures 9 through 21, with special attention to Episodes. She practiced shaping voices, balancing them, and creating a gradual crescendo where needed. (form and theoretical analysis were woven into our Fugue exploration) We concluded by playing the Fugue from the opening to measure 18. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5shZxgti0s
Today, September 5th, is Claudia's 11th Birthday! She started lessons with me in 2006 when she had just turned 6 after coming to California from Hawaii. I remember her as a shy but wide-eyed child who had studied piano for a year or so. Students who begin piano lessons at a tender age and stay… Continue reading A piano student’s milestones and memories in photos and video
