While many of the studies listed here are optional, most students enjoy the entire curriculum.  To become proficient at piano performance, the suggested studies have produced wonderful results.  All students who followed this path have easily passed the audition process and garnished scholarships to colleges, universities, and conservatories in their quest for degrees in piano performance.

 

Theory:  The abstract principles embodied in music and the sounds of which it consists.  This encompasses the properties of single sounds-pitch, duration, timbre, and those of collections of sounds: acoustics, tuning and temperaments, intervals, consonance and dissonance, scales, modes, melody, harmony, counterpoint, rhythm, meter, form, and analysis.  Simply stated, theory is how music is put together.

 

Technique:  Studies focusing on the physical application (coordination) in relationship to the keyboard.  There are many misconceptions in this area, including the belief that doing certain "exercises" strengthen the muscles in the fingers.  There are no muscles in the fingers.  For further information on this subject, see the article under "Myth or Fact."  This area also addresses in studies to overcome individual coordination difficulties.  Some examples of technical studies include scales, arpeggios, chords, and specialized study books that focus on physical applications such as thrust, shift, and rotation (gesture movements).

 

Sight-Reading:  Playing a piece of music upon seeing it for the first time.  The better you are at sign reading, the faster a piece may be perfected and memorized.  Specific studies will improve sight reading.  Books that teach hand position, or devices used to identify notes on the page, e.g., every good boy does fine, should be avoided.  They merely create handicaps.

 

Ear Training:  Training intended to improve musical perception, including the ability to recognize by ear alone and reproduce in musical notation melodies, intervals, harmony, rhythms, and meters.

 

Memory Studies:  Memory techniques that assist in the memorization of pieces.  Most of the time, memorizing a piece comes from repetition, understanding patterns, key signatures, and other factors.

 

Practice Techniques:  Instructing students how to best utilize their time and practice habits.

 

Study Pieces:  Chosen piece of music to perfect and include in your repertoire.  Students receive exposure to many styles; Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary eras.  Students may study the music of their choice such as jazz, popular, classical, etc.

 

Repertoire:  Music that is perfected and ready to perform from memory. 

 

Optional Studies and Programs:

 

Music History:  Students have the opportunity to learn about the masters and the era they lived in through reading materials, videos, and audio recordings.  Students are also administered tests to help solidify their retention of these studies.  Advanced students may proceed to more in-depth courses equivalent to those taught in universities.  An interesting aspect of music history is our teaching lineage that links us to Haydn, Mozart, Clementi, Beethoven, and other legendary artists.  Students receive a certificate that includes them in this lineage.

 

Composition:  The creation of music and understanding the styles from the different periods.  The IMS uses Sibelius as software for engraving music.  The program, The Composer and the Engraver, and The Composers' Circle helps students understand the transition from composer to engraver.

 

Arranging:  The adaptation of a composition for a medium different from that for which it was originally composed, usually with the intention of preserving the essentials of the musical substance.

 

Orchestration:  The art of employing instruments in various combinations, and most notably the orchestra.  Orchestration includes the concept of instrumentation and the study of the properties and capabilities of individual instruments.

 

Engraving:  Learning the engraving rules for creating scores and the different possibilities.  We use Sibelius music writing software.

 

Recording Techniques:  Students may have their pieces recorded on the Yamaha Disklavier grand piano or on the latest Yamaha Clavinova CVP digital piano.  They may record their pieces with accompanying instruments.  All recordings are saved on two computers, a portable hard drive, and two 500 GB hard drives.  Recordings are transferred to a compact disc with students learning how to design and produce their compact disc