The Collaborative Piano Blog

Talking About Memory

2023-04-27T07:56:00.003-04:00

With the passage of years, I don't find memorization more difficult, but....different. When I was a teenager, I had a near-perfect visual memory and could memorize pieces just by mentally looking at the score when I played without the music. Until I had catastrophic memory slips in recital, that is. Then I learned to listen, to develop tactile memory, to understand what was going on in the form of the work, and to feel my way through the piece as well. Every five years or so I need to completely revamp the way I memorize.

Angela Hewitt's article on memory in the Guardian looks at her own experiences with memory and how it has created a richness in her music-making, in spite of the continual risk:

Memory is a subject we don’t like to talk about – like sex, love and religious beliefs – most likely because we are afraid of losing it. It takes courage to admit even to yourself that your memory is failing. Often friends or family notice it first. We shouldn’t feel ashamed, but rather embrace this normal sign of ageing and then do all we can to keep our brains alive. It upsets me when I can’t remember where I’ve put my boarding pass, as happened this morning at Heathrow (only to find it in the outside compartment of my bag, where I must have put it five minutes previously); when I can’t remember if I’ve taken my daily HRT lozenge (now there’s something that helps older women with memory!); and when I make the same mistake over and over again when learning a new piece.

Angela's remake on how to think ahead and multitask in memory work are elements worth considering, as is the tendency of older pianists to play slower, perhaps because of the slower processing speed of the aging brain. My adult students will be glad to hear that.

(Via John Mac Master)

(Photo courtesy of That's Her Business on Unsplash)

More about memorization:

The Bard College Conservatory's Collaborative Piano Fellowship Will Be Accepting Three Pianists in 2023

2022-11-11T10:35:00.002-05:00

Erika Switzer, Director
of the Postgraduate
Collaborative Piano Fellowship

Katie Rossiter sends along the following information regarding Bard Conservatory's collaborative piano fellowship:

The Bard College Conservatory is seeking applicants for three fellowship positions in the Postgraduate Collaborative Piano Fellowship, a two-year fellowship program designed to give professional experience to pianists who have a strong interest in becoming collaborative artists, with the ultimate aim of easing the transition between school and the working world of a collaborative pianist. Directed by collaborative pianist Erika Switzer, the fellowship is open to students who have already completed a degree in collaborative piano as well as those who have completed a master’s degree in piano performance and have a strong interest in further study in collaborative piano. This fellowship program is tuition-free, and all fellows receive a $28,000 annual stipend for living expenses, as well as access to Bard's Student Health Services. Application and audition information may be found here.

The Postgraduate Collaborative Piano Fellowship allows fellows to expand their knowledge of the core collaborative piano repertoire; to gain experience in playing for high-level undergraduate and graduate students under the mentorship of master musicians; and to deepen their musical understanding through the guidance of the distinguished faculty of the Bard College Conservatory of Music, including artists such as mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, violinist Gil Shaham, and composer Joan Tower.

Fellows are responsible for playing for studio lessons, master classes, rehearsals, auditions, and performances for the instrumental and vocal students of the Bard College Conservatory of Music and the Graduate Vocal Arts Program. In this capacity, they play for and are coached by the faculty and guest artists of the Conservatory. In the past, piano fellows have performed at Bard Fisher Center, National Sawdust and the Morgan Library in New York City, the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and throughout the Hudson Valley. They have also had the opportunity to play for guest artists such as Renée Fleming, Pierre Vallet, and Margo Garrett. Fellows may also teach, on a limited basis, some secondary piano lessons to undergraduate instrumentalists, under the supervision of the program director, Erika Switzer. Learn about the current fellows on the Bard Conservatory website.

Questions? Please contact the Bard Conservatory Admissions staff at conservatoryadmission [at] bard.edu.

The deadline for the program is December 1. Application information can be found here.

The 2022 Edition of The Royal Conservatory's Piano Syllabus and Celebration Series Launches this Wednesday at Koerner Hall in Toronto

2022-04-26T09:56:00.002-04:00

Every seven years, The Royal Conservatory launches a new edition of its Piano Syllabus and Celebration Series in order to reflect new directions in piano pedagogy and to refresh the many selections available for developing pianists to learn.

The kickoff event for the new series and syllabus is Music Lights the Way on Wednesday, April 27 in Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory in Toronto. Pianists appearing include Steward Goodyear, Lang Lang, Angela Hewitt, Jan Lisiecki, Tony Yike Yang, Heather Schmidt, and Dianne Werner-Simon.

The in-person event is sold out, but you can still register to watch the livestream online.

One of the highlights of this event is an announcement that the RCM will be gifting more than 400,000 physical copies of the Celebration Series, Sixth Edition to teachers across North America.

Yes, you read that correctly. Stay tuned over the coming days for more information on how you can redeem your copies.

I'll be posting more articles over the coming months on the new series and how it can inform your teaching. For now, here are a few of the works newly introduced to the Celebration Series that I'm really excited about and are going to have tremendous value for both teachers and students.

