Laura's Music Studio

Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk - Reading Together - Chapters 11 and 12

2026-11-03T00:30:00.000-06:00

In these chapters, Denk confronts the psychological and technical thresholds of musical maturity. As self-doubt and rigid perfectionism threaten his playing at Oberlin, he wrestles with the emotional burden of performance anxiety. Entering graduate study with Hungarian master György Sebők, he transitions into Part Three (Rhythm). Sebők demystifies piano playing by stripping away unnecessary tension, revealing that rhythm is not an external metric prison, but an organic, physical pulse. These chapters capture the liberating shift from desperate control to musical surrender, breathing, and artistic renewal.

If you want to delve into practice habits with your students, here are some resources to do that.

- On the Perils of “Perfect Practice”: Christine Carter & Ellen Hendriksen: Performance psychologists explain how rigid "zero-mistake" practice breeds anxiety, offering strategies to foster adaptive, resilient practicing instead.
- On Rhythm: How to Develop a Steady Pulse: Fitch shows how to move pulse off the page and into the body using physical movement, word subdivisions, and drop-out metronome drills.
- Thoughts on the Art of Practice: Highlights economy of physical effort, unforced weight, and listening over muscular strain.
- Practicing Efficiently: Provides a concrete studio routine to help students who feel overwhelmed or mentally scattered channel their practice time into calm, constructive problem-solving.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here. Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk - Reading Together - Chapters 9 and 10

2026-10-27T00:30:00.000-05:00

These chapters follow Jeremy Denk’s deepening artistic maturity at Oberlin as intellectual theory yields to emotional vulnerability. Under Joseph Schwartz’s persistent questioning, Denk confronts the inner architecture of phrasing, examining how Brahms, Mozart, and Schumann create longing through melodic detours, skips, and non-harmonic resolutions. Beyond technical facility, he wrestles with the psychological toll of self-consciousness, competitive peer scrutiny, and coming to terms with his identity. These chapters offer a penetrating reflection on turning points in conservatory mentorship, where a student stops mimicking mechanical correctness and begins inhabiting the score with genuine emotional courage.

If you want to delve into voicing with your students, here are some resources to do that.

- Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom: Non-Chord Tones and Voice Leading: Provides clear harmonic diagrams and score excerpts showing students how non-harmonic tones create melodic pull and resolution.
- Voicing Chords: Provides step-by-step studio practice drills such as "ghosting" lower harmony notes, dynamic apportionment (giving the melody note 40% of the hand's sound weight), and using isolated finger firmness to help students hear and control layered textures.
- Practice Tips: Bringing out the Melody: Outlines practical studio techniques for intermediate students, including dividing chord voices between two hands, singing on neutral syllables while playing, and physically keeping non-melody fingers glued to the keys while releasing melodic weight into the keys.
- Does Perfectionism Get a Bad Rap? The Right (and Wrong) Way to Be a Perfectionist: Breaks down the psychological difference between "perfectionistic concerns" (fear of failure and judgment) and "perfectionistic strivings" (pursuing artistic excellence), offering actionable mental shifts teachers can use to help students take expressive risks without fear of making mistakes.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here. Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk - Reading Together - Chapters 7 and 8

2026-10-20T00:30:00.000-05:00

Opening Part Two (Melody), these two chapters follow Jeremy Denk’s arrival at the Oberlin Conservatory at age sixteen. Shaken by the humbling reality of conservatory life and guided by Professor Joseph Schwartz, Denk unlearns mechanical efficiency to uncover melodic lyricism. He details the struggle of mastering legato, vocal breath, and phrasing slurs that act as emotional sentences rather than mere curved lines. Interweaving coming-of-age self-doubt with profound musical analysis, these chapters explore the vulnerability of letting the piano sing, showing how an apprentice pianist discovers his individual voice.

If you want to delve into more theory and music training with your students, here are some resources to do that.

