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
practice
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
Making the hardest parts easier: perspective, planning, practice.
When we learn a new piano piece, there is often a particular stretch which gives us the most trouble. It’s usually toward the end, one… Continue reading Making the hardest parts easier: perspective, planning, practice.
Rachmaninov Warm-Up
Today I was practicing one of my favorite pieces by Sergey Rachmaninov – Variations on a Theme by Corelli, Op. 42 – and it occurred… Continue reading Rachmaninov Warm-Up
Minding your Ps and Qs (Pauses and Quarters)
Here is a tip which will go a long way toward refinement of your playing: let go of single accompaniment notes at the precisely designated… Continue reading Minding your Ps and Qs (Pauses and Quarters)
How to Approach Sight Reading for Yourself or With Your Students
Sight reading is a very important skill which is often neglected during piano lessons and while practicing because of time constraints. It’s way at the… Continue reading How to Approach Sight Reading for Yourself or With Your Students