From the Level 8 repertoire book, From Moanin' Pines by Harry Burleigh, played by Julia Scott Carey:

From the Level 10 repertoire book, Troubled Water by Margaret Bonds, played by Samantha Ege:

More info on the Celebration Series, Sixth Edition
The 2022 Piano Syllabus is already online

duo526 Sonata Seminar at Indiana University on May 23-27, 2022

2022-02-23T07:10:00.004-05:00

Those of you who are interested in exploring the extensive violin and piano repertoire might be interested in attending duo526's week-long Sonata Seminar at the end of May hosted by the Jacobs Academy at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. This is a fantastic opportunity for those interested in deepening their ensemble skills and knowledge of the art of ensemble with violin and piano.

Some information from the website:

duo526 Sonata Seminar @ IU offers an intensive five-day performance seminar to explore the art of listening for both pianists and violinists. Since 2018, duo526 Sonata Seminar has been offered at Brandon University, Canada; duo526 is thrilled to bring its program to IU’s Jacobs Academy. Up to five duos (five violinists and five pianists) will be selected via the application process. The daily schedule includes mentoring time, wellness time, individual coaching, training, and masterclasses. The program will culminate with the recital performance on the final day. Any pianists or violinists aged 18+ are eligible to apply.

duo526 is a duo ensemble with Kerry DuWors and pianist Futaba Niekawa. They'll be joined by wellness instructor David Simpson for the workshop. Registration and audition info is on the IU link above, and the registration deadline is March 15.

Leaving Classical Music?

2022-02-07T07:22:00.001-05:00

Since the start of the pandemic, many classical musicians have made a shift away from traditional classical music work, in whole or in part. Clarinettist Zach Manzi writes about his experience on why he left the profession:

As much as I’ve felt like a failure over the last almost two years, I don’t regret my choice. I wish it was more normalized to move on from music as a profession , but there’s so much shame around “quitting.” I wish I’d known earlier that moving on would allow me to grow in ways that would not have been possible if I stayed. I’ve been working to know myself apart from my identity as a musician, which I always held in higher regard than my inherent worth as a human being. Even for musicians, life is much bigger than music, but I never really understood that until now.
When I think about why I want to share this story, I think about younger musicians who are struggling to figure out what they want to do with their careers. Many are anxious and depressed, trying to find their way, exactly as I was, realizing that their career in music is not giving them what they had hoped it would.

Zach's follow-up article on what it means to end a career in classical music looks at how is identity changed as he was no longer defining his self-worth in terms of success as a musician:

So what did I mean by ending my career? Although I would characterize ending my career by no longer depending on the classical music industry for income, that feels like the least significant part of it. I still practice the clarinet occasionally, take gigs when I want to , and enjoy talking about and listening to classical music. It’s still an important part of my life. The most significant part of ending my career in classical music has been far more existential.

The end has primarily involved attempting to separate myself from my identity as a musician, which has led to my understanding that I’ve let my talents and abilities define my worth. There were times in my adult life when I literally thought being a musician was the only interesting thing about me. I’d convinced myself I could not give up that identity because then nobody would want me. I thought worth came from being admired for the things I did, having talent and creating something beautiful in the world, and ultimately, my career choice.

How does it feel to "make it" outside classical music when there are fewer and fewer jobs in orchestras and university teaching jobs are mostly sessional/adjunct positions that don't pay very well? Some of the musicians that I've talked to mentioned these things:

once you leave classical music, there are way more than the half dozen positions available every year in your field across North America
the pay for an entry-level programming job is often the same as a position in a major orchestra
less anxiety
more time for exercise
since hours are often flexible in remote positions, you can still take on freelance performing work

Musicians who have left the profession, what have your experiences been like? Leave a comment below.

(Image courtesy of Michael Jasmund on Unsplash)

Bebop Mädchen: Effective Practicing, Optimal Time Management, and Pomodoro for Musicians

2022-01-27T07:29:00.000-05:00

One of the areas that musicians continually need to improve in is the art of managing our time, including with practicing, studying, and admin work. On a recent edition of the Bebop Mädchen podcast, Jens Emil Jensen talks about his experiences managing his time as a musician:

For those who aren't familiar with the methodologies that Jens talks about:

The Pomodoro Technique is a system of breaking down units of work into 25-minute blocks, with a 5-minute rest between them. Every four Pomodoros, take a longer 15-30 minute break.
GTD is a system developed by David Allen that helps us manage our commitments with a five-step process of capture, processing, organizing, review and engagement. Here's a quick intro to the system.

I've been using GTD since 2006, and have found it to be incredibly useful over the long term to organize my inputs and manage my projects. The Pomodoro system is a bit newer to me, but using it has resulted in a noticeable increase in my ability to focus on important stuff and get it completed.

What can be frustrating is setting aside time but not getting to it, as well as overshooting the time we estimate and getting done way too early. To Jens' excellent explanation of the Pomodoro Technique, I would also add the importance of planning the estimated Pomodoros over the day and reviewing whether you achieved them, undershot, or overshot your estimates, and why. This daily reflection helps to create better estimations over time. Also check out Mike Sturm's The Today System for a related methodology.