- Open Music Theory: An interactive, open-access college textbook with audio examples breaking down how melodic contour, appoggiaturas, and structural arrival points create musical tension and resolution.
- Rhythm Rotation Game: A free printable circle game rooted in Music Learning Theory. Players chant layered macrobeats, microbeats, divisions, or improvised rhythms, then rotate positions so each student experiences every rhythmic role across various meters.
- Tips for Piano Lessons: Henle Verlag provides piano teachers with curated pedagogical guides and downloadable Urtext sheet music excerpts. Covering works by Satie, Grieg, Brahms, and Bartók, each entry offers concrete practice strategies, technical tips, historical context, and leveled repertoire recommendations.
- Ear Training: Shares playful ear-training strategies to enhance improvisation and playing by ear. Resources include "Intervaltoons" pairing intervals with songs, a cookie-decorating melodic dictation game, and monster-themed worksheets to help young students distinguish major and minor chords.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here. Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk - Reading Together - Chapters 5 and 6

2026-10-13T00:30:00.000-05:00

In chapters 5 and 6 of Every Good Boy Does Fine, Jeremy Denk chronicles his family’s move to New Mexico and the pivotal apprenticeship with his demanding professor, William Leland. These chapters capture the transition from precocious hobbyist to disciplined student, exploring how intense technical accountability reshapes a pianist’s internal life. Denk couples sharp adolescent memories (navigating strict score annotations and high-stakes regional auditions) with vivid harmonic lessons on chord voicings and resolution. The result is an evocative study of artistic growth, perfectionism, and the mentors who unlock the emotional weight of classical form.

If you want to delve into more artistry and practice habits with your students, here are some resources to do that.

- Art of Piano Pedagogy (Dr. Mortensen / Cedarville): Masterclass Technical Demonstrations: Leland’s strict regime addresses physical hand posture and deliberate, unhurried practice habits. Dr. Christopher Mortensen’s video demonstrations break down technical mechanics (such as forearm rotation, relaxed finger weight, and thumb crossings) into practical exercises teachers can assign for home review.
- Practising the Piano: Founded by concert pianist and pedagogue Graham Fitch, this site offers deep-dive articles, step-by-step practice routines, and score-based video tutorials designed to help teachers train students to practice independently and analytically.
- Pianodao: This website features an extensive library of free articles covering curriculum development, the psychology of motivation and play, and detailed reviews of classical sheet music and method series across elementary to advanced levels.
- Practicing Efficiently: Joy Morin explains that productive practice requires clearing mental clutter and establishing consistent warm-ups. Instead of mindlessly running through repertoire, students must be explicitly taught how to practice: isolating problem measures, working hands separately, and verifying improvements step-by-step.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here. Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk - Reading Together - Chapters 3 and 4

2026-10-06T00:30:00.000-05:00

In chapters 3 and 4 of Every Good Boy Does Fine, Jeremy Denk navigates his adolescence, trading standard childhood pastimes for rigorous piano lessons. Denk dissects the emotional friction between disciplined drill and artistic impulse, examining how foundational repertoire, such as J.S. Bach’s two-part inventions and early classical sonatinas, shapes technical fluency and musical perception. Balancing witty teenage self-consciousness with profound musical analysis, these chapters explore the grueling mechanics of practice, the early awakening of architectural listening, and the complex, often fraught mentorship that transforms raw enthusiasm into serious musicianship.

If you want to delve into more music theory with your students, here are some resources to do that.

- J.S. Bach's Two-Part Inventions, BWV 772–786: Denk highlights learning Bach’s two-part inventions as a turning point in training both hands to sing independently. This public-domain archive provides historic editions, urtexts, and fingering variants suitable for analyzing voice-leading with intermediate students.
- The Frances Clark Center for Keyboard Pedagogy: Piano Magazine Archives: Chapters 3 and 4 dwell on the psychological tug-of-war between adolescent rebellion and the demands of deliberate practice. The Frances Clark Center publishes peer-reviewed articles, lesson strategies, and repertoire tracks designed to keep intermediate teenagers engaged through technical plateaus.
- Performance Today – Piano Puzzlers & Educational Archive: A core theme in these chapters is Denk learning to hear harmony and architectural structure rather than just isolated notes. Performance Today offers accessible listening guides, interviews with concert pianists, and harmonic breakdowns that instructors can assign to develop analytical listening habits.
- The Bulletproof Musician: Chapters 3 and 4 highlight the psychological grind of daily practice, the struggle to focus through repetitive technical work, and the emotional friction between student and teacher. Created by Juilliard performance psychologist and violinist Dr. Noa Kageyama, this resource translates sport psychology and cognitive research into actionable strategies for music studios. Teachers can use its guides to help intermediate students build deliberate practice habits, navigate perfectionism, and self-regulate during challenging technical development.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here. Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk - Reading Together - Chapters 1 and 2

2026-09-29T00:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first post discussing Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk. In the opening chapters, Denk intertwines candid memoir with accessible music theory. Chapter 1 introduces his restless childhood in New Jersey, where early piano lessons offered a sanctuary to channel his energy amid clumsy fingerings and early technical hurdles. In Chapter 2, he deconstructs the mystery of harmony, moving from basic intervals to the emotional architecture of the triad. Blending humor with insight, he illuminates how chords express tension, longing, and release, showing how foundational keyboard rituals and raw emotional grammar converge to shape a young musician’s understanding of art and sound.

