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A long distance Chopin Nocturne Makeover that might help others

It's amazing that at 3 a.m. in the morning, I'd be fussing around with the Chopin Nocturne in E minor (Op. 72, No. 1) that I'd previously embedded in a blog about revisiting old repertoire. Either my kind neighbors love classical music, or they've managed to double pack their ears with spongy stopples. (These can… Continue reading A long distance Chopin Nocturne Makeover that might help others

arioso7, classissima, Elaine Comparone, Irina Bogdanova, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Lillian Freundlich, Murray Perahia, Patelson's, pedaling at the piano, pianist, pianists, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano repertoire, piano student, piano teacher, piano teaching, piano teaching repertoire, Piano World, Pianostreet.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Ralph Kirkpatrick, Scarlatti Sonata in C Major K. 159, Scarlatti Sonata K. 113 in A Major, Schirmer's, Seymour Bernstein, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, shirley smith kirsten blog, Urtext, W.A. Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

What “authentic” edition should a piano student use when learning repertoire of the Masters?

I'm thinking back to my ancient days studying with Lillian Freundlich in New York City. During this period, like any fledgling I relied on my teacher as an "authority" figure to recommend what Mozart Sonata edition, for example, I should buy down at Patelson's. (This was decades before the quaint hub for musicians seeking authenticity… Continue reading What “authentic” edition should a piano student use when learning repertoire of the Masters?

Nikolai Lugansky, pianist, pianists, piano, piano instruction, piano instructor, piano lesson, piano lessons, piano masterclass, piano repertoire, piano student, piano teacher, piano teacher and student relationships, piano teachers, piano teaching, piano teaching repertoire, piano technique, piano virtuosos, pianoaddict.com, pianoworld, pianoworld.com, playing piano, Romantic era music, Romantic music, Russian pianist, Russian piano teacher, Russian virtuoso pianist, Schumann Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Schumann Faschingsschwank aus Wien Intermezzo, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Tatiana Nikolayeva, Tatiana Nikolayeva teacher of Nikolai Lugansky, Uncategorized, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Lugansky’s piano teacher, Tatiana Nikolayeva, displayed greatness in her own right

What an irony that Nikolai Lugansky, star pupil of Tatiana Nikolayeva was bestowed, perhaps by chance, the masculine form of his teacher-to-be's last name. A prophetic link for both. I noticed that the esteemed teacher Dimitri Bashkirov, refers to his daughter's surname, Bashkirova, so the feminine equivalent of Russian names is often taken within a… Continue reading Lugansky’s piano teacher, Tatiana Nikolayeva, displayed greatness in her own right

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The Piano Repertoire: Does making fingering/hand adjustments constitute a “swindle?”

Seymour Bernstein, author of With Your Own Two Hands, remarked that "Chopin wrote out an outline for an intended method of teaching piano. And when he died he left it to Charles Alkan who never finished it. Wouldn't you think that Chopin would stress at the beginning that everything depends upon a deep emotional involvement… Continue reading The Piano Repertoire: Does making fingering/hand adjustments constitute a “swindle?”

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Nikolai Lugansky, pianist, plays chess and loves poetry

The nearly 7-minute You Tube interview was telling. Luganksy waxed poetic about poetry, and recited one of his favorites by Boris Pasternak. It was in Russian, but it's lyrical lines stole the show. No translation needed. He was seated beside a conductor named Petrenko, and both were being queried by the first bassist of the… Continue reading Nikolai Lugansky, pianist, plays chess and loves poetry

"A Little Nightmare Music", arioso7, Bach Prelude in C from the Well-Tempered Clavier, comedy, Eagles Talent Speakers Bureau, Joo and Ingudesman, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, Mitchell Zeidwig, piano related comedy, Richard Hyung-Ki Joo, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

A fine pianist and comedian rolled into one!! (plus a bonus peek at a hilarious duo)

The multi-talented Mitchell Zeidwig is one of a kind. While Victor Borge considered the safety of the piano bench his principle domain give or take a few slips and slides, Zeidwig tempts the gods by going the greater distance with his super-daredevil routines. He'll climb in and out of a grand piano's cramped space and… Continue reading A fine pianist and comedian rolled into one!! (plus a bonus peek at a hilarious duo)

Aimi Kobayashi, Aristo Sham, CAPRICE ESPAGNOL MORITZ MOSZKOWSKI, Daniel Barenboim, Seymour Bernstein, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Piano Performance retrospectives: The seeds of greatness were sown early in life

It was fascinating to discover videos of pianists in their teens that hearken back to their earlier years of study. In all, a hallmark feel for the phrase and nuance highlights their performances in the past and present. In addition their heartfelt playing rises above the notes and communicates a musical passion that is unabashedly… Continue reading Piano Performance retrospectives: The seeds of greatness were sown early in life

Birds, Birds Book 1 composed by Seymour Bernstein, Birds Book 2 composed by Seymour Bernstein, Manduca Music Publications, music with bird themes, piano teaching repertoire, Seymour Bernstein, Seymour Bernstein composer, Seymour Bernstein pianist, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Kirsten blog, Shirley Smith Kirsten, With your own Two Hands by Seymour Bernstein, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Birds spring to life in these collections for piano!

Here's a case of music composed by a pianist who has an abundance of talent in so many directions that it's dizzying! If I thought LEONARD Bernstein was the renaissance man, with gifts as a conductor, pianist, composer, and mentor, well here comes SEYMOUR Bernstein in a shimmering spotlight of his own! I'm awestruck! Having… Continue reading Birds spring to life in these collections for piano!

"Did Somebody Say Fresno?! " Part V, Fresno, Fresno CA, Fresno in the movies, Hollywood movies that mention Fresno, poor piano maintenance in Fresno, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, Uncategorized, word press, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video

Fresno isn’t such a bad place, after all (“Did Somebody Say Fresno?! Part V” on You Tube)

Not to be a stage mom, but my daughter, Aviva is having a good time doing her thing archiving Hollywood movies that more than mention Fresno. (She's just released, "Did Somebody Say Fresno?!" Part V.) Producer/video editor all in one, Ms. Kirsten makes a blockbuster cameo appearance in the opening, evoking Alfred Hitchcock's movie-making days.… Continue reading Fresno isn’t such a bad place, after all (“Did Somebody Say Fresno?! Part V” on You Tube)

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George Gershwin’s Prelude no. 2, and the retirement home circuit (Videos)

When I did my retirement home tours, feisty tunes were more well-received than the melancholy Prelude no. 2 in C# minor. Everybody knew Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm,” and “Rhapsody in Blue,” plus a truckload of Hoagy Carmichael favorites. So, looking back, I should have thought twice about featuring this musical gem as my opener. (as… Continue reading George Gershwin’s Prelude no. 2, and the retirement home circuit (Videos)