Each teaching encounter brings a new awakening. A composition that's been practiced to death, taught times over, recorded, retired and reviewed, can still experience a rebirth when a student embarks upon his/her individual musical journey. It's like a parent (mentor) reliving one's own childhood by having children. On Skype today, a pupil who had conscientiously… Continue reading Piano Lesson: Mozart Rondo, Allegretto- Sonata K. 545 with a pedal pushback to Andante
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Me, My Neighbors and J.S. Bach
I spent two full nights with J.S.B., recording at ungodly hours, deleting a lion's share of playings, worrying about my neighbors' patience threshold. With a "runner's high," equivalent of being in the zone, I just couldn't let go of the momentum, as tenants beside me were trying to get some sleep. The LAYOUT Four adjacent… Continue reading Me, My Neighbors and J.S. Bach
An adult student excels: Chopin Waltz in C# minor, Op. 64, No. 2
I'm beaming from ear to ear, as I showcase Julie's progress by way of a recent lesson collaboration. I say collaboration, because students and teachers learn together and gain insights as they take a common musical journey. Julie happens to be indirectly related to me. That is, her mother studied with concert pianist, Ena Bronstein… Continue reading An adult student excels: Chopin Waltz in C# minor, Op. 64, No. 2
Piano Technique: Student/teacher echo exchanges stabilize rhythm and refine articulation
Of my favorite teaching strategies is bouncing warm-ups back and forth with students. We echo short phrases in legato and staccato as a form of rhythmic rehab. The recordings of these interactions become valuable practicing aids between lessons. Yesterday, an adult pupil and I had fun sharing E Minor/Major penta-scales and five-finger position thirds from… Continue reading Piano Technique: Student/teacher echo exchanges stabilize rhythm and refine articulation
Happy Holidays!
To all my faithful readers whom I dearly treasure and appreciate! *** Two grand pianos and my Yamaha Arius digital chime in! http://youtu.be/XQP1OU6a5ak http://youtu.be/5dl0YKJcL0Y http://youtu.be/yYox8SUHwsM And an excerpt from Handel's Messiah http://youtu.be/FyUpV4hEWu8 For those who celebrated Chanukah! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjqM6xYeWAI Wishing all a Happy New Year with dreams fulfilled! A personal favorite: Sleigh Ride, Anderson and Roe… Continue reading Happy Holidays!
Nikolas Sideris, composer, is making a Millennium statement!
It started as a "rant" on a Piano Pedagogy Internet forum. Nikolas Sideris, a prolific, "living" composer of Greek origin insisted that piano teachers were not providing students with a balanced diet of pieces. He faulted them for habitually dishing out Classical and Romantic masterworks minus an ear to the pulse of the 21rst Century.… Continue reading Nikolas Sideris, composer, is making a Millennium statement!
Piano Maintenance: 48 hours of pain and anguish!
What was seemingly a straightforward search and destroy mission surrounding a clicking note, mushroomed suddenly into a PSTD level catastrophe. Pianists, so viscerally tied to their beloved musical partners, can be catapulted over the edge when something unexpected occurs. In fact two post-clicking note repair events had transpired that threatened my mental health. 1) After… Continue reading Piano Maintenance: 48 hours of pain and anguish!
The mystery of NOTE CLICKING B is solved!
Here's a snatch of the bug that invaded Steinway M (1917) as long desired, drought-relieving rains encapsulated the piano for days. (Were weather changes the cause of an uninvited guest seeking sanctuary between hammers, in finite action spaces?) http://youtu.be/CbJkWOrgO5s Israel Stein, RPT/EMT, in "high tech" detective mode, responded pronto, and tenaciously scoped out the uninvited… Continue reading The mystery of NOTE CLICKING B is solved!
Piano Technique: Practicing 4 varieties of detached notes
This evening Big Mike, whose hands are impressively large, finessed various types of staccato. He proved that elasticity is more influential than finger length (and related) in producing clearly articulated notes in diverse colors. We started with a B minor (Natural form scale) enlisting a forearm FORTE staccato, then continued to a soft range, still… Continue reading Piano Technique: Practicing 4 varieties of detached notes
A Piano Gym Workout in Staccato before J.S. BACH
The Piano Fitness Club was in full swing as a well-prepared adult student and I romped through C# minor scales (3 forms) and B Major Arpeggios. Shaping detached notes in piano to forte dynamic ranges was the focus of a quick-paced hour. The B-Major arpeggio, rendered in sprightly 10ths, was remediated in articulated paired sub-groups… Continue reading A Piano Gym Workout in Staccato before J.S. BACH
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