If you want to delve into more music theory with your students, here are some resources to do that.

- Teoria Music Theory: Interactive ear training and harmonic construction that is perfect for reinforcing the concepts in "Harmony, Lesson One." It offers customizable exercises for building and identifying intervals, triads, and inversions by eye and ear, without requiring student logins.
- Music Theory: Animated theory lessons and rapid-fire identification drills that feature clean, interactive visual demonstrations of how chords and scale degrees interact. Teachers can use the Lesson Builder or assign custom-generated practice codes for triad recognition.
- Piano Inspires: Piano pedagogy research, lesson strategies, and repertoire curation from the premier hub for keyboard educators. It regularly addresses early-childhood technical habits, creative ways to teach note reading beyond mnemonics, and reviews of pedagogical literature like Denk's memoir.
- Hooktheory: Visual chord function and harmonic analysis that illustrates harmony using intuitive relative-pitch color blocks rather than strictly traditional notation. It helps beginner and intermediate students see and hear how chords build tension and resolution across familiar melodies.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here. Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk - Reading Together

2026-09-22T00:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the newest Reading Together series. I'll be posting a summary about our reading each week on Tuesdays. Come join us!

We'll be reading Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk. You can get a copy from your local library, or pick up a copy from Bookshop.

We'll read two chapters each week.
I'll post the first installment on Tuesday, September 29. That means you have one week to get a copy of the book and to read the first two chapters.

The great thing about this program is that it allows us to read works together that can help us in our professional development, as well as providing a level of accountability and the added interest of comparing notes as we read together.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here. Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Competitions and Performance Opportunities - Winter and Spring 2027

2026-09-15T00:30:00.000-05:00

MusicLink Playathon
Minnesota students will again be given the opportunity to show off their musical talents by participating in a MusicLink Playathon at the Mall of America. This is a fundraising event sponsored by MMTA and Schmitt Music to benefit the MusicLink Foundation. It has been very successful in raising much-needed funds for the Foundation and is also an exciting experience for students, teachers, and parents while providing a convincing public face to the value of music education.
Date: February 2027 (exact date TBA)
Registration fee: no fee
Ages: any age

https://musiclinkfoundation.org/playathon-registration-form/
Registration deadline: February 2027 (exact date TBA)

Piano Solo Festival
Students who would like to have the opportunity to participate in the Piano Solo Festival at Northwestern University.
Date: March 2027 (exact date TBA)
Registration fee: $20
Ages: 4th grade and up

Thursday Musical - Young Artist Scholarship Competition
Scholarships are awarded in each age division and instrument category. First place awards for college are $1,300; high school, $800; and junior high, $550. Second place and honorable mention awards are also granted. First place winners are recognized with a featured concert performance at MacPhail Center for Music, Minneapolis. Additional performance opportunities are also offered to winners.
Date: February 2027 (exact date TBA)
Registration fee: $25
Ages: 7th grade and up
https://thursdaymusical.org/competition
Registration deadline: January 2027 (exact date TBA)

The Schubert Club Student Scholarship Competition
The Schubert Club Student Scholarship Competition is open to junior high and senior high students. Three cash prizes in each age and instrument category are awarded – $2000, $1500, and $500 – to be used for further musical education.
Date: January 18, 2027
Registration fee: none
Ages: 7th grade and up
https://schubert.org/education/competition/
Registration deadline: January 18, 2027

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

My Piano and Guitar Books

2026-09-08T00:30:00.000-05:00

I have published five books of piano music. They are available as printed and bound books through Amazon.

Each book has 10 to 13 original pieces or arrangements and each book is geared towards a specific ability level (beginner, intermediate, and late intermediate).

