Piano Pedagogy
Recommended Books
In the print Music Collection, books on the instruction and study of piano are classified as MT 220 to 258. See especially MT 220 which pertains to general works and MT 221, "Physiology of the hand." Aspiring pianists and teachers of piano are also encouraged to seek out the pedagogical writings of accomplished pianists which can often be found in ML 417 within biographies. The recommended books below are sorted by their call numbers. Hover over the info icon to see a description of the book.
Piano Pedagogy: A Research and Information Guide by
Piano Pedagogy: A Research and Information Guide provides a detailed outline of resources available for research and/or training in piano pedagogy. Like its companion volumes in the Routledge Music Bibliographies series, it serves beginning and advanced students and scholars as a basic guide to current research in the field. The book will includes bibliographies, research guides, encyclopedias, works from other disciplines that are related to piano pedagogy, current sources spanning all formats, including books, journals, audio and video recordings, and electronic sources.
Call Number: ML128.P3 C66 2009 (Music Reference)Publication Date: 2009
Piano Lessons with Claudio Arrau: A Guide to His Philosophy and Techniques by
Claudio Arrau (1903-1991) was a Chilean pianist who devoted his life to an international performing and teaching career. As a child prodigy, he gained national recognition from government officials in Chile, including President Pedro Montt, who later funded Arrau's education in Germany. He completed his studies in Berlin with Martin Krause, a pupil of Franz Liszt, and later immigrated to New York City, where he began his teaching career and mentored a sizeable group of pupils. His unique and magnetic style impassioned his pupils and motivated them to teach his principles to the next generation of students, including author Victoria von Arx. Piano Lessons with Claudio Arrau highlights interviews with Arrau's surviving pupils (from his class in New York City, which he taught from 1945 to the early 1970s) that give readers an in-depth description of Arrau's principles of technique and performance. Quotations and lesson transcripts make Arrau's voice - and those of his former pupils - audible, and detailed references to over one hundred examples from filmed recordings make his famed technique visible. The bulk of the book features edited and previously-unpublished transcriptions of lessons Arrau gave his pupils, lavishly illustrated with musical examples. The author, herself a teacher and performer, draws information from numerous interviews with Arrau's pupils, from her experience studying with two of them, from videos of Arrau's performances, and from the recorded lessons. By culling these disparate sources of information and presenting them systematically in a single book, von Arx provides an insider's view of the art of piano playing as exemplified by one of the great artists of the twentieth century and offers the reader a virtual piano lesson with Claudio Arrau.
Call Number: ML417.A8 A9 2014Publication Date: 2014
Menahem Pressler: Artistry in Piano Teaching by
As soloist, master class teacher, and pianist of the world-renowned Beaux Arts Trio, Menahem Pressler can boast of four Grammy nominations, three honorary doctorates, more than 80 recordings, and lifetime achievement awards presented by France, Germany, and Israel. Former Pressler student William Brown traces the master's pianistic development through Rudiakov, Kestenberg, Vengerova, Casadesus, Petri, and Steuermann, blending techniques and traditions derived from Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, and J. S. Bach. Brown presents Pressler's approach to performance and teaching, including technical exercises, principles of relaxation and total body involvement, and images to guide the pianist's creativity toward expressive interpretation. Insights from the author's own lessons, interviews with Pressler, and recollections of more than 100 Pressler students from the past 50 years are gathered in this text. Measure-by-measure lessons on 23 piano masterworks by, among others, Bach, Bartók, Debussy, and Ravel as well as transcriptions of Pressler's fingerings, hand redistributions, practicing guidelines, musical scores, and master class performances are included.
