Flashback to the 1990s: I was hanging around between rounds of a piano competition and overheard a participant asking a judge why she has been… Continue reading Getting off to a Good Start
Chopin
Learning Chopin: Left Hand Comes First
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
A Chopin Etude as a Warmup?
Chopin’s Etude Op. 25 No. 1 is great for practicing arm relaxation. However, the entire piece is long and difficult to get through for a… Continue reading A Chopin Etude as a Warmup?
Listening for the Bass in Chopin
While the melody is the focus in Chopin’s pieces, Vladimir Feltsman often remarked that he isn’t hearing the bass notes when students played for him.… Continue reading Listening for the Bass in Chopin
With Chopin, The Left Hand Always Comes First
With Chopin, always learn the left hand first. I heard Nina Svetlanova say that at a master class, and it is absolutely true. To fully… Continue reading With Chopin, The Left Hand Always Comes First