Book 1 titles: Jase’s Song, Olivia’s Song, Summer Memories, All in a Garden Green, Largo from Concerto in D Major, Drunken Sailor, Avondale, Snowfall, The Skye Boat Song, Ballyshannon, When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, Bonny Kate

Book 2 titles: Annie Laurie, Flow Gently, Sweet Afton, Rain Drops, Autumn Waltz, Clouds and Sunshine, Admiral Gambier's Waltz, Follow Me Down to Carlow, Alice's Song, Down by the Sally Gardens, My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose

Book 3 titles: Avery's Song, Morning Has Broken, Winter: Largo from Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Day by Day, Be Still My Soul, Now Thank We All Our God, A Prelude in B Minor, A Chromatic Boogie, Stormy Sky, Celtic Reflections, Greensleeves, Lo! How a Rose E'er Blooming, Wings of the Morning

Piano Seasons: 12 piano solos for the intermediate piano player. Selections from different seasons of the year. Titles include: Apples in Winter, Cold Frosty Morning, Like a River Glorious, Savannah's Song, Castle Donovan, At the Fair, Oranges and Lemons, Dancing Leaves, Der Mond Ist Aufgegangen (The Moon Has Risen), Leise Rieselt Der Schnee (The Snow Falls Softly), O Du Frohliche, and The Wexford Carol.

Piano Escapades Book 1: 13 Elementary Piano Solos.

Titles: Blue Bells of Scotland, Rainy Day, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Bison Stomp, The Boar Head's Carol, Flight, The Water is Wide, Christmas Lights, Early One Morning, Largo from Concerto in D Major by Antonio Vivaldi, Green Leaves, Sakura Sakura, The Parting Glass.

I also have published one book of guitar music.

Acoustic Guitar Adventures: 9 Beginner Guitar Solos.

Titles: Minuet in G Major (from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach), Sonatina in C by Muzio Clementi, Guitar Etude in E Minor, My Grandfather’s Clock, Silent Night for Guitar, Minuet (from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach), Cantabile from Vivaldi's "Il Gardellino”, Ständchen from Schubert's Schwangesang for Guitar, and Early One Morning (for flute and guitar)

-----
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter!
Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Now Looking for ... Guest Bloggers!

2026-09-01T00:30:00.000-05:00

Do you have a passion for teaching music? Are you eager to share your unique insights and perspectives with a wider audience? I’m seeking talented and engaging guest bloggers to contribute to Laura’s Music Studio. If you're an expert in your field, a skilled writer, and excited to connect with our community, I invite you to submit a guest post proposal. Here is a platform to showcase your expertise, build your online presence, and contribute to valuable discussions within music education.

How do you get started?
I'm looking for blog posts relating to music education, piano lessons, guitar lessons, and studio management.
Each blog post should include the following:
- a well-written post about a topic in one of the four categories listed above
- about 200-300 words

To submit your post, you can email me at pianolessonsmn dot gmail dot com.
I do reserve the right to choose whether to post your submission or not. You will be notified of my decision and, if it will be posted, also of when your post will be up on my blog.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Become a Sponsor

2026-08-25T00:30:00.000-05:00

Advertise with the Laura's Music Studio!
Looking for an opportunity to increase your web traffic & sales? Consider becoming a sponsor of Laura's Music Studio.

About Us
Laura's Music Studio is dedicated to providing ideas and resources to aid both classroom and private music teachers in their teaching. We highlight new ideas, print and online resources, as well as new materials.

Why Advertise with Laura's Music Studio?
Readers of Laura's Music Studio primarily consist of music teachers and music studio owners. They are seeking new ideas to encourage ongoing creativity and development for their students.

Advertising on Laura's Music Studio is a great way to introduce your products/services to music educators around the world. Businesses who advertise on our site experience a lot of success because they are able to get their products in front of a lot of music educators.

Advertisement Placement & Pricing
Laura's Music Studio offers banner advertisement on a monthly basis with a first-time minimum purchase of two months. Ads are 300 x 100 pixels & are located on the right-hand side of Laura's Music Studio. There are three price points available. Email us at piano.lessons.mn@gmail.com for current rates.

Please note that upon signing up for a three month banner campaign with us, you will receive one free 'Sponsor Introduction' post. You also then become eligible to participate in the giveaways we host on our site. More about giveaways below!

Giveaways
Giveaways are a wonderful way to grab our reader's attention and drive some serious traffic to your site! Our giveaways have been incredibly successful. Have a product or service that you would like to give away on our site? Please send us an email at piano.lessons.mn@gmail.com for consideration. And we will send you our current rates.

Again, if you have purchased a banner advertisement with us, there is no fee to participate in giveaways. However, if you aren't a monthly sponsor, there is a cost associated to the giveaways we host.