Call Number: ML417.P75 B76 2009Publication Date: 2009
The Pianist's Craft: Mastering the Works of Great Composers by
No pianist can experience the full flowering of her art without eventually grappling with those great musical minds who composed specifically for piano. In The Pianist's Craft, Richard Anderson collects from his fellow pianist-scholars 19 articles on the teaching, preparation, and performance of works by the greatest composers in the standard piano repertoire. This collection ranges in subject matter from Inge Rosar's meditation on playing Bach on the modern keyboard to Gary Amato's assessment of Haydn's sonatas, from Christie Skousen's review of tone production in Chopin to Gwenolyn Mok's foray into recreating Ravel's works on an Erard piano, the same used by Ravel himself. Readers will find essays as well on Mozart's piano compositions, Beethoven's sonatas, the influence of Schubert's lieder on his piano works, and works by Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Bart k, Gershwin, and Crumb. The contributors--all recognized nationally and internationally for their contributions as performing artists, teachers, recording artists, and clinicians--write thoughtfully about the composers whose work they have studied and played for years. Each author addresses issues unique to the individual composer they have chosen to explore, examining questions of phrasing, tempo, articulation, dynamics, rhythm, color, gesture, lyricism, instrumentation, and genre. Valuable insight is provided into teaching, performing, and preparing these great works. In The Pianist's Craft these great artists and teachers answer questions for readers that are otherwise only addressed in conferences, master classes, and private lessons. In this collection of essays, key points of information and instruction are offered with over 200 musical examples included as illustration. The Pianist's Craft is intended for teachers and students of the intermediate and advanced levels of piano, instructors and performers at the university level, and those who love piano and piano music generally.
Call Number: ML700 .P53 2012Publication Date: 2012
The Independent Piano Teacher's Studio Handbook: Everything You Need to Know for a Successful Teaching Studio by
This handy and thorough guide is designed to help the independent piano teacher in all aspects of running his/her own studio. Whether it be business practices such as payment plans, taxes, and marketing, or teaching tips involving technique, composition, or sight reading, this all-inclusive manual has it all! Topics include: Developing and Maintaining a Professional Studio, Finances, Establishing Lessons, Studio Recitals, Tuition and Payment Plans, Composition and Improvisation, Marketing, Communications with Parents, Make-up Policies, Zoning and Business Licenses, Teaching Materials and Learning Styles, The Art of Practice, Arts Funding, and many more!
Call Number: ML3795 .K54 2009Publication Date: 2009
What Every Pianist Needs to Know About the Body: A Manual for Players of Keyboard Instruments by
Techniques on how to gain greater fluidity of movement while playing to improve the quality of the experience are offered in this manual for serious piano players. This book encourages musicians to develop a broader understanding of the involvement of the entire body in playing--and the strains playing places on the body--by focusing on body mapping to increase awareness of the body's function, size, and structure. Ways in which piano, organ, harpsichord, clavichord, and digital keyboard players can eliminate or prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and other debilitating conditions without traditional medical treatments are also explored.
Call Number: ML3820 .M317 2003 and DVD 10100Publication Date: 2003
The Craft of Piano Playing: A New Approach to Piano Technique by
In The Craft of Piano Playing, master pianist Alan Fraser offers readers an original and comprehensive approach to piano technique, offering over 100 illustrations and a series of unique exercises to guide the reader. Drawing on his many years as a performer and teacher, his long-standing collaborations with pedagogue Phil Cohen and virtuoso Kemal Gekich, and his professional training in the Feldenkrais Method, Fraser introduces his truly innovative piano technique by - Teaching how to move your hands with greater sensitivity, power, and accuracy, and honing the skeletal alignments to help you access your innate, structural potency; - Linking your physical technique to musical expression, creating an "absolutely natural way of moving at the piano that is powerful, flexible, and musical" (Piano News, Germany); and - Keeping your hands healthy while avoiding the threats of tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, focal dystonia, and RSI.
