Playing With Wolfgang: Ravel in Pi
This Valentine’s morning, as I browsed through my Twitter feed, I was instantly transported back to one spring semester during my undergraduate days. The tweet went like this: A Strauss…
Thoughts On An Upcoming Competition
Some thoughts for my student as she prepares for a Welcome to the next step of your personal musical journey. You will meet some colleagues who are musically much more…
Guest Post: Teaching Students From Different Backgrounds, Neeki Bey
Those of you who know me, know that I am totally against, what my friend calls, "drive by arts experiences". These experiences can encompass a range of genres; the Chopin…
PA Shorts: Sound Images
It’s that time of year again—time for the college fall recital. We always try to do something unique and different (put on a show) so that the audience is glad…
Finding Inspiration
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…
Artist Portrait: Sarah Fimm
Last week, singer songwriter Sarah Fimm and I chatted via Skype about what drew her into music, her teachers and mentors, helping young artists, her new album Near Infinite Possibility,…
What’s On The Inside
“Wow !” I said, “You are like a different pianist!” And she was. Before, there had been surges and awkward accents in the opening to her Intermezzo, impossible to remove…
A Comparative Resolution
Insert the words; my child, myself, my student, my colleague, or someone’s name in the blanks as appropriate. I will not compare ____________________to Horowitz, Rubinstein, Brubeck, the tenant on the…