Tag: wordpress blog

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The Art of Phrasing at the Piano: Starting the process with Beginners (Videos)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

For some unexplained reason, my earliest piano studies never included the art of phrasing. My primer teacher stressed naming notes, finding them, affixing correct fingering and counting out robotic beats. I knew nothing about feeling a melodic landscape; putting the vocal model center stage in my playing, and breathing through contoured musical lines. My pieces… Continue reading The Art of Phrasing at the Piano: Starting the process with Beginners (Videos)

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Piano Instruction: Out of a Rut with Spot Practicing

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

I've discovered a way to advance a piece that's found itself in the doldrums --held back by the same snags that most students dread and want to avoid. The remedy boils down to spot practicing with a generous serving of patience. We all remember our teacher's mantra to separate the hands and play very slowly… Continue reading Piano Instruction: Out of a Rut with Spot Practicing

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Playing two pieces from my ‘Moonbeams’ Collection (Video)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vobA3Wb8nOY I thought I'd surprise myself with a Moonbeams reunion. "Hebrew Melody and Variations" is performed first, followed by the title piece, "Moonbeams." The remaining 8 selections vary in mood, character, and tonality. RELATED: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/the-piano-teacher-as-composer-using-my-moonbeams-collection-as-an-example/ https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/03/27/piano-students-as-composers-stimulating-a-creative-teaching-environment/

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Making Pianistic Compromises: Schubert Impromptu in Eb, Op. 90

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHFOPFzUxUw I was struck by a post at Piano World.com about making compromises when playing difficult passages. The writer referred to a technically challenging Chopin work: "But I simply cannot manage to get every note in on the two long runs, the first of which comes on measure 15. When trying to play to speed,… Continue reading Making Pianistic Compromises: Schubert Impromptu in Eb, Op. 90

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In a Piano Teacher’s Arsenal: The Magic bullet piece (VIDEO with Aiden Cat joining in)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

There's always a piece of music lurking somewhere that can save a young student from quitting piano. For those of us who teach the great masterworks, passing a cultural legacy to the next generation, we know lickety-split when it's time to break out our ammunition: the magic bullet piece. Example: An 11-year old had gotten… Continue reading In a Piano Teacher’s Arsenal: The Magic bullet piece (VIDEO with Aiden Cat joining in)

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Domenico Scarlatti Sonata (Toccata) in D minor, K. 141 with reams of repeated notes (VIDEO)

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQiaWoJaUfQ Domenico Scarlatti never fails to come up with a flashy pyrotechnical escapade that can make or break a player in progress. I know, because I've walked the plank with this piece until I was able to reverse my fortune and run with it happily into the horizon. Any number of times those repeated notes,… Continue reading Domenico Scarlatti Sonata (Toccata) in D minor, K. 141 with reams of repeated notes (VIDEO)

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Performance Anxiety and the Pianist

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

For too long performance anxiety was a taboo subject, always swept under the rug. I remember grappling with paralyzing jitters during my years at the New York City High School of Performing Arts. My piano teacher at the time, a seasoned professional, would always say the same thing: "Honey, the music is bigger than you… Continue reading Performance Anxiety and the Pianist

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The iPhone Invades Piano Lessons

arioso7: Shirley Kirsten

Monday, Jan. 24th, was a first! Esmeralda, a retired attorney, who'd been taking lessons from me for a year, entered my El Cerrito piano studio with a bright red iPhone as a sign of the times. A dangling rectangular prism packed with limitless software had replaced her simple gold cross. This latest "look" included a… Continue reading The iPhone Invades Piano Lessons