Tag Archives: You Tube

Music and Words Revisited in Chopin’s compositions

Posted on September 25, 2016 by

In a lifetime, a few flashing moments of inspiration may guide our musical journey, deepening our understanding of a composer and his music. In this nostalgic universe of enlightenment, I treasure a precious parcel of wisdom imparted by gifted pianist/teacher … Continue reading →

Posted in Chopin, Frederic Chopin, Irina Morozova, piano, piano instruction, The Special Music School | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Ingredients of beautiful phrasing

Posted on September 20, 2016 by

In the course of three piano lessons, spacing, shaping, voicing/balance, grouping, harmonic rhythm analysis, relaxed breathing, singing tone and pulse, etc. were resonating interdependently through beautiful phrases. And with the introduction of two minor scales as a springboard to the … Continue reading →

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A 9-year-old piano student devises a plan to improve her practicing

Posted on September 15, 2016 by

Into her seventh month of music study, Liz has more clearly defined her approach to practicing various pieces by devising a well-written outline of phrase-loving reminders. And though her vocabulary is an understandable offshoot of her teacher’s, with its emphasis … Continue reading →

Posted in piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano teaching, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Piano Technique: Playing Lyrical Legato Octaves

Posted on September 8, 2016 by

I recall my beloved teacher, Lillian Freundlich, teaching me how to play singing tone, legato octaves through a process that separated the upper fingers, 4 and 5, from the lower thumb progressions. She would not advance to the actual octave … Continue reading →

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Piano Pedagogy article by Byron Janis in the Wall Street Journal

Posted on August 31, 2016 by

http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-power-of-pedagogy-1472507353 This latest piece on how to teach piano (creatively) is gathering attention far and wide, most notably as an eye-catching feature in the Wall Street Journal. And if I’m not mistaken, an article on the joys of returning to … Continue reading →

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Piano Technique: Finding a secure nesting ground on Black Notes

Posted on August 28, 2016 by

In our Circle of Fifths journey through the ARPEGGIO universe, the one KEY that stands out as the most dreaded among adult students, is F# Major. A slippery slope of skinny raised BLACK notes, it often feeds separation anxiety from … Continue reading →

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Piano Technique: Different Strokes for Different Folks

Posted on August 23, 2016 by

I’ve heard myself say a thousand times over, that each individual piano student deserves a custom designed plan of study. In essence, there’s no instructional METHOD fixed in perpetuity that will fit every musical traveler. In fact, with a diversity … Continue reading →

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