Seymour Bernstein: From Maine with Love

When Seymour packs his bags for the summer, escaping Manhattan's stifling heat, he takes along his soulful music and fistfuls of almonds. The maestro, known for his beloved book, With Your Own Two Hands retreats to an awesome, cabin-like sanctuary that sits on a cliff overlooking the ocean. (It's his daily source of inspiration.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeQ2tJ90OMs…

Pianist, Christyna Kaczynski-Kozel, a local “classic” with an International profile

Christyna Kaczynski-Kozel is a credit to many nations. She's spun around Canada and the Continent, savoring ties to great music mentors, one of whom was a towering figure in the conducting world. In a thread of scintillating and informative conversation, Christyna paid tribute yesterday to her most influential teacher, Sergiu Celibidache. About the conductor: (WIKI)…

A common chorus among adult piano students

As decades pass, and each adult piano student on his personal journey chimes in with a greeting at the start of a lesson, I've noticed a synchronized choir of commonly expressed thoughts. The riveting idée fixe that resonates LIVE and through SKYPE channels, is like the redundant motif of Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique. "I really want…

Piano Technique: Wrist flexibility and relaxed arms

Livia Rev, Hungarian born pianist, who's 98, demonstrates in her playing how flexible wrists and relaxed arms spin beautiful phrases in legato and staccato. In a romp through Czerny studies, we observe her conspicuous, elastic wrist motions. http://youtu.be/LWjnPeQmrKA In a separate video posted to you tube, Rev, literally takes a student's hands and dips the…

Adult Piano Instruction: Sight-reading, Solfeggio, and Transposition

I reserve the last 10-15 minutes of my lessons with a few adult students for sight-reading, sight-singing with solfeggio, and transposition activity. While I begin with short pieces in five-finger positions, the requirement to transpose these in a Circle of Fifth progression (playing Major and Relative minors) is a valuable ear-training experience. In the following…

Exploring a Chopin Nocturne with a theoretical awareness

This week I mass-emailed a note to my brood about the need to take a reputable theory course side-by-side with private piano lessons. Because the teaching hour is packed with technique, new repertoire, review, memorization, a need to deepen knowledge in the universe of theory/harmony and ear-training is a must. By example, I tried my…

A Blissful Hauskonzert through a Meet-up Connection

Well, it finally came to pass, and technology reigned, bridging the distance between player and audience. I was naturally present in body and spirit, but my face with its register of emotions was plainly blocked by my piano rack. About 12 hours before the event, I had posted a video revealing the seating arrangement. It…

Piano Technique: Contrary motion scales without side-to-side head tracking

Most piano students insist on playing contrary motion scales like they're watching a tennis match: heads rolling to either side of the net with well orchestrated rows of synched sports aficionados. When applied to the piano, however, this capo paced hyperactivity will most likely impede fluidity and encourage note errors. One of my adult students,…

A Day in the Life of a Traveling Piano Teacher (Videos)

I take a once a week journey to Rockridge where I teach a private piano student. The 51B bus that I catch in Downtown Berkeley following my gym workout, travels along College Avenue, crossing into Oakland, California. Destination: a lovely two-story home on a tree-lined block, with a sub-level add-on designed specifically for its chief…

Piano Study: Voice parceled learning takes patience but it’s worth the effort

I always tell my adult students to spot practice where they have troublesome measures, and to take the time to voice pieces in detail. In Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata middle movement, Allegretto, the composer has created a chamber music effect---not an operatic framing--and the very character of his ensemble is one of balanced voices. I hear…