(Image courtesy of Thanos Pal on Unsplash)

The Summer 2022 Collaborative Piano Institute at LSU

2022-01-24T07:23:00.004-05:00

Ana Maria Otamendi sends along some information about this summer's Collaborative Piano Institute at LSU:

It is my pleasure once again to invite your students to apply to the sixth edition of the Collaborative Piano Institute, which will take place between June 5th - 25th 2022 at Louisiana State University. Our program is open to all pianists who are interested in the collaborative arts, from undergraduate students to professionals.
NEW IN 2022!

CPI, the Vocal Academy, and the Collaborative Strings Institute are accepting applications for duos, trios, or larger pre-formed groups! Click here for more information.

NEW FACULTY MEMBERS JOIN CPI REGULARS:

We are elated to welcome an even larger roster of collaborative piano superstars:
Anne Epperson (Director of Collaborative Piano at Indiana University) will join returning faculty members Martin Katz (University of Michigan), Howard Watkins (Juilliard School, Yale, MET), Kathleen Kelly, (Cincinnati College Conservatory, former Director of Musical Studies at the Vienna Staatsoper, and former Head of Music/Music Director at Houston Grand Opera), Jonathan Feldman (Juilliard, NEC, Music Academy of the West), Elvia Puccinelli (UNT), Christopher Turbessi (Rice University), Elena Abend (University of Wisconsin), Ana Maria Otamendi (Louisiana State University), and Elena Lacheva (Louisiana State University) among many others. For more information please see the attachment or visit our website and our Facebook page and also check out the Testimonials of our alumni.

Click here for Vocal Academy Faculty and Collaborative Strings Institute faculty.

THE TRADITION CONTINUES

We continue to offer the intensive learning experience which we are known for, tailored to the individual needs of every pianist through individual lessons, collaboration with seasoned professionals in recitals and masterclasses, and over 50 group classes, lectures, and performance opportunities. To see how a day at CPI unfolds, check out our Daily Schedule page.

FINANCIAL AID

We have a higher number of scholarships available, and the scholarship decisions would be made based on the audition recordings and demonstrated need.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

NEW IN 2022: Early Bird Application due February 15th, 2022 ($35)
Regular deadline: March 15th, 2022 ($55)
Click here to view application

For any questions, please email us at collaborativepianoinstitute@gmail.com

Erika Switzer on Collaborative Resilience

2022-01-19T09:33:00.004-05:00

"In reorienting our systems toward diversity, equity, and inclusion, we inherently acknowledge that it takes more than perseverance to overcome such obstacles. Whereas the internal fortitude of perseverance costs energy, such that we may acquire emotional debt, systemic change universally invests in its constituents through equitable treatment and compensation, making resilience an institutionally supported commodity. In the meantime, as we persevere, resilience must be cultivated by individuals and within communities. In my own work, the essential elements of collaborative resilience are restorative piano practice, socially conscious communication habits, and regular celebration of accomplishments. Taken together, these elements express a global respect for ourselves and for others."

Erika Switzer's Collaborative Resilience in the Jan/Feb 2022 NATS Journal of Singing explores how we can add sustainability into our collaborative work, benefitting others as well as maintaining the well of creativity within us. The sections on restorative practice, communication habits, and celebration of accomplishments are important touchstones for all musicians.

You can read more about Erika's work here.

Collaborative Piano Internships at The Trentino Music Festival

2022-01-18T07:39:00.001-05:00

Maddalena Deichmann from the Trentino Music Festival sends along the following information about the festival's new collaborative piano program:

Trentino Music Festival is an international Young Artist Program that runs every summer in the beautiful Dolomiti region in Trentino, Italy.

The program has been growing exponentially in its many seasons, and we are now launching a collaborative piano program - offering a few positions with fully scholarshipped tuition and housing provided. The successful candidates will live among a culturally rich international community of talented young artists for 5 weeks, and will work with and receive coaching and tutoring from renowned professionals in the field; they will also be able to enjoy time off in the gorgeous Unesco Heritage Dolomites in the Primiero Valley - or head to Venice or another nearby city such as Verona for the weekend.

You can read more about the collaborative piano program here. The opera and voice faculty includes vocal coaches Jane Robinson, Peter Nilsson, and Tim Ribchester. Tuition and registration information is here.

Friday Practice Links

2022-01-14T07:18:00.000-05:00

Here are some links to articles on practicing that might enliven your time in the practice room:

Tricky Corners: Tension Breaks - Melanie Spanswick on how to build small moments of release into your playing, using as an example the Chopin Black Keys etude. Why this is important:

Students often find the concept of tension breaks challenging. What do I mean by this expression? Most pianists understand the idea of tension and release; we need a certain amount of tension in our bodies to play a note or a group of notes, but the second (or millisecond) the note or notes have been played, we must adjust immediately by releasing that tension. If we don’t, and we continue to keep fingers/wrists/hands/arms taught or rigid, then tension builds and, after a certain amount of time (or a certain number of notes), the pianist will become taught and tight. If this is allowed to continue for too long, the player could eventually become injured. Pain and discomfort often follow this type of unsatisfactory way of playing the piano. Therefore, it is crucial to, firstly, become aware of this type of tension and comprehend how it feels, and, secondly, know how to alleviate it.

