Piano Technique: Playing with bigger energies beyond the fingers

Practicing a programmatic miniature from Kabalevsy's Op. 39 Children's Pieces can draw on energies well beyond the fingers. "Funny Event" is a good example with its series of sound bursts on the first beat of each measure. If a student takes the pecking approach, typing away at the keyboard, one note at a time, his…

Photo memories of my December 2012 trip to NYC

A native New Yorker, I rarely found myself at the Statue of Liberty, but yes, to Central Park, and gentle walks though Fall and Spring paths. My last visit to the home land, was this past December when I sauntered with my daughter, Aviva, along the periphery, taking favorite photos of the lake, and surrounding…

Mozart is a Challenge in any shape, size or form

Tips on learning a Mozart gem!

Revisiting Bach’s Fugue form (BWV 847 in C minor)

Bach's Fugue in C minor, BWV 847 is analyzed and taught

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…

In and out of the closet: The business and practice of private piano teaching

I once posted a blog about this very subject, then deleted it, thinking it sounded like a series of whiny complaints that would pin me as bitter and unrelenting. Then, to my surprise, ten readers contacted me wondering what happened to the writing? They had apparently strongly identified with its content. Well, I had safely…

Digital Piano Review continued: On Location at Best Buy in Fresno CA (6 videos)

This was such a smooth experience. Matthew Wheeler was found playing drums and keyboard in Best Buy's atrium, for want of a better name, and he stopped what he was doing to film me sampling digitals. These were console models: Roland F110, Casio 830, and Yamaha Arius YDP 141. There are six videos, including a…