Call Number: MT220 .F8 2011Publication Date: 2011
Teaching Piano in Groups by
Teaching Piano in Groups provides a one-stop compendium of information related to all aspects of group piano teaching. Motivated by an ever-growing interest in this instructional method and its widespread mandatory inclusion in piano pedagogy curricula, Christopher Fisher highlights the proven viability and success of group piano teaching, and arms front-line group piano instructors with the necessary tools for practical implementation of a system of instruction in their own teaching. Contained within are: a comprehensive history of group piano teaching; accessible overviews of the most important theories and philosophies of group psychology and instruction; suggested group piano curricular competencies; practical implementation strategies; and thorough recommendations for curricular materials, instructional technologies, and equipment. Teaching Piano in Groups also addresses specific considerations for pre-college teaching scenarios, the public school group piano classroom, and college-level group piano programs for both music major and non-music majors. Teaching Piano in Groups is accompanied by an extensive companion website, featuring a multi-format listing of resources as well as interviews with several group piano pedagogues.
Call Number: MT220 .F47 2010Publication Date: 2010
Adaptive Strategies for Small-Handed Pianists by
Adaptive Strategies for Small-Handed Pianists brings together information from biomechanics, ergonomics, physics, anatomy, medicine, and piano pedagogy to focus on the subject of small-handedness. The first comprehensive study of its kind, the book opens with an overview of historical, anatomical, and pedagogical perspectives and redresses long-held biases concerning those who struggle at the piano because of issues with hand size. A discussion of work efficiency, the human anatomy, and the constraints of physics serves as the theoretical basis for a focused analysis of healthy movement and piano technique as they relate to small-handedness. Separate chapters deal with specific alternative approaches: redistribution, refingering, strategies to maximize reach and power, and musical solutions for technical problems. Richly illustrated with hundreds of examples from a wide range of piano repertoire, the book is an incomparable resource for piano teachers and students, written in language that is accessible to a broad audience. It balances scholastic rigor with practical experience in the field to demonstrate that the unique physical and musical needs of the small-handed can be addressed in sensitive and appropriate ways.
Call Number: MT221 .D43 2017Publication Date: 2017
Note by Note: A Celebration of the Piano Lesson by
In this luminous book, Tricia Tunstall explores the enduring fascination of the piano lesson. Even as everything else about the world of music changes, the piano lesson retains its appeal. Drawing on her own lifelong experience as a student and teacher, Tunstall writes about the mysteries and delights of piano teaching and learning. What is it that happens in a piano lesson to make it such a durable ritual? In a world where music is heard more often on the telephone and in the elevator than in the concert hall, why does the piano lesson still have meaning in the lives of children? What does it matter whether one more child learns to play Bach's Minuet in G? Note by Noteis in part a memoir in which Tunstall recalls her own childhood piano teachers and their influence. As she observes, the piano lesson is unlike the experience of being coached on an athletic team or taught in a classroom, in that it is a one-on-one, personal communication. Physically proximate, mutually concentrating on the transfer of a skill that is often arduous, complicated and frustrating, teacher and student occasionally experience breakthroughs-moments of joy when the student has learned something, mastered a musical passage or expressed a feeling through music. The relationship is not only one-way: teaching the piano is a lifelong endeavor of particular intensity and power. Anyone who has ever studied the piano-or wanted to-will cherish this gem of a book.
Call Number: MT745 .T85 2008Publication Date: 2008
The Performing Pianist's Guide to Fingering (eBook) by
The Performing Pianist's Guide to Fingering, the much-anticipated companion to Joseph Banowetz's The Pianist's Guide to Pedaling, provides practical fingering solutions for technical musical passages. Banowetz contends that fingering choices require much thought and consideration and that too often these choices are influenced by historical traditions and ideas rather than by actual performance conditions. By returning to the unedited original compositions, he strives to help the advanced pianist think through the composer's musical intent and the actual performance tempo and dynamics when selecting the fingering. Banowetz also includes valuable contributions by Philip Fowke, who examines redistributions by Benno Moiseiwitsch in Rachmaninoff's compositions, and Nancy Lee Harper, who explores the often very different approaches to fingering found in keyboard music of the Baroque era. The Performing Pianist's Guide to Fingering will be useful to the advanced pianist and to instructors looking to guide students in improving this important art.
