Tag Archives: phrasing at the piano

Phrasing at the Piano: Direction and Destination

Posted on October 17, 2016 by

Often I query my students about the “destination” and “direction” of phrases within a particular composition. Naturally, my questions are a reflection of a need to clarify what arrivals are significant in the transit of notes. Part of this exploration … Continue reading →

Posted in Chopin, Frederic Chopin, phrasing at the piano, piano, piano blog, piano blogging, piano instruction, piano lessons, Shirley Kirsten | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Piano Pedagogy article by Byron Janis in the Wall Street Journal

Posted on August 31, 2016 by

http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-power-of-pedagogy-1472507353 This latest piece on how to teach piano (creatively) is gathering attention far and wide, most notably as an eye-catching feature in the Wall Street Journal. And if I’m not mistaken, an article on the joys of returning to … Continue reading →

Posted in piano, piano blog | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Stay LONGER with a piece for higher levels of learning and awareness

Posted on May 9, 2015 by

All too often piano students give up on a piece after so many weeks of exposure, thinking the fingering is settled, the beats are well-measured, and the notes have fallen into place. At this juncture, a Big STOP SIGN must … Continue reading →

Posted in adult piano instruction, Bach, Bach Invention 13 in A minor, Bach Inventions, blogger, blogging, Classical music blog, J.S. Bach, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano blog, piano instruction, piano learning, piano teaching, wordpress, you tube | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Good phrasing: listen for the decay, and psyche out your piano

Posted on May 7, 2015 by

The theme of today’s Online lesson beamed from North Carolina was following the decay of a note from the end of a phrase into the next measure with a thread of continuity. To have good conjunction between phrases one has … Continue reading →

Posted in adult piano instruction, Chopin, Frederic Chopin, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano, piano blog, piano blogging, Shirley Kirsten | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Adult Piano Instruction: Exploring weight transfer and supple wrist motions for improved phrase shaping

Posted on August 1, 2014 by

A new adult student is working on Beethoven’s Sonatina in F, one of the composer’s less played works, but nevertheless quite a musical gem. While the composition has a Mozartean flavor, the abrupt shift in dynamics in the opening theme, … Continue reading →

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Harmonic rhythm awareness and blocking help phrasing

Posted on May 29, 2014 by

Besides having at least a rudimentary understanding of chord progressions, it’s advantageous to be able to “sing” internally, or in full voice, as you accompany yourself through a cantabile movement. A good example, is the Andante of the supposedly “easy” … Continue reading →

Posted in Mozart Andante K. 545, you tube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Facing the Music on FACETIME

Posted on October 16, 2013 by

  Burgmuller’s “SORROW” received a BOOST on FACETIME where it was the PITS on SKYPE. The latter sometimes mimics jet landings with a whoosh sound, while an echo chamber effect causes unwanted tremolos. In this “FACE”-beamed environment, a formerly LIVE … Continue reading →

Posted in classissima, classissima.com, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Skype, wordpress.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment