Find inspiration in the greatest examples of music (all styles)–art–(sculpture–painting)… Translate this excellence into your music and your approach to work and practice… each of us will share in the joy and benefits as each of you make yours a passionate pursuit of greatness in the small things and the large. Aren’t we all inspired by this kind of greatness, vision, pursuit, drive…and achievement? Bring more AWE, more “WOW!”, more RESPECT….more LOVE to every sound, every note, every breath, that you play, hear and imagine (and someday, for many of you, every phrase that you conduct and teach). This … Read More
saxman64
Avoid the “dark clouds” of discouragement while practicing music that is new to you- practice short sections (usually only one or two beats or so) at a (very slow) tempo that allows you to be totally in command of the musical ideas, just as is a virtuoso…Slowing down to find this tempo where you play the music virtuosically- completely under control- can help you break out of the discouragement brought on by “too-fast” practicing which yields bad attacks, wrong notes, visual confusion as to understanding the notation and musical ideas of the section, unmusical sounds…etc. You can instantly turn … Read More
I. Score Study – Study the full score (piano and solo parts) not just your solo part. Listen to performance recordings with the full score in hand. -Be very familiar with the piano part prior to your first rehearsal with your pianist -Listen to exemplary recordings, while following the piano score. Listen to short sections multiple times to develop more of a sense of expectation and familiarity. The goal is not for you to become a clone of the recording artist’s performance but to add their musical choices (colors, phrasing, vibrato, articulations…etc) to your vocabulary of possibilities. -Write in … Read More
Practice very slowly, with many repeats, very small chunks of music (often one or two beats is most helpful). Practice with an active imagination, that is, pre-hear in your imagination the beautiful tone, pitch, articulations, phrase shapes, etc that you are aiming for each time you practice any passage. Decide on fingerings as soon as you start looking at a new piece of music (decide on, for example, side or bis Bb, fork or regular F#, side C or regular, etc). Decide on page turns early on in your learning process, as these need to be as comfortable and … Read More