Studio
News
January,
2008 --
Practice
Time Schubert
Happy
New Year to all! I hope you have
been enjoying the holiday season – and playing the piano for fun.
I look forward to seeing you again.
Thinking on the learning of the past year, I believe a
very exciting year
is ahead. The studio family is now
a group of developing musicians, with many very young children soon to be past
the beginner stages. A number of new faces are joining us, and I welcome you.
I hope this year brings a wonderful journey for all.
Diary
Notes for 2008
Term periods:
Term 1 – Monday 28th January to Saturday 12th April (11 weeks)
Term 2 – Monday 28th April to Saturday 5th July (10
weeks)
Term 3 – Monday 21st July to Saturday 27th September (10
weeks)
Term 4 - Monday 13th October to Saturday 20th December (10
weeks)
Recitals and Eisteddfods: These
are approximate dates for performance and entry closures.
More precise details will be provided when closer to the time.
Young
Pianist Recital, semester 1- Sunday 29th June
Young
Pianist Recital, semester 2 - Sunday 30th November
Eisteddfods:
Parramatta District – Throughout May, entries close 12th
March
Galston
District – Late October, entries close end July
AMEB written and Piano exams:
Piano
Performance (Classical and Leisure)
- First series, 26th April to 7th June (entries close 20th
February)
- Second series, 25th October to 15th November (entries
close 29th July)
Written Exams (Theory, Musicianship and Music Craft)
- First series, 20th to 23rd May (entries close 20th
February)
- Fifth series, 25th to 29th August (entries close 11th
June)
^
How
much Practice is the Right Amount?
Students
and parents often wonder how much practice is needed for their stage of learning
the piano. It is difficult to
determine a precise answer, because the amount of recommended practice depends
very much on the individual’s goals, circumstances and learning processes.
However, several general, underlying principles can help with making
decisions about practice routines. Ask
if you are not sure what is right for you.
One thing is certain – it is obvious when a student has practiced
properly during a week because the improvement in all areas is noticeable.
Average,
recommended daily periods: While
it can be strategic to have some days off occasionally, it is highly recommended
that a pianist play for some time each day.
A pianist is like an athlete or dancer – except the muscles that need
to be kept in condition include the very fine finger muscles.
It’s the same whether you’re playing for recreation or with a music
career in mind. Here are minimum
daily time recommendations:
Stage
1 beginner: 5 minutes
Stage 2 beginner: 10 minutes
Stage
3 beginner: 15 minutes
Primary 1 & 2: 20 minutes
Intermediate
1 & 2: 30 minutes
Intermediate 3: 40 minutes
Advanced
1: 2 groups of 30 minutes
Advanced 2/3: 2 groups of 45 minutes
Diploma:
3 groups of 45 minutes
When
to practice: Due to our busy
life-styles, it is good to find a regular time and make practice a habit.
Individual circumstances create limits.
However, look for the time when you are most alert and usually able to
concentrate well. Practicing when
distracted or tired achieves very little, and can actually cause you to move
backwards.
Practice when you can concentrate, so you can
think and learn to your best ability.
Practice when you are in a good mood, so you don’t learn to
play with tension.
Practice soon after lessons, so you can remember everything you
were taught.
What
to practice: Practice helps
several very different areas of learning. When
we practice, purposeful time should be given to muscle development, technical
movements, sight-reading, rhythmic development, interpretation and learning of
performance pieces, and reviewing past pieces for fun.
Here is a suggested programme suitable for all levels:
1.
Relaxation and posture – loosen off and do gentle stretches
before sitting at the piano.
2.
Precision exercises – 1/5 of your practice time should be spent
working fingers very well, playing scales and other independent finger work.
Use strong, steady movements, aim for accuracy rather than speed, play
with clear notes and different rhythms. Watch
your posture.
3.
Technical exercises – 1/5 of your time should be given to
developing a relaxed repertoire of technical skills.
Use studies, such as Scarlatti Sonatas, Czerny studies, Dozen a Day
or selected sections from lesson pieces. Focus
on slow, relaxed wrist movements.
4.
Lesson and performance pieces – Half your practice time should be
spent on pieces you are learning, looking at the movements slowly and carefully,
using the metronome to develop rhythmic accuracy, playing with different volumes
and interpretations, listening to recordings and recording yourself, and
thinking carefully about the music.
5.
Reading – The remainder of your practice time should be spent going
back over favourite pieces or reading new pieces.
Play for fun, but try to be accurate – or make up your own version.
^
Franz
Schubert
Franz
Schubert, born in Austria on 31st January 1797, is one of the
greatest melody writers of all time. He
composed in many different forms and wrote more Leider (German songs) than any
other composer. Most of his music
is very beautiful. Despite this, he
struggled to make a living as a musician.
Schubert was the son of a poor schoolmaster who taught him what he could about
music, although that was rather little. Making
his way into an Imperial school in 1808 as a choirboy, Schubert formally learnt
the violin and how to conduct.
Unfortunately, he performed very little – something that was necessary
for a musician at that time to become known.
He did have opportunity to hear some of Mozart’s works and to visit the
opera. This was the foundation for
his music knowledge.
Schubert began composing at 13 years of age and wrote his first symphony (a
large piece for full orchestra) at 16. He
wrote several Leider, that later became well known, and a couple of symphonies
before he turned 20. A significant
composer of the time, Antonio Salieri, heard of Schubert’s raw talent and
invited him as his own student in composition and music theory.
Salieri helped Schubert for several years, while Schubert taught at his
father’s school. (Schubert
wasn’t very interested n teaching.)
Generally,
Schubert was not a very organised person. He
was a creative eccentric, who devoted himself more to his dreams and love of
music than to making ends meet.
He was not good at acknowledging deadlines or planning projects, so he
was never successful in achieving employment.
He did have a friendly personality that easily won him admirers and
comrades who took care of him. Still,
few of his compositions were performed or submitted for publishing.
Schubert’s brother made many of Schubert’s compositions available for
publication after his death.
Schubert’s later works departed from the Sonata and other Classical forms of
his time. He was consumed with
searching ideas about the meaning of life, and such mental wandering takes over
in many of his songs. He admired the intellect and passions of Beethoven, who had
similar ideas. Schubert was buried,
on request, next to Beethoven when he died at a mere 31 years of age.
Schubert wrote mostly for voice (Leider, operas and religious masses) and
chamber music. He included piano in several of his chamber works, including
piano duets and string/keyboard groups. His
solo piano music includes a number of Sonatas, waltzes and Moment
Musicaux
– all very complex works. He
composed an enormous amount of music for someone with little music education and
a short life. His over 600 beautiful Leider are his most significant
contribution to music.
Annah
Hyrst
Individual
Dynamics
"Music
gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and
life to everything." - Plato
