Piano Technique Links

With exams coming up, is it any wonder us teachers are asking to hear those pesky scales, chords and arpeggios more often?

Here are some useful links/articles to help improve your piano technique:

• Ironing Out Overactive Thumbs in Scales

• Technique Week

• Piano Technique

Feel free to suggest other sites as well.

(c) 2008 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Angry Piano Music

A few weeks ago, two of my female students (one pre-teen, one teen), were going through a rough week. When we talked about the songs they are currently working on, we came to the realization that there was a gaping hole in their repertoire: they didn't have any " angry" music. When I told them that "angry" piano music does exist, they asked for some to work on.The more advanced student is currently working through Robert Starer's "Crimson" from his Sketches in Color. The 7/8 time signature is delightfully lopsided and it's all fast and furious.

After speaking with some colleagues and conducting a quick Google search, I found a few more titles to add to the list:

look inside

Allegro Barbaro Piano Solo. Composed by Bela Bartok (1881-1945). Edited by Laszlo Somfai. Sheet Music. Paperbound. Henle Music Folios. Classical. Softcover. 12 pages. G. Henle #HN1400. Published by G. Henle (HL.51481400).

look inside

Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 83 Piano Solo. Composed by Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953). Piano. Classical, Contemporary, Russian, Sonata. 32 pages. Sikorski #SIK2178. Published by Sikorski (HL.50483889).

look inside

Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2 (Moonlight) Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827). Edited by Murray Perahia and Norbert Gertsch. Arranged by Murray Perahia. Sheet music. Paperbound. Henle Music Folios. Classical. Softcover. 28 pages. G. Henle #HN1062. Published by G. Henle (HL.51481062).

look inside

Three Piano Pieces, Op. 11 Composed by Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951). 20th Century. Score. 11. Published by Belmont Music Publishers (BE.BEL-1034).

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Danzas Argentinas Opus 2 For Piano with an introduction by Gerald Hugon. Composed by Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983). BH Piano. Classical. Softcover. 32 pages. Published by Boosey & Hawkes (HL.48024360).

If you would like to contribute to this list of angry music, please feel free to post a comment.

I am still trying to find some angry music for my Grade 1 student. She's going to ask her mother to get her some Avril Lavigne sheet music though, so that will help channel her angst.

(c) 2007 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Cal Band Video Game Show - Half Time Intermission

Thanks to my brother for this one. Last year, the Cal Band performed a video game music medley, complete with impressive choreography.

Musings on One Fun Gig

Today I had the pleasure of performing background music at a 90th birthday party. The "birthday boy" is looking very hearty and hale. Both he and his wife could easily be mistaken for being 20 years younger. When I first spoke to the couple, they requested that I play a wide range of music as the youngest family member is 3 months old, while the "birthday boy" represents the top end. I really enjoyed putting this program together, which had everything from All of Me and Fly Me to the Moon to Avril Lavigne's Breakaway and Super Mario Brothers; with some improvising thrown in.

The great grandchildren came to chat with me about music, Guitar Hero II and karate while I played the Inspector Gadget Theme and Willy Wonka's Welcome Song. One six-year old asked if he could play with me so we jammed on a boogie pattern while his cousins bopped to the music and "comped" when the inspiration struck.

They said my hands moved pretty fast. Meanwhile, I was thinking, "I need to practice my scales even more!" I stayed to chat afterwards with one of the grandchidlren, a former coworker of mine whom I haven't seen in years. It was a pleasant surprise to see her there.

The gig wasn't without its glitches. My break was used up over a dropped key. When the party moved to the venue's dining room, I found the piano locked. I went to get the key when it fell into the piano. Three gentlemen (four if you count my six-year old assistant) tried to pull it out because it fell in the most inconvenient spot.

I also think perhaps the Heritage Park ghosts decided to play a practical joke on me as my pages kept flipping on their own during my Beatles songs and Breakaway. Perhaps it was their way of saying that they wanted more ragtime and boogie? Who knows?

With a bit of tweaking and revising, I think I can reuse the program at future gigs.

(c) 2008 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.

Music Practice Articles

This week, I've assigned some of my students online music games at www.sfskids.org and www.nyphilkids.org and I have been cajoling all of them to try shorter, more frequent practices. Improvising and composing on my new toy (stage piano) is another exciting activity for them.

Here are a few articles with tips, tricks, ideas and suggestions:

The Extreme Piano Guide, or 30+1 Ideas to Improve your Practice TimeA Guide to Great Home Music PracticeChildren's Music WorkshopPracticeTop Tips for PracticeMr. Morgan's Class - Practice TipsLessonmatch.com: Practice Tips

(c) 2008 by Musespeak(tm), Calgary, AB, Canada. All rights reserved.