Call Number: ProQuest Ebook CentralPublication Date: 2021
Pedagogy for Non-Classical Styles
The print Music Collection also includes several books on the teaching and learning of popular piano styles. Many are classified in MT 239, "Performance of popular music." The recommended books below are sorted by their call numbers to ease browsing. Hover over the info icon to see a description of the book.
Hot Salsa...¡Caliente!: Transcribed for Piano with Vocals, Horn Sections, and Complete Spanish Lyrics by
(Artist Transcriptions). 8 Palmieri favorites transcribed for piano with vocals, horn sections, and complete Spanish lyrics. Also includes extensive biographical notes along with a CD of practice recordings of each piece. Titles include: Azucar * La Verdad * La Voz Del Caribe * Lo Que Traigo Es Sabroso * Muneca * Oyelo Que Te Conviene * Paginas De Mujer * Palo Pa' Rumba.
Call Number: M1668.4.P35 H6 2008Publication Date: 2008
Precious Lord! How to Play Black Gospel by Call Number: MT239 .J43 1998 (Oversize)Publication Date: 1998
How to Play Popular Piano in 10 Easy Lessons by
"Anyone who can dial a telephone can learn to play popular piano quickly and easily." So says Norman Monath, author of How to Play Popular Piano in 10 Easy Lessons. His no-frills, no-drills method will have you playing simple tunes within thirty minutes--even if you don't know one note from another. The secret? Learning the basic chords and how to adapt them. With lots of clearly illustrated chord examples, keyboard diagrams and practice pieces ranging from "Silent Night" to "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head," Monath teaches you: -the basic structure of music -how to alter the basic chords for creative accompaniment -how to read tunes from sheet music -how to improvise -how to play by ear -how to create your own playing style--whether you lean toward pop, blues, jazz or rock For everyone from rank beginner to experienced virtuoso, this step-by-step, uncomplicated guidebook makes learning to play popular piano the easy and enjoyable experience it should be.
Call Number: MT239 .M68 1984Publication Date: 1984
Jazz Piano: Ragtime to Rock Jazz: How to Play the Great Jazz Styles by Call Number: MT239 .S8695Publication Date: 1975
Gospel Keyboard Styles by
This book digs into the authentic gospel stylings associated with great artists such as Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. The first part of the book deals with the 3/4 or Slow Gospel style (used in the song "Amazing Grace," for example), showing the harmonic techniques needed to create the real gospel sound on the piano. The second part focuses on the 4/4 or Fast Gospel style, where gospel harmonies are combined with up-tempo rhythms and syncopations to create exciting results (such as in Paul Simon's song "Gone at Last"). The techniques covered in this book will help you lead your congregation at the piano, and will inject new ideas into your rock, R&B and funk playing.
Call Number: MT239.H335 G6 2002Publication Date: 2002-03-01
Discovering Rock Piano: How to Play Today's Rock and Pop Music on Piano or Keyboard by
If you have always wished to play like Elton John, Bruce Hornsby, Stevie Wonder, or Alicia Keys, then this book is perfect for you! This is possibly the most useful textbook for all budding rock keyboarders. For beginner to intermediate level players who want to have fun while further developing their performance skills, this book shows what it is all about. Chord playing, rhythmic confidence, and instructions for improvisation with systematic exercises and songs form the focus of this first volume. The book comes with a CD which contains all the pieces within the volume. This facilitates the understanding of theoretical terms in the book, such as phrasing, rhythm, and accentuation.
Call Number: MT239.M67 D5 2008Publication Date: 2008
Interlibrary Loan
Users are encouraged to search for items beyond University Libraries' catalog via RILM Abstracts of Music Literature and WorldCat. Materials not available in print or online may be requested through Interlibrary Loan. Please allow up to seven days for electronic delivery and up to fourteen days for delivery of physical items.