To request a media kit with our current advertising rates, please send us an email at piano.lessons.mn@gmail.com. Traffic information also available.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

A Year of Music: 12 New Pieces Await

2026-08-18T00:30:00.000-05:00

Tired of the same old music? Craving fresh inspiration? Subscribe to the paid version of Laura’s Music Studio Newsletter today and receive a brand new sheet music piece for piano or guitar delivered straight to your inbox every month! Whether you're a beginner looking to expand your repertoire or an experienced musician seeking new challenges, you'll find a treasure trove of original compositions to explore. You can find more details here.

Laura's Music Studio Newsletter

2026-08-11T00:30:00.000-05:00

Sign up for my free monthly newsletter! Here's what you can expect from this newsletter: links and ideas to improve your musicianship and your teaching abilities. Plus, the occasional discounts on a variety of e-guides and online courses. Sign up here.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Laura’s Music Studio Newsletter - Paid Subscription Giveaway: Winner!

2026-08-04T10:25:55.256-05:00

Photo by Bruno Croci on Unsplash

Drumroll, please! I am pleased to announce the randomly chosen winner of a free yearly paid subscription to my Substack newsletter: jtakeoka4. You’ve been notified of your win!

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Laura’s Music Studio Newsletter - Paid Subscription Giveaway

2026-07-28T00:30:00.000-05:00

Photo by Bruno Croci on Unsplash

I am giving away a free yearly paid subscription to my Substack newsletter. What does a paid subscription get you? All the perks of a free subscription (a monthly newsletter) plus free sheet music for piano and guitar.

Enter by August 3, 2026 (11:59 pm Central Time).

To enter, sign up for a free subscription to my newsletter here. One winner will be chosen at random from my free subscribers and will be contacted directly on August 4, 2026.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

My Sheet Music

2026-07-21T00:30:00.000-05:00

I’ve composed over 70 pieces for piano players and guitar players. The pieces range from a beginner level to an advanced level.
You can find all of them here.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Chasing Chopin - Reading Together - Chapter 7

2026-07-14T00:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the seventh post discussing Chasing Chopin by Annik LaFarge.

In Chapter 7, LaFarge delivers a deep dive into the centerpiece of her book: the third movement of the Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35. LaFarge untangles how this ubiquitous dirge, recognizable even to those unfamiliar with classical music, has been fundamentally misunderstood since its 1840 publication. She examines the work's historical, political, and emotional weight, contrasting its famous, heavy opening with the lyrical, major-key trio at its center. Ultimately, LaFarge strips away centuries of caricature to reveal a fresh, deeply tragic masterpiece.

Annik LaFarge has an extensive website that includes links and resources for each chapter. I highly encourage you to check it out, especially if you are looking for ideas on how to connect this book to teaching ideas for your studio or classroom.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Chasing Chopin - Reading Together - Chapter 6

2026-07-07T00:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the sixth post discussing Chasing Chopin by Annik LaFarge.

In Chapter 6, LaFarge examines the complex textual history and physical transmission of Frédéric Chopin’s scores. Because Chopin frequently improvised during performances and made ongoing alterations to his manuscripts, his pieces often evolved across multiple simultaneous editions published in France, England, and Germany. LaFarge traces the archival journey of these conflicting musical texts, highlighting the detective work modern scholars and performers must undertake to find the composer's true intent. She reveals that Chopin's music was never fixed or static, but rather a living, breathing entity.

Annik LaFarge has an extensive website that includes links and resources for each chapter. I highly encourage you to check it out, especially if you are looking for ideas on how to connect this book to teaching ideas for your studio or classroom.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Chasing Chopin - Reading Together - Chapter 5

2026-06-30T00:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the fifth post discussing Chasing Chopin by Annik LaFarge.

In Chapter 5, LaFarge explores Frédéric Chopin's profound, lifelong reverence for Johann Sebastian Bach. Centered around his winter stay in Majorca with George Sand, the chapter details how Chopin prepared for composing his iconic Preludes, Op. 28 by immersing himself in Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier. Rather than a conservative exercise, studying Bach was an act of radical inspiration for Chopin, shaping his architectural understanding of counterpoint and miniature forms. LaFarge reframes Chopin not as an isolated, delicate Romantic, but as an artist deeply anchored in mathematical precision and classical lineage.

Annik LaFarge has an extensive website that includes links and resources for each chapter. I highly encourage you to check it out, especially if you are looking for ideas on how to connect this book to teaching ideas for your studio or classroom.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Chasing Chopin - Reading Together - Chapter 4

2026-06-23T00:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the fourth post discussing Chasing Chopin by Annik LaFarge.