Where Simplicity Misses the point: A Practice Perspective in Omnifocus - Kourosh Dini is a doctor who writes about using Omnifocus in his work, including his practice strategies at the piano. When practicing, Kourosh puts together a list of specifics he needs to work on, curating the larger list into one he uses that day. This is a useful way of keeping track of what needs to be practiced and what's in progress for the current day:

It is arguable a very simple list. However, there is a complexity behind the scenes. Each of the tasks have a different repeat frequency, catering to the practice schedule I want for any individual piece. I can always increase or decrease those frequencies.

A Practice Strategy That Could Potentially Be Twice As Effective As Regular Practice? - Recent research on varying the parameters of a task shows that being forced to make subtle adjustments can help to jump-start performance improvements. Noa Kageyama looks at how these results might play out with our own practice sessions:

It appears that we have the ability to boost our learning if we a) wait for the new skill to consolidate a bit first, then b) return to the skill and try to achieve the same (or higher) level of performance, but force ourselves to make adjustments by using a different bow, different mallets, piano with lighter/heavier touch, etc. Something that makes the task slightly more challenging and forces us to explore a wider range of the possible motor movements available to us.

I've noticed over the years that the pianists who have the most flexibility in adapting to an instrument were either students at music schools and freelance collaborative pianists, because they are forced to practice and perform on many different instruments, potentially dozens in a single week.

With the rise of online learning, I fear that playing on only one instrument might genuinely hinder pianists once they are forced to make adjustments on another instrument in performance. The old model of practicing on one or more pianos and playing lessons on another, then playing concerts on yet more unfamiliar pianos builds a strong ability to adjust to different circumstances with instruments and performing spaces.

1-2 years of playing on a single instrument might yield some unpleasant surprises when the opportunity arises to perform in a large hall and unfamiliar piano. When I judging a competition late last year I observed that many pianists play with a noticeably smaller sound than required in performance - they're unfamiliar with the experience of filling a large room with their sound.

Call for Collaborative Pianists: Musiktheater Bavaria

2022-01-03T07:13:00.002-05:00

Amanda Johnston sends along the following information:

Dear Colleagues,
At Musiktheater Bavaria, we are currently auditioning for four positions for student collaborative pianists who are interested in German operatic repertoire and vocal coaching. All four positions are full scholarship and tuition free. Pianists will observe and work with MTB’s professional vocal coaches, Amanda Johnston (University of Mississippi, and author of English and German Diction for Singers: a Comparative Approach), JoAnn Kulesza (Peabody Conservatory), Dean Wilmington (Theater an der Rott, Bavaria), and Stephen Hopkins (Vienna Staatsoper).

If you have any pianists who would like to spend one month of intensive study in the picturesque Bavarian Alps, please pass this along. For complete details and requirements, please visit: https://musictheaterbavaria.org/pianist.php

Note: Collaborative pianists may concentrate in opera or musical theatre. Application deadline is Feb 15, 2022.

Thanks for helping me to spread the word. Please do not hesitate to contact me, if you require further information.

Yours sincerely,
Amanda

Let's hope this summer is more amenable to large musical activities and performances!

HBD!Project - May your June be Proud

2021-07-03T07:32:00.003-04:00

This recording project needed a lot of practice for some very difficult rep, but was a lot of fun to record and play. HBD!Project's May/June compilation of composers features a huge cast of singers, none of whom I rehearsed with before recording the tracks, although let's just say Natalya and I entered into negotiations regarding the tempo for the Wagner Ride of the Valkyries.

Production credits go to Natalya Gennadi and Catherin Carew for putting together the project, as well as Bruno Roy for video and sound editing.

Here's a complete track listing with a rundown of the cast for each:

0:39 Ride of the Valkyries Composer: Richard Wagner Chris Foley, piano Siegrune: Kristina Maria Agur, mezzo soprano Voice of Ortlinde: Catharin Carew, mezzo soprano Helmwige: Stephanie DeCiantis, soprano Grimgerde: Leah Giselle Field,mezzo soprano Face of Ortlinde: Gregory Finney, baritone, actor Gerhilde: Natalya Gennadi, soprano Schwertleite: Suzanne Hendrix-Case, mezzo soprano Roßweiße: Jennifer Routhier, mezzo soprano Waltraute: Jillian Yemen, mezzo soprano 5:48 Don Juan's Serenade Composer: Pyotr Tchaykovsky Text: Alexey Tolstoy Bruno Roy - Baritone Chris Foley, piano 8:43 Miss Muffet is a Hipster Composer / text: Rossa Crean Catharin Carew, mezzo soprano Chris Foley, piano

Email Subscriptions via Feedburner Will Be No Longer Available in July 2021

2021-07-02T06:40:00.002-04:00

This is a message for Collaborative Piano Blog readers who signed up for the original email subscription via Feedburner before 2019. As of July 2021, Google will be sunsetting this service and it will no longer be available.

