After 6'4" Big Mike sits snugly in front of my Baldwin grand--his knees crushing in on him, he's thoroughly prepared to avoid a set of land mines that trigger a wrong note implosion. Normally when his mega-sized third finger depresses a G, wedged between framing black notes, he's at HUGE risk to strike TWO notes… Continue reading When big hands and fingers play unwanted notes
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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
Sight-reading, Transposition, and Ear-Training for the Adult Piano Student
Setting aside a segment of lesson time to work on sight-reading and transposition is an essential ingredient of piano learning. It sensitizes a student to interval relationships while inviting an analysis of notes within a tonal, harmonic, and rhythmic frame. In the transposing universe, Bartok's *Mikrokosmos provides an excellent source of such material in graduated… Continue reading Sight-reading, Transposition, and Ear-Training for the Adult Piano Student
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
Experimentation and refinement are the ingredients of music teaching and learning
One of the joys of teaching piano is to experience awakenings with our students as we experiment with phrasing, and refine original perceptions. And while a piano teacher is considered a mentor to a student, he/she clearly realizes that roles are easily reversed when a pupil inspires further experimentation and clarification. In exploring the Romantic… Continue reading Experimentation and refinement are the ingredients of music teaching and learning
Seymour Bernstein’s take on Pianist, Glenn Gould
Seymour: An Introduction, produced by Ethan Hawke, is making the rounds through a series of reputable film festivals. Recently screened in Telluride (Colorado) and soon to make its Toronto, Canada debut followed by a Lincoln Center touchdown, the 81-minute documentary has scooped up a Sundance Selection and amassed rave reviews along its way. (Hollywood Reporter… Continue reading Seymour Bernstein’s take on Pianist, Glenn Gould
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