In Chapter 4, LaFarge investigates the complicated and often dark cultural and personal relationships that surrounded Frédéric Chopin during his European exile. The chapter's evocative title nods to the complex social dynamics and intense, sometimes draining personalities in Chopin's immediate circle, including figures like Astolphe de Custine and George Sand. LaFarge examines how these volatile personal relationships and the deep psychological anxieties of exile influenced his creative output. Specifically, she connects these emotional undercurrents to pieces composed during this period, such as the stirring Polonaise in A major, Op. 40, No. 1.

Annik LaFarge has an extensive website that includes links and resources for each chapter. I highly encourage you to check it out, especially if you are looking for ideas on how to connect this book to teaching ideas for your studio or classroom.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Chasing Chopin - Reading Together - Chapter 3

2026-06-16T00:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the third post discussing Chasing Chopin by Annik LaFarge.

In this third chapter, LaFarge shifts her focus to Frédéric Chopin's revolutionary approach to piano pedagogy. Unlike the rigid, drill-heavy instructors of his era, Chopin treated teaching as an extension of his art, emphasizing flexibility, natural hand positions, and psychological ease. LaFarge highlights his profound connection to Italian bel canto opera, particularly the vocal lyricism of Vincenzo Bellini. Chopin explicitly urged his pupils to study the phrasing and breath control of great singers, famously declaring that the piano must sing. By fostering a gentle, supportive environment, he unlocked intuitive artistry rather than mechanical precision.

Annik LaFarge has an extensive website that includes links and resources for each chapter. I highly encourage you to check it out, especially if you are looking for ideas on how to connect this book to teaching ideas for your studio or classroom.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Chasing Chopin - Reading Together - Chapter 2

2026-06-09T00:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the second post discussing Chasing Chopin by Annik LaFarge.

In the second chapter, LaFarge immerses readers in the vibrant, socio-political atmosphere of 1830s Paris (at that time, the undisputed piano capital of the world). She explores how rapid technological advancements in instrument manufacturing, specifically by rival makers Pleyel and Érard, directly shaped Frédéric Chopin’s revolutionary musical language. Pleyel’s lighter touch and singing, nuanced tone perfectly complemented Chopin’s intimate performance style and mastery of rubato. By weaving together threads of industrial innovation, local salon culture, and artistic friendships, LaFarge demonstrates how this specific urban landscape enabled Chopin to forge his unique, enduring voice.

Annik LaFarge has an extensive website that includes links and resources for each chapter. I highly encourage you to check it out, especially if you are looking for ideas on how to connect this book to teaching ideas for your studio or classroom.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Chasing Chopin - Reading Together - Chapter 1

2026-06-02T00:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first post discussing Chasing Chopin by Annik LaFarge. Given that our last book was on Bach’s cello suites, I was delighted by the (previously unbeknownst to me) tie-in to those suites in the introduction.

In the introduction and first chapter, LaFarge brilliantly dismantles the romanticized trope of a frail, tragic composer, presenting Frédéric Chopin instead as a fierce, modern innovator. By focusing on the creation of his Sonata No. 2 and its iconic "Funeral March," LaFarge frames his artistic genius through the lens of political exile. This opening section masterfully anchors Chopin’s identity in the cultural trauma of his fractured Polish homeland, weaving history with musical analysis. It is a compelling, vibrant look at how permanent displacement shaped his music, making this a refreshing, deeply engaging read for both musicians and history enthusiasts alike.

Annik LaFarge has an extensive website that includes links and resources for each chapter. I highly encourage you to check it out, especially if you are looking for ideas on how to connect this book to teaching ideas for your studio or classroom.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Chasing Chopin - Reading Together

2026-05-26T00:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the newest Reading Together series. I'll be posting a summary about our reading each week on Tuesdays. Come join us!

We'll be reading Chasing Chopin by Annik LaFarge. You can get a copy from your local library, or pick up a copy from Bookshop.

We'll read one chapter a week.
I'll post the first installment on Tuesday, June 2. That means you have one week to get a copy of the book and to read the first chapter.

The great thing about this program is that it allows us to read works together that can help us in our professional development, as well as providing a level of accountability and the added interest of comparing notes as we read together.

-----
I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

My Piano and Guitar Books

2026-05-19T00:30:00.003-05:00