If you would still like to receive Collaborative Piano Blog updates via email, I recommend that you sign up for my newsletter, which comes out most Fridays. Each week I give updates on what I’m up to and link to the latest articles by myself and others that you might find useful.

Have a great weekend!

The Diverse Career: My Interview with Amy Boyes for ORMTA Notes

2021-06-22T07:06:00.000-04:00

A few months ago, Amy Boyes interviewed me for the summer 2021 issue of ORMTA Notes Magazine (the interview is on page 12). Her questions got me reflecting on my current professional hats, balancing personal and career time, side hustles, and professional development opportunities.

On channeling side projects into consistently profitable activities:

Some of my creative projects will never generate significant direct income. There was a time when I worked hard at placement of product ads on the Collaborative Piano Blog, and for a while I was able to make around $50-80 a month. However, the work I put into the elegant placement and rotation of ads wasn’t worth what I got out of it.

Things changed when I realized that blogging could become highly profitable if I used it to attract students in my teaching practice. I placed direct registration links from the top of the blog’s header and within a few years, my studio was at full capacity. The important concept I learned was that by giving away something for free, I was able to leverage it to advertise the activity that was most profitable for me - teaching piano.

I'm not sure how long the entire issue will be available on the ORMTA site before it becomes members-only content. If you don't want to read the entire magazine, you can read just the article here.

Join Me at the University of Rochester's Future of Work Alumni Industry Night June 22 at 6pm EDT

2021-06-21T07:00:00.002-04:00

On Tuesday, June 22 at 6pm EDT I'll be hosting a breakout room for the arts and entertainment at the University of Rochester's Career Conversations: The Future of Work alumni industry night. This is an online event that is open to students and alumni from the University of Rochester and Eastman School communities on Zoom.

I'll be answering questions, sharing my experiences, and giving advice to those who are interested, and look forward to hearing about your experiences in the arts and entertainment breakout room! You can register for the event here. Hope to see you there!

Praise Students for Their Effort, Not Their Talent

2021-06-15T07:20:00.003-04:00

Now that our students' RCM exam results are starting to come in and we celebrate their achievements with them, let's be mindful of how we congratulate our students. There's a difference between praising our students for their identity as talented people and praising them for putting in the effort to achieve things.

Carol Dweck in Mindset: The New Psychology of Success writes about an experiment she undertook to give two groups of kids IQ-related questions. One group was praised for their ability and the other was praised for their effort. The result:

Both groups were exactly equal to begin with. But right after the praise, they began to differ. As we feared, the ability praise rushed students right into the fixed mindset, and they showed all the signs of it, too: When we gave them a choice, they rejected a challenging new task that they could learn from. They didn't want to do anything that could expose their flaws and call into question their talent (p. 72).

More telling:

Since this was a kind of IQ test, you might say that praising ability lowered the students' IQs. And that praising their effort raised them (p. 73).

Anne-Laure Le Cunff in her article about The Praise Paradox goes into more detail about types of praise:

Praise can be defined based on two criteria: what is being praised, and how much it is being praised. We can praise someone’s abilities (“You are so talented!”), or we can praise their efforts (“You must have worked so hard!”). We can give appropriate praise (“You did very well this time!”) or inflated praise (“This is your best work ever!”). Each type of praise will have a different impact on someone’s self-esteem and future motivation levels.

Anne-Laure defines three types of praise that will enable students to continue working hard in the future:

Define the value we want to teach
Replace flattery with encouragement
Focus on effort rather than ability

So when you're celebrating how well your students have done, bear in mind that the best way to positively reinforce their success is to comment on how hard they've worked, rather than mention any abilities. Because in the long run it's the hard workers who win out.

(Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash)

Piano Music She Wrote

2021-05-11T07:04:00.001-04:00

With the current momentum to make the repertoire more inclusive, never has there been as much interest in the music of women composers as there is now. However, it's often hard to find properly curated sources of works in order to choose the right pieces to perform or teach - where does one look?

Sandra Mogensen and Erica Sipes have just started Piano Music She Wrote, an online directory of publicly accessible piano music by women. With a $15 donation, you can get access to the PMSW Directory, a listing of all the works by women composers available on IMSLP, with 10% of all money donated flowing back to IMSLP for their work in making their library of online scores available to us.

Sandra and Erica also have a YouTube channel and an events page where you can find out more about the composers that they're uncovering.

If you're interested in purchasing their directory, you can find it here.

Here's Erica playing Lullaby Under a Night Sky by Andrea Untung (IMSLP link to score):

The Tambora Climate Disaster and How It Influenced the Development of Lieder in 1815-1816

2021-04-28T07:16:00.009-04:00

John Constable, The Quarters Behind Alresford Hall, 1816

The light in this 1816 John Constable painting seems to be completely wrong. Why?

