Learning Notes, or Learning Music?
Practising the Piano
by Informance
6d ago
In this week’s blog post, Ken Johansen discusses the importance of learning a new piece musically from the outset rather than focusing purely on learning the notes. *** *** *** I often ask the students in my keyboard skills classes at the Peabody Conservatory what they are working on at the moment. They tell me a Bach Prelude and Fugue, or a Beethoven Sonata, or a Chopin Ballade, and then they frequently add, “but I’m just learning the notes right now,” the implication being that the expression will be added later, presumably by their piano teacher. This statement is so common, especially amon ..read more
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Pieces to Play – Great Classical Piano Hits!
Practising the Piano
by Informance
1w ago
This instalment in our Pieces to Play series features some of the most popular pieces from the classical piano repertoire, including Beethoven’s ubiquitous Für Elise (with a twist!), Debussy’s Clair de lune, the mesmerising Gymnopédie No. 1 by Eric Satie and Chopin’s melancholic Nocturne in C# Minor (Op. Posth.). Beethoven – Für Elise (Bagatelle No. 25 in A Minor, WoO 59) Für Elise is arguably one of the most popular classical piano pieces of all time. All pianists likely have either played it or want to play it at some point! Although the exact origins of the piece remain somewhat mysterious ..read more
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Playing Piano Music from the Classical Period (Part 2)
Practising the Piano
by Informance
3w ago
In this second part of my blog series on playing music from the Classical Period on the piano, I go on to explore dynamics, pedalling, ornamentation and embellishment (please click here to view the first part which gives some general backround and covers the subject of articulation). Dynamics In the 18th century, mostly f and p were used, but lots of variety was possible within these limits, and crescendo-diminuendo was possible to bridge the gap. We see also fp, mfp, sfp, sf and fz. Beethoven’s markings were very precise, with a range from pp to ff. Schubert’s markings were less precise. With ..read more
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Playing Piano Music from the Classical Period
Practising the Piano
by Informance
1M ago
The Classical Period, chiefly represented by the Viennese masters, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, refers to the music of the late 18th and early 19th centuries (approximately 1750 – 1820). During this period, the harpsichord gave way to the piano which evolved rapidly from its early beginnings. When we approach the performance of music from this period, there are certain stylistic traditions we need to be aware of to play confidently and convincingly. In this two-part blog series, I will explore some of the key features of Classical style, with a special focus on touch and articulation, dynamics ..read more
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Pieces to Play – Debussy, Bartok, Jazz & More!
Practising the Piano
by Informance
1M ago
This instalment from our Pieces to Play series features a selection of modern pieces from one of Debussy’s impressionistic masterpieces through to a charming, jazzy tribute by Valerie Capers. Also included is Bartok’s ingenious Mikrokosmos for honing technique at all levels and a beautiful prelude by Rachmaninoff! Bartok – Mikrokosmos (Volumes 1 & 2) Bartok’s Mikrokosmos develops pianism at all levels – most especially when it comes to sharp thinking and physical enjoyment. In his new video series, William Westney illustrates in detail why these works have long bee ..read more
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Why Good Piano Technique is Important
Practising the Piano
by Informance
1M ago
When we learn any new skill, whether it’s a sport or a craft or learning to drive, we start by learning good technical skills. In this way, we progress quickly and confidently in our chosen activity. However, piano playing can feel a bit overwhelming initially because of the many elements we have to consider – right hand and left hand coordination, reading rhythms and notes on the treble and bass clef, finding and playing those notes on the piano, fingering and so on.  Traditional approaches to learning Traditionally, most pianists have been encouraged to start by learning to read music w ..read more
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Pieces to Play – Galuppi, Bach & the Schumanns
Practising the Piano
by Informance
2M ago
Are you looking ideas and inspiration for new pieces to learn? Or are you a teacher searching for interesting repertoire for a student? Our Pieces to Play series showcases a selection of works with links to new or existing resources in our repertoire library to help you learn them! This instalment features works at a variety of levels, including some interesting alternatives if you’re looking for something different. Starting with the well known first piece from Robert Schumann’s beloved Album for the Young, we then look at a nostalgic favourite by MacDowell followed by an excellent introducti ..read more
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Key Skills for Excellent Sight Reading
Practising the Piano
by Informance
2M ago
There is so much great music to play, but often pianists struggle to learn music quickly. Many would love to be able to open a book and just play or be confident enough to play new music with others. Despite its many benefits, sight reading is rarely taught and is often thought of as something you either have or you don’t. However, it is possible to develop sight reading skills, but you need to know how to go about doing this. In this article, Lona Kozik shares a few skills she discovered which helped her go from being hopeless at sight reading to earning a living as an accompanist and working ..read more
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What’s in Store for 2024?
Practising the Piano
by Informance
2M ago
We hope that you all had a peaceful and enjoyable Festive Season and that 2024 is off to an excellent start for you so far. We have an array of exciting of plans in store, including lots of new content and several events to inspire and energise your piano playing over the coming year! Developing sight reading skills Our events programme kicks-off on the 25th of January with an online presentation on how to become an excellent sight reader by Lona Kozik. Lona will show you five key skills that can be applied from beginner to advanced levels to improve your sight reading and ability to learn pie ..read more
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New Year, New Piano Goals!
Practising the Piano
by Informance
3M ago
The New Year is an excellent time to set some goals for your piano playing for the year ahead! Are there new pieces you’re aiming to learn, or areas of your technique you’re looking to improve? Or do you want to develop some new skills or possibly work towards sharing your playing with others? In our first blog post for the year, we share some ideas and resources to help you along the way, whatever your goals might be!    Expand your repertoire It’s always exciting learning new pieces and if you’re looking to build solid foundations from the outset, why not try our free email course ..read more
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