Back in the 1990’s, I was attending a Master Class of Oxana Yablonskaya – a pianistic powerhouse and Juilliard teacher – and heard her say… Continue reading Learning Chopin: Left Hand Comes First
Technique
Bach: The Energy Between the Voices
What is so special about J.S. Bach’s music? For us keyboardists it’s the contrapuntal texture which can be maddeningly difficult yet exhilaratingly uplifting. The synthesis… Continue reading Bach: The Energy Between the Voices
The Tyranny of the 5-finger Position
When I was completing my M.A. in Piano Pedagogy, one of the courses involved a broad survey of existing piano method books. To my dismay,… Continue reading The Tyranny of the 5-finger Position
To Help Your Trill Linger, Skip a Finger!
Trills can be daunting to some of us since it takes years of practice to develop enough finger strength/independence necessary for sustaining a fast trill.… Continue reading To Help Your Trill Linger, Skip a Finger!
Bach Toccata Exercise
A piano warmup/workout for the 1st and 5th fingers excerpted from Toccata BWV 914 I was playing through Bach’s keyboard Toccata BWV 914 in E… Continue reading Bach Toccata Exercise
The Importance of Rests: Listening to Silence
How often do we pay attention to rests in our music? When beginning to learn about notation and rhythm, we naturally think of the notes… Continue reading The Importance of Rests: Listening to Silence
Fourth Finger Exercise
Here is an excellent exercise from the Russian piano tradition passed down to me from Vladimir Feltsman. It works on our weakest finger, the 4th,… Continue reading Fourth Finger Exercise
Using the Pedal For Bach?
Should we ever use the damper pedal in Bach? We all know that using the damper pedal in original Baroque keyboard works is discouraged. The… Continue reading Using the Pedal For Bach?