Seven Steps to a Great                                                   

              Piano Performance                       






1.  Have support from parents and teacher.


2.  Listen to recordings of the piece.  Be aware of different interpretations.


3.   Practice in a goal-oriented way, and pay attention to teacher's specific suggestions.


4.   Use good practice habits.  Make the piece "not difficult" by SLOWING down so that patterns, rhythm, pedaling, and dynamics can all be correct.  Even while playing slowly, play with full passion.  Avoid the habit of playing the piece at full tempo before all elements have been learned---skipping or glossing over the difficult parts.  If you do this, you will "practice in" your errors.


     For students with advance repertoire, focus on the "physical issues":

       Speed      Strength     Endurance


      If necessary for difficult key signatures, practice scales and scale patterns.  A good exercise is a full-octave scale, emphasizing every fourth note. That way you will strengthen each part of the scale.


5.    Use correct rhythms.  In my studio I do not stress counting out loud unless there is a problem.  We aim to feel the rhythm in phrases and measures rather than in 1-2-3-4 counts.


6.   Perform with musicality.  This is the portion that requires the most thought.  Some examples are: Balancing melody and harmony/left and right hands; internal right hand  harmony; shadowing phrases with small crescendos and diminuendos; allowing for individual differences in interpretation. Each pupil's style will be his/her own. In my studio I do not encourage rote playing, and that is why I do not make recordings of my own playing for students to use as a guide.

    "Musicality" is an often discussed, hard to define concept among music teachers.  It is my care and my delight to bring out the "musicality" of each of my students.


7.   Deal with security issues---playing under pressure.  Two factors in performing: Know the left hand part very well.  Know the piece in segments, and be able to start each segment.  I emphasize reading music rather than memorizing, but in those cases where memory work is necessary, the same two factors apply.