Monthly Archives: January 2012
Musings about Chopin: Andante Spianato – and Pink Martini
My favourite band is Pink Martini – a group from Portland, Oregon that plays “music of the world.” They’re a classy group of phenomenal musicians who cross classical, jazz and pop genres. The leader, Thomas Lauderdale, is a fine pianist … Continue reading
Posted in Musings about Chopin
Tagged Andante Spianato, Bolero, Frederic Chopin, Pink Martini, Sympathique
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Studio Improvements
Santa Clause came through for me this year. I got a laptop, speakers, and a printer for the studio. I teach music history so with everything online these days, it is much easier to listen to online recordings. I subscribe … Continue reading
Posted in Studio News
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The Virtuosi
The Romantic period – with its technological innovations and the invention of the solo recital with its new recital standard of playing everything from memory (thank you, Franz Liszt) – gave rise to the virtuoso musician. ”Virtuoso” is not always … Continue reading
Angela Hewitt is coming to town
Angela Hewitt is coming to Calgary to give a recital in mid-February, presented by the Honens Piano Competition. I’ve got my ticket and am looking forward to it. Of course, I’ll have to reschedule lessons, but I’m sure it will be worth … Continue reading
Posted in Canadiana
Tagged Angela Hewitt, Johann Sebastian Bach, Maurice Ravel, Piano Performance, Toccata
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The Piano Guys
Just in case anyone hasn’t seen and heard The Piano Guys, this is their best one yet: It’s a song by Coldplay, and the original was shot on location in Cape Town, South Africa. Alex Boye is singing in Kiswahili … Continue reading
Pedaling the Moonlight Sonata
Beethoven has given us the following mystifying instructions at the beginning of the Moonlight Sonata: ”Si deve suonare tutto questo pezzo delicatissimamente e senza sordino” which in plain English means to put the damper pedal down for the entire movement. … Continue reading
Posted in Practice Tips
Tagged carl czerny, Howard Ferguson, Ludwig van Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata
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Creative Circles of Fifths
Josh Wells at oddquartet.com has designed a marvellous-looking Circle of Fifths. It will appeal to anyone who has read or seen The Lord of the Rings – or any number of other fantasies. It will look great on the bulletin board … Continue reading
Posted in Theory
Tagged Circle of fifths, key signatures, note boys, susan paradis, Theory
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Freeing up some practice time
There was a good column in this morning’s local newspaper – intriguingly titled “Why you should say ‘no’ more often than you say ‘yes.’” It’s not about parenting (my first thought) or eating (my second thought – given that it … Continue reading
Posted in Inspirational
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Pondering the Thumb and the Value of Words
Typical scale sounds: Clunk-2-3-Clunk-2-3-4-Clunk-2-3-Clunk-2-3-4-5. That heavy thumb is hard to get under control. Students so often play as if they have one straight bone from the tip of the thumb to the elbow. They actually seem surprised when I show … Continue reading
How to Compose???
Stephen Hough, the British pianist, composer and writer, posted a couple of articles about whether one can be a musician and not compose and, conversely, whether one can has to be able to read or play music to be a … Continue reading
Get on the Bench!
With apologies to Jen Fink at Pianimation for the title! You might think this is something that came from a gym or something. But, in fact, it is my new adjustable piano bench. I spent only 15 minutes at St. … Continue reading
Teaching note-reading without reading notes
To use an over-used phrase, I was forced to think outside the box with one of my young students this fall. He has now had a year and a half of lessons but can barely read any notes. Being strongly … Continue reading
Posted in Piano pedagogy, Rhythm, Studio News, Theory
Tagged note reading, Piano pedagogy, Rhythm Drills
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