Phrasing in Color
I love answering questions! In a earlier post, One Musical Leaf Falling I talked about using color to depict phrasing. This post is a follow up to answer a super question…
Vintage PA: One Musical Leaf Falling
A few years ago, my husband and I took a daytrip to Madera Canyon, near Tucson. At 5000 plus feet, the aspens were just losing the last of their leaves.…
Playing With Wolfgang: Gershwin, Lecuona, & Messiaen Meet Artistic Process
"I don’t see why you chose that artwork," she said. "There is plenty of 20th Century art that would match these pieces and the time they were written much better."…
Finding Inspiration: Redux
It is human nature to have a gut belief that everyone finds musical inspiration just as you do. The way we operate is just so intrinsic to who we are…
Vintage PA: Happy Little Trees
One evening, while my class piano students were working on their improvs for the midterm, I suddenly found myself saying, “You don’t need to apologize! Maybe in your world there’s…
That’s Weird, I Don’t Like It
"That's weird. I don't like it." A stony face looked at me from behind brown bangs and round glasses. "Tell me how you really feel," I thought. "What don't you…
Not Exactly Pre-Reading: 1-2-3 Line Read & Play
With the beginning of the school year looming, the teachers I am mentoring are again full of questions about how to best help their beginning readers—especially those who look at the…
Playing With Wolfgang: How Messiaen Taught Me The Law of Opposites
I was immersed in 5 pieces from Messiaen’s Contemplations of the Infant Jesus. It’s hard not to be once you step through the rabbit hole and begin working on them.…