Tag Archives: Piano Performance
The girl with no fingers
A fairly remarkable performance by a girl who has no fingers on her right hand. One always approaches these videos with some skepticism, but it looks legit to me. It’s rather annoying that the camera has panned out at the … Continue reading
Grab me by the throat
You have two bars to make me want to listen to this piece. The performance is in six weeks. You know the piece. The details – voicing, shaping, structure, pedal – have all been worked out. Now it’s time to … Continue reading
You win some. You lose some.
Reflections after the student Christmas Recitals. Win some: Best comment from a parent: “I can’t keep her off the piano. In the middle of dinner she has to get up to play a piece before she finishes eating.” Lose some: This … Continue reading
Posted in Business of Teaching, Examinations, General, Performance, Practice Tips, Studio News
Tagged Piano, Piano exams, Piano Lessons, Piano Performance, Recital
6 Comments
A spooky sound
Just in time for Hallowe’en-ish music – or any other music that could be conceived of as spooky – here’s a tip from Elissa Milne’s P Plate Piano beginner books via David McKay. Depress the bottom few keys without sounding … Continue reading
Posted in Performance, Piano pedagogy, Practice Tips
Tagged halloween piano music, pedaling, Piano Performance, Pianos
3 Comments
It’s OK. Play a wrong note.
Last spring we heard an excellent talk by Edwin Gnandt (Professor at Ambrose University College) on the shifts in piano playing and teaching from the Romantic Period to the current scene. A summary can be found by clicking here. Last week … Continue reading
Attitude Adjustment
You go to workshops and conferences hoping to learning something new. How much you learn depends in part on how much you already knew. Some sessions are great, some are not. Sometimes I walk away thinking I don’t know a … Continue reading
The soul of the piano
Oh the gaps! It was one of those moments. I was reading a book on pedal technique and a 150-Watt light bulb came on. How could I not have known? I knew that pedal was more than just a means … Continue reading
Posted in Books about Music, Performance, Piano pedagogy, Practice Tips
Tagged pedaling, Piano pedagogy, Piano pedal, Piano Performance, Practice Tips
2 Comments
Small Hands
I’m no expert on this topic. My hands, while not large, are not so small that I can’t get around a lot of stuff (I can reach a 9th comfortably enough). I do somehow end up with a lot of … Continue reading
Recharging
Image: Pops Digital What a weekend. Friday night … Continue reading
12 Most Written Comments on Exams
A number of years ago I went to a Conservatory Canada teacher workshop given by Ontario teacher and examiner Emily Dow. She presented the listening protocol used by examiners and left us with this useful list. I’m sure we’ll all … Continue reading
Posted in Examinations, Piano pedagogy, Practice Tips
Tagged Piano exams, Piano pedagogy, Piano Performance
Leave a comment
