Working with One Hand when a piano student has an injury to the other

I recall my piano teaching years in California's Central Valley where I easily counted 10 or more students (usually boys) who had sports injuries. Most often a mom would call about her son's fractured arm or wrist that was incurred on the playing field--soccer, baseball, or during any number of childhood activities. As a consequence,…

Forward Arm Rolls and Rotations

We clarify and refine our teaching skills through self-examination at the piano. As mentors, we simultaneously enjoy a window into our students practicing from week to week. Together we grow as music sharing partners. This leads to what I periodically post in the form of self-teaching tutorials that reach my pupils and well beyond in…

A Voicing Journey using scales as a model

This past week I posted a video to help students navigate the arm weight transfer cosmos, by examining how to alter dynamics from left hand to right and in reverse. One can think of a wrap-around weight on one arm, while the other is load free, lifting up the dynamic to piano (soft). This will…

“Stay in Place” Online lessons, tutorials, and performances

We continue to lift our spirits in cyber, keeping our music exchanges alive and well under the veil of SIP. Ironically, in keeping with the times, many students have asked to study more somber works. Schumann's "First Sorrow, from the composer's Album for the Young, is a popular pick. Next is Chopin's mournful B minor…

Navigating those skinny black keys without fear!

Looking back to my earliest piano lessons in an early 20th century townhouse attic space in the Bronx, off Kingsbridge Road, I recall my happiest moments floating through all white key melodies. It was a Diller-Quaile par duo journey with Mrs. Vinagradov, a very warm and encouraging Russian teacher, who sang line by line lyrics…

Picking a second Chopin Waltz for an Intermediate level student

Coming back to a composition that has personal practicing phases, combined with teaching experiences assists in choosing sequences of pieces for students. In the cosmos of Chopin Waltzes, I discern a consecutive study relationship between the A minor Waltz, No. 19, Op. Posthumous and the B minor Waltz, Op. 69, no. 2. The B minor…

Learning how to Learn

It's always valuable to revisit a process of growing a composition to full potential, keeping in mind that self-imposed progress deadlines are in opposition to a non-judgmental, self-accepting learning environment. In this regard, it's not how long it takes to gain control of technical/expressive dimensions of a piece, but rather, the quality of the steps…

Back Slide, Back Pedal, Back in Business with home-based Back rehab

It was just over a week ago that I wrenched my back while heaving a hand-held, overloaded grocery basket onto the cashier counter. (not bending at the knees) Instantly, an internal alarm sounded as I faced the real challenge of making the one block walk home. For two years I held my back spasms in…

Practicing Contrary Motion Scales (Video tutorial)

I often use scales played in opposite directions to reinforce posture and the body's ability to lean in either direction toward the highest or lowest octave without bench wandering, or dizzying head movements. Since the third octave in these excursions is not within eye range, the advantage of a pull toward the keyboard, (even without…

Teaching approaches: Seymour Bernstein, Marianna Prjevalskaya and Karen Magruder

With gratitude to our mentors who light a path of learning with love, inspiration, knowledge, commitment and enduring patience. *** SEYMOUR BERNSTEIN http://seymourbernstein.com/ https://youtu.be/k-XngqDcJdg My intent in teaching is to make the pupil better than they are by leading them through musical and technical obstacles and helping them find solutions right there at the lesson.…