Over the years I've been fascinated with the second decade of the 19th century, and why musical output changed so much during this time. The list of active composers dropped to a trickle, almost no symphonies were written, just a handful of operas, but plenty of small works. What happened?

I finally figured it out, and my article for the May-June 2021 edition of the NATS Journal of Singing spells it out: in 1815 Mount Tambora erupted in the South Pacific, leading to a global climate catastrophe which seriously impacted the climate and economy of Europe. In the article I make the correlation between the onset of the catastrophe, its fallout across Europe and the development of lieder as a viable artistic genre, specifically in the music of Franz Schubert and Ludwig van Beethoven, living a few minutes away from each other in Vienna (although they almost certainly hadn't met yet).

I would like to say a huge word of thanks to Margo Garrett for her constant encouragement, and who was instrumental in helping me bring this idea to fruition for her Collab Corner in the NATS Journal. Margo also was kind enough to send me some difficult-to-find German sources from her library that helped me to trace the exact locations of Beethoven in the spring of 1815.

This Isn’t the First New Normal: Finding Correlations Between the Tambora Climate Disaster and the Development of Lieder in 1815-16 (direct pdf link)

Advice from Thelonious Monk

2021-04-26T07:15:00.003-04:00

These words of advice from Thelonious Monk are taken from a list transcribed by saxophonist Steve Lacy, dated from 1960:

Just because you're not a drummer doesn't mean that you don't have to keep time.
A note can be as small as a pin or as big as the world, it depends on your imagination.
Stay in shape! Sometimes a musician waits for a gig & when it comes he's out of shape and can't make it.
Always leave them wanting more.
Don't sound anybody for a gig, just be on the scene.
These pieces were written so as to have something to play & to get cats interested enough to come to rehearsal.
Whatever you think can't be done, somebody will come along & do it. A genius is the one most like himself.

You can find the entire list here.

Some Monday morning music to start off your week - Evonce from Monk's October 15, 1947 Blue Note session. Personnel are Thelonious Monk on piano, Idrees Suleiman on trumpet, Ike Quebec on alto sax, Billy Smith on tenor sax, Gene Ramey on bass, and Art Blakey on drums:

Compensation Survey for Collaborative Pianists in Higher Education

2021-04-05T07:05:00.001-04:00

Working at a university, conservator, or college is one of the most common ways to get employment as a collaborative pianist. However, many of these positions don't pay particularly well, offer limited or no benefits, and might not even be at a faculty level. Making things more challenging is that very little information is available about what types of position each university has and how much they pay; this information is traditionally locked down operational info.

A new survey by Mary Trotter and John Gilmour aims to change that. About their survey and its aims:

Calling all collaborative pianists who work in university settings!

We have crafted a survey to gather data about how professional collaborative pianists are compensated at institutions of higher education in the United States. We hope to make this data available to all so that ALL of us can be paid what we're worth! Please take 5 minutes and fill it out! We hope to reach as many fellow pianists as possible, so please share with colleagues and friends! Contact us with any questions at accompanistsurvey [at] gmail dot com.

It is vitally important that collaborative pianists know the scope of what is available for them in the profession and how much these positions traditionally pay. Please fill out this survey if you have the time - note that this survey at present only includes pianists working at US institutions. Here's the link:

Compensation Survey for Collaborative Pianists in Higher Education

(Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash)

Piercing the Singer/Pianist Dynamic

2021-03-24T07:45:00.004-04:00

Robert Thies looks at the relationships between pianists, their collaborators, and concert presenters in Might We Accompany Each Other? How Audiences and Presenters Perceive the Singer/Pianist Dynamic in the March-April 2021 edition of the Journal of the New York Singing Teachers' Association. That this is intended as a primer for singers rather than just pianists is commendable, and Robert goes into depth about audience perception, how we refer to ourselves, the nature of the repertoire, and dealing with presenters, especially regarding fees.

On whether to play at half or full stick:

There is a widespread misconception among instrumental and vocal teachers that a piano lid at half stick is softer in volume. Indeed, when standing or sitting in front of an open piano, the percussive quality of the hammers is pronounced and takes some getting used to. However, an interesting study by DMA candidate Paul Lee measured concert hall acoustics and piano lid height. He concluded that the decibel level between half stick and full stick is nearly imperceptible. “With the impression that the piano’s sound pressure level is less than what it is for the audience, the performer may actually create more issues of balance than trusting their collaborative partner and the response of the concert hall with the piano at full stick,” Lee writes.

I absolutely love this article. It has always been important for a pianist to help singers feel a grounded body of sound underneath them so that they can build their voice. Pianists who can inspire singers in the repertoire and its magnificent poetry are genuinely trusted partners that many people will want to work with. We also need all the tips we can get to achieve greater equity with regards to recital billing and pay.

My fear is that with pianists in collaborative situations relegated to producers of backing tracks during the pandemic, the visibility of pianists in recital situations has taken a major hit, especially with videos where only the soloist is in the frame, the pianist is invisible, and their volume level is largely edited out.

