Workshops
Since moving to Alberta in 1986, Peter has been asked to give workshops on
various topics, including baroque ornamentation, elements of style in
different musical periods, various pedagogical issues such as
developping sound technique and artistic interpretation. He is also
available for recitals and masterclasses.
Playing with Ease
In
my experience as a teacher and festival adjudicator, I have found that many
student pianists play unmusically. I believe that it is not because they lack
inherent musicality, but rather that their physical and mental habits turn the
joy of music making into a grim struggle. This was also a problem in my own playing
and about fifteen years ago, my habits and attitudes resulted in a repetitive
strain injury which prevented me from performing for several years. In this lecture/demonstration,
I present the results of my findings during the long, frustrating path to my
recovery. They have helped me and my students play with ease and fluency, and
helped remove many of the obstacles to expressive playing.
To
play with ease, two major areas need to be examined. First, the pianist should
understand what the piano requires to produce good and varied tone. Most
students regard the piano as a mysterious black box, not realizing the direct
connection between how they touch the keys and how the piano sounds. Second,
the pianist should understand and respect the way their bodies and minds work.
Fluent playing depends on a practical knowledge of a) physical and
psychological issues involved in moving effortlessly, b) how to put those
issues into practice, and c) how they affect the sound of the piano. The
demonstration includes suggestions on where to focus attention during practice
and communicating through analogy and imagery to help students put “play” back
into playing the piano.
Playing with Confidence
After
sustaining an RSI to my hands, I
spent a great deal of time and thought on technique. What caused the
problem?
What was I doing physically? As I worked at it and improved, I found
that my
confidence rose dramatically. There were many things that now worked,
and my
playing improved by leaps and bounds. And yet, there was always still
this
gnawing lack of confidence in myself. The more I was aware of that, the
more I
noticed the same sort of thing in my students. I noticed that they
would get in
a snit about the simplest things; as did I. I noticed that in many
instances,
they were convinced that what they had to do was difficult or
impossible; as
did I. I’m sure these were not conscious thoughts, but
convictions held on some
deeper level that influenced everything they did. And everything I did.
Including
my teaching. And then one day, it dawned on me. It doesn’t have
to be this way.
If I lack confidence, there must be a way to change that. If my
students lack
confidence, it must be possible to help them change that. So, I started
chipping away at the problem, observing, testing, questioning…
what is
happening? why is this anxiety happening? Under what circumstances does
this crippling
anxiety make an appearance? There is nothing that sucks the joy out of
making
music faster than this chronic lack of confidence, and I was determined
to find
ways around this problem. I am still working at it. What I would like
to present is the product of several years of research in the lab I
call my studio. These
are all the things that I struggle with on a daily basis. These are the
things
I have to learn and re-learn on a daily basis. I don’t have all
the answers,
but I would like to give you some things to think about that may help
your own
and your students’ confidence.
A Composer's Reading of the Score
When I began
composing, I was suddenly confronted with the necessity to take often
vague ideas of sound that resonated in my head, and transcribe them on
to a piece of paper so that others could play my music. What a
nightmare! (The transcribing part, not the music!) I had to re-think
many of the things that as a performer, I had merely taken for granted.
How can I convey certain types of articulation... Liszt and
Bartok had numerous markings for suggesting various levels of staccato
and accentuation. Should I use markings or words? Italian or English?
Or German? What exactly does the time signature mean? I mean, every
student knows (and barks out the answer on command) that 4/4 time means
fourbeatsperbarthequarternotegetsthebeat.
(I have decided that this must be all one word, because that's how they
say it! No punctuation, no breathing, eyes glazed and empty, face
expressionless.) Is the placement of a slur really that
important? What about how the eighth notes are beamed together?
Or which way the stems go? What does f mean, or mp? In fact, why bother
to play with dynamics at all? Aren't just getting the right notes and
rhythm enough?
In order to accurately read and interpret a score, it is very useful to
get into the mind of a composer and imagine the issues they were
confronted with when writing the score. In this workshop, I
present and discuss these issues that have an immediate and
audible effect on the way music is performed. Once
they
are understood, and the student's eye is trained to immediately see the
interpretive possibilites in the score, they generally learn to play
musically and expressively much
sooner and with a conviction that comes from a better understanding of
the composer's intentions.
These
workshops can be tailored for most levels of repertoire and teaching. Peter
will be happy to include specific repertoire in either workshop. If you
are interested in booking a workshop or masterclass, please don't
hesitate to contact him for scheduling and fee information.
This site and all contents © Peter Jancewicz 2010