Today began on a high note. Ethan Hawke's documentary about Seymour received a rave review in the New York Times. It was the latest in a series superlatives that synchronized perfectly with the film's debut in New York City at the Lincoln Center Festival amidst whispers about a probable Oscar nomination. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/27/arts/ethan-hawke-films-seymour-an-introduction.html?_r=0 To many film… Continue reading The latest about Seymour Bernstein, the Hawk(e), and two colorful Birds
Tag: Word Press
Learning Two Chopin Nocturnes (Eb and F minor) with a framing bass line/treble perspective
One of the biggest challenges in playing the Eb Major (Op. 9) and F minor (Op. 55) Nocturnes is preserving awareness of the fundamental bass note movement against the melody while after beat chords provide a harmonic enrichment in the overall voicing. Too often, however, these chords on the off beats (following the downbeat) somehow… Continue reading Learning Two Chopin Nocturnes (Eb and F minor) with a framing bass line/treble perspective
An adult piano student explores phrase shaping in Chopin’s A minor Waltz, Op. Posth.
I'm always warmed by lovely, contoured phrasing, especially when it's produced by an adult student who's reached a new level of aesthetic consciousness through especially attentive and consistent practicing. This particular player has increased her sensitivity in shaping the Chopin A minor Waltz melody with curves, dips, loops, and tapering, while her left hand that… Continue reading An adult piano student explores phrase shaping in Chopin’s A minor Waltz, Op. Posth.
Piano Technique: Five-Finger positions are good for you!
Piano students of all levels can benefit from 5-finger position romps in many keyboard geographies. That's because a player can experiment with legato and staccato on a bed of black notes; white notes, or combinations of both, without worrying about thumb shifts and complicated fingering maneuvers. In this relaxed spread of the fingers, the pianist… Continue reading Piano Technique: Five-Finger positions are good for you!
Piano Practicing: What to do when you make a mistake
In the universe of playing incorrect notes, I tell students to chill out, and approach a particular glitched passage in an organized manner. (This does NOT include PLAYING the so-called wrong note again ON PURPOSE to eliminate it) When an unintended error is magnified by PLAYING IT again, the brain REGISTERS that action as legitimate.… Continue reading Piano Practicing: What to do when you make a mistake
A Walk Down Memory Lane with Two pint-sized Piano Students
As I foraged through a closet filled with old picture frames, entangled extension cords, discarded lamp shades and pencil sharpeners, I stumbled upon an ancient Digital 8 camcorder that was my original You Tube movie messenger. With its mega-size cassettes and whooshing audio, it still managed to capture my earliest piano lessons with Rina, age… Continue reading A Walk Down Memory Lane with Two pint-sized Piano Students
A Conversation about machine and ear tuning (and more) with Israel Stein, Registered Piano Technician
I couldn't resist an opportunity to immerse myself in an engaging dialog with Israel Stein, RPT, as he was tuning my piano. Regaled far and wide by a community of pianists and teachers as he amasses awards bestowed by his peers at the National Piano Technician's Guild, Stein remains thoroughly dedicated to what seems like… Continue reading A Conversation about machine and ear tuning (and more) with Israel Stein, Registered Piano Technician
Piano Technique: Split-Screen, rolling 4-note arpeggios (C# minor; B minor)
I love to work with students on 4-note arpeggios through inversions, prompting them to ROLL into horizontal, curvaceous groups of notes to avoid up and down finger poking. The elements of visualization ("imagining" motion SHAPES); kinesthetic translation (counterclockwise arm motions) attentive listening, CENTERING, and relaxed, natural breathing, all work in harmony to produce a smooth,… Continue reading Piano Technique: Split-Screen, rolling 4-note arpeggios (C# minor; B minor)
Piano Teacher Stories from the War Zone! (Part One)
So many of us in the field of teaching can hearken back to our earliest piano student years and flesh out a particular individual who was the "worst" teacher to ever come our way. In my case, it was my second teacher who earned the distinction of being the most inept mentor on record, though… Continue reading Piano Teacher Stories from the War Zone! (Part One)
J.S. Bach Invention No. 13 in A minor: A Continuing Journey
Students who embark upon learning the beautifully woven Invention 13, have new awakenings about the Subject and its thread of sequences and development through three pages. And as they explore two independent, though complementary voices in counterpoint, they discover that the Subject and what pieces of it are borrowed as the music plays out, have… Continue reading J.S. Bach Invention No. 13 in A minor: A Continuing Journey
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