So I'm concerned that when the pandemic is over, many people will be astonished that the piano in a live situation has a bit more volume than the toned-down backing tracks that everyone will be used to. I'm also concerned that much of the progress that we have seen in recent decades (it has been relatively small progress - the issues that Robert talks about here were serious issues 30 years ago) might be undone and we will once again have a lot of ground to cover.

HBD!Project MARCH Celebrates Composers' Birthdays in (you guessed it) March

2021-03-23T06:48:00.001-04:00

As classical musicians, we love to play their music religiously, but forget our favorite composer's big days year after year. HBD!Project aims to fix that, and is the brainchild of Toronto-based musicians Natalya Gennadi and Catherin Carew. This month's party features the music of Maurice Ravel, Diane Berry, J.S. Bach, and Murray Adaskin.

A big hand as well to the performers:

Christina Faye, piano
Christian Paquette, flute
Catherin Carew, soprano
Daniel Norman, organ
Natalya Gennadi

The very clever video production and animation is also by Natalya. I'm looking forward to what they come up with for the superstar lineup of May composer birthdays.

Participate in a Research Study: Preparing Young Musicians for Performance

2021-03-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

Charlene Ryan, Jessica Tsang, and Diana Dumlavwalla are spearheading a research study that will be looking at the habits and processes of music teachers in preparing students for performance. It takes around 20 minutes to complete, and involves reflection on a number of issues such as performance preparation, performance anxiety, teacher expectations, navigating online teaching. If you're currently teaching music, I recommend that you participate in this study - their aim is to receive input from at least 500 teachers from Canada and the United States.

Preparing Young Musicians for Performance (Google Form)

Rachel Fuller on the Art of the Collaborative Pianist

2021-03-15T06:57:00.003-04:00

Auckland-based pianist Rachel Fuller's conversation with David Moriss on New Zealand's RNZ is worth listening to in its entirely. The collaborative pianist vs. accompanist, entering the profession, learning the skillset, and the growing respect towards collaborative pianists are all discussed, and the recorded performances are fabulous.

I love this quote:

This movement, a global movement, has come to reframe the work that we do. As pianists working in ensembles, working with singers and instrumentalists and chamber groups. Our skills have to be wider and more honed even than that of the solo pianist.

100 Years of Chinese Art Song with Jialiang Zhu and Friends

2021-03-11T06:54:00.002-05:00

Jialiang Zhu's final DMA recital at the University of Toronto goes into depth with the history of Chinese art song, using selections chosen from Chinese-speaking communities around the world. Several the works are both world premieres and Canadian premieres. This performance took place while Toronto was in full lockdown, so an audience wasn't allowed into Walter Hall. I particularly the coordination of multiple camera units to create an highly immediate recital experience.

Remember to turn on the English subtitles for Jialiang's excellent curation of texts in both Chinese and English.

The full personnel:

Jialiang Zhu, piano
Emily Zixin Lapin, soprano
Xin Wang, soprano
Maeve Palmer, soprano

The 2021 Collaborative Piano Institute

2021-03-09T06:31:00.003-05:00

The Collaborative Piano Institute has announced their 2021 summer festival, which will run between June 6 and 26th with the added possibility of a hybrid option. Below is the announcement from Ana Maria Otamendi. The deadline will be March 15, and you can find the application form here:

Dear students and colleagues,

It is my pleasure once again to invite you to apply to the fifth edition of the Collaborative Piano Institute and the Vocal Academy, which will take place between June 6th - 26th 2021 at Louisiana State University. We have a lot of exciting new features!

We are still planning for an in-person festival, but if COVID restrictions make this impossible, we will once again transition to a fully online format as we did last summer with great success. We are also contemplating a hybrid option in which students (active participants and auditors) have the option to come in person or participate remotely. We will stay flexible in the hopes of offering the best experience possible! Our program is open to all pianists who are interested in the collaborative arts, from undergraduate students to professionals.

We are elated to welcome an even larger roster of collaborative piano superstars: Warren Jones (Manhattan School of Music) will join returning faculty members Kathleen Kelly, (Cincinnati College Conservatory, former Director of Musical Studies at the Vienna Staatsoper, and former Head of Music/Music Director at Houston Grand Opera), Rita Sloan (Aspen Music Festival and University of Maryland), Martin Katz (University of Michigan), Jonathan Feldman (Juilliard School and New England Conservatory), Christopher Turbessi (Rice University), Elena Abend (University of Wisconsin), Ana Maria Otamendi (Louisiana State University) and Elena Lacheva (Louisiana State University) among many others. For more information please see the attachment or visit our website and our Facebook page and also check out the Testimonials of our alumni.

We continue to offer the intensive learning experience which we are known for, tailored to the individual needs of every pianist through individual lessons, collaboration with seasoned professionals in recitals and masterclasses, and over 50 group classes, lectures, and performance opportunities. We have several merit-based scholarships available, as well and the deadline to apply is March 15th 2021.

