Tag: piano learning

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Keeping up with a fast turnover of repertoire and reclaiming an old piece from the Classical era (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I always make it a point to advise students of all levels, to stay with a piece long enough to feel at one with it--to experience a fluidity of motion that comes from baby-step, layered learning. Despite my admonitions, some pupils choose to remain in the fast lane, whizzing through one selection after another without… Continue reading Keeping up with a fast turnover of repertoire and reclaiming an old piece from the Classical era (Videos)

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Piano Study: Exploring the full gamut of emotions on the way to mastering a new piece (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Taking piano lessons should be a deep-level growth experience with a metaphorical tie-in to life. This means that pieces studied and technique applied should be interwoven to realize emotions of sadness, happiness, grieving, elation, disappointment and whatever comes to mind in the full panoply of human feelings. This is why hearing the word “fun” tossed… Continue reading Piano Study: Exploring the full gamut of emotions on the way to mastering a new piece (Videos)

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Piano Technique: playing parallel octaves in LEGATO (Video and score attached) OPINIONS from 3 pianists

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

It just so happens that Mozart's Variation 3 of his Sonata in A Major, K. 331, presents the challenge of playing parallel octaves in LEGATO (smooth and connected) And to make the task even more complex, the composer uses the A minor tonality, with F# and G# inserted into the passage fleshing out the MELODIC… Continue reading Piano Technique: playing parallel octaves in LEGATO (Video and score attached) OPINIONS from 3 pianists

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Lesson planning for a 5-year old piano student–(Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Rina who's into her sixth month of study, is ready to learn dotted-half notes. Up to now, she's been saturated with black and white cardboard circles included within a packet along with Irina Gorin's Tales of a Musical Journey instruction. The black notes (quarters) are known as "short" sounds, and the white ones (Half-notes), "long-sounds"… Continue reading Lesson planning for a 5-year old piano student–(Video)

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The Suzuki Method for Piano, Pros and Cons

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

The traditional Suzuki method, devised by its pioneer advocate, Shinichi Suzuki applied originally to violin instruction. Students as young as 2 or 3 learned to play their instruments in the way language was acquired, through imitation. (I recalled black and white film footage showing hundreds of Japanese children lined up in rows with baby-size violins,… Continue reading The Suzuki Method for Piano, Pros and Cons

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Irina Gorin’s piano students shine again! (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

It's a never-ending display of piano-playing children nursed along on Tales of a Musical Journey, Irina Gorin's personal creation. A phrase-spinning magic permeates each and every performance, demonstrating a musical sophistication uncommon to the efforts of beginners and beyond. (And many pupils are Carmel, Indiana Arts Council Showcase winners) The teaching material provides a solid… Continue reading Irina Gorin’s piano students shine again! (Videos)

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When sight-reading is not enough: Learning a new piano piece from the ground up so we can teach it to our students (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I'm reminded of a quote attributed to Sviatoslav Richter when asked how he approached a challenging new composition of virtuoso proportion: His reply-- "I read a new piece and then start practicing the place that irritates me the most. After learning that one I move to the next irritation, etc." Well, most of us would… Continue reading When sight-reading is not enough: Learning a new piano piece from the ground up so we can teach it to our students (Videos)

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A Feast of Gillock pieces for Aiden cat (Videos) Big surprise at the end!

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

This feline falls asleep at the drop of a note. What breed of music lover would tune out so fast before a few measures were underway? His history precedes him. During the entire Debussy Arabesque No. 1, he was out cold, except for one detectable ear twitch. Yet he's been known to suddenly spring forward,… Continue reading A Feast of Gillock pieces for Aiden cat (Videos) Big surprise at the end!

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

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

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

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Piano Technique: Chunking an A minor Arpeggio over Skype (Between CA and Australia) -VIDEO

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

The chunking technique of developing pianistic fluency filtered down to an adult student as he practiced his A minor arpeggio over Skype. Mindful practicing required an awareness of common thumb points on each side of his "tunnel" fingers, C and E. I had previously discussed the Bb Major arpeggio that did not have thumb through… Continue reading Piano Technique: Chunking an A minor Arpeggio over Skype (Between CA and Australia) -VIDEO