Playing With Wolfgang: Becoming Vulnerable
“But what does it mean?,” I asked. I used to ask that a lot when I was little. I remember that time clearly though. My Dad and I were in…
When Tigger is Feeling Bouncy at Piano Lessons
As two grinning young people blasted through my door and ricocheted off the walls, I thought that, like Tigger, they were “feeling bouncy today.” So, what do you do when…
This Is Your Brain On Meter & Voicing
Have you ever been horrified to discover rhythmic or voicing errors in music you have known and performed for some time? It happens. A case in point for me is…
Beethoven on Social Media: Teaching Advice
I encountered the following tidbit on Twitter last week and it immediately sent my thoughts whirling. It is from one of the letters of Beethoven. In it Beethoven gives advice…
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.…
The Enterprising Pianist: Story, Music, Art, Video
When I was a kid, I was kind of addicted to the Choose Your Own Adventure book series. The idea of reading a story and being able to proactively change…
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…