We are also proud to present the fabulous Four Corners Ensemble as our ensemble in residence! The members of the group will be playing standard repertoire and contemporary music with the CPI participants, and will be teaching composers and instrumentalists during the second week of the Institute. The amazing violinist Simon Gollo will also teach, coach, and perform lots of sonatas and chamber music with participants and faculty. If you want to play with some of these amazing musicians, come join us this summer!

The Vocal Academy, in its third year, welcomes graduate student singers, advanced undergraduate students, as well as singers who are getting ready for the audition circuit. The singers will have the opportunity to coach with renowned artists in individual sessions, masterclasses, and group classes, as well to perform in numerous opportunities with the pianists of the Institute. They will also get private lessons with voice professors from renowned universities, as well as lectures specific to their areas of study. For more information please visit our website.

I hope that you would consider sharing this email with interested students. I would be happy to answer any questions and to discuss what makes our program such an exciting offering to any young and mature pianists.

Warmly,

Elena Lacheva and Ana Maria Otamendi, Directors
www.collaborativepianoinstitute.org

David Webb's Winterreise at Wigmore Hall

2021-02-15T07:15:00.000-05:00

"Blokes don't talk about stuff." These words of David Webb are a launching-point for a Winterreise that is grounded in a concern for mental health. Webb's Winterreise features four singers instead of one, and is conceived as more of a conversation rather than a solitary journey.

If you're interested in this project, consider giving to David Webb's JustgGiving page.

Here's the full personnel for the recital:

David Webb, tenor Alessandro Fisher, tenor Rupert Charlesworth, tenor Benedict Nelson, baritone Iain Burnside, piano

(Image courtesy of Kamil Szumotalski on Unsplash)

I Also Write Another Blog

2021-02-09T07:16:00.001-05:00

Wendy Hatala Foley, New Day, 48'x40', acrylic on canvas

The cadence of articles on the Collaborative Piano Blog has alternated between periods of frenzied activity and long hiatus. It's a huge challenge to be a long-term blogger, and my interests and passions tend to change over time, not to mention the amount of work on my plate.

For the last while I've been writing a second blog at Foley Music and Arts. While my articles here focus on collaborative piano and piano pedagogy, at FMA my articles have a much wider scope and talk about creativity, productivity, entrepreneurship, and navigating media.

Wendy also showcases and sells her paintings on the site, which has grown greatly during the pandemic. You can read more about our story on Digital Main Street.

Here are some of my articles on Foley Music and Arts from the last while:

But the important thing is I'm back to a regular blogging schedule. I'll be talking about how I got to this point in a future post.

Where to Find All the Level 9 and 10 Chord Progressions for RCM Piano Exams

2021-02-08T07:09:00.003-05:00

One of the challenges of Level 9 and 10 piano in The Royal Conservatory's Piano Syllabus, 2015 Edition is learning to play the I - VI - IV - V6/4 - 8-7 - I chord progression in all the keys (C through F major/minor for Level 9, G flat/F# through B major/minor for Level 10). What makes things more challenging is that the chord progression is only ever written out in the Piano Syllabus at the bottom of page 105. If you use the comprehensive Piano Technique Book offered by the RCM, you can find the chord progression at the bottom right of page 54 under "Additional Exercises", although you'll have to change one note on the third chord in order to turn it into a subdominant chord.

But this is no big deal for most pianists learning the level. The Level 9 and 10 chord progressions were always intended as a keyboard skill, and learning how to transpose the progression into six major and minor keys is part of that skill. I've been teaching my students this way for years.

However, not every student can develop those transposition skills without the aid of reading the chords - sometimes they need the score to get these progressions into their fingers. ~~Karen Rowell has created a series of two PDF files that have the chord progressions for each level written out in full. She also included a couple of alternate voicings.~~

[Edit 19/7/2022] Since Karen Rowell's site appears to be down permanently, I've created my own version of the Level 9 and 10 chord progressions, which are linked below.

You can find both documents here:

Level 9 chord progressions (PDF link)
Level 10 chord progressions (PDF link)

Best of luck on your senior-level exams! If you have any other questions about preparing for RCM exams, feel free to leave a message in the comments.

(Photo courtesy of Dolo Iglesias on Unsplash)

look inside

Piano Repertoire 10 Celebration Series. From The Royal Conservatory Piano Syllabus, 2015 edition. Celebration Series. 172 pages. RCM Publishing.

The Lied Society Presents Michelle Cann

2021-02-07T07:17:00.003-05:00

Abe Hunter's latest episode of The Lied Society features Michelle Cann, pianist, teacher, community innovator, and the the Eleanor Sokoloff Chair in Piano Studies at Curtis Institute of Music. In her hour-long interview, Michelle talks about teaching at Curtis, balancing solo and collaborative work, and the importance of being well-rounded. Midway through the podcast is a lovely performance of Michelle playing the second movement of Florence Price's Piano Sonata in E minor - this is a first-rate American work that you really need to check out.

The Lied Society Episode 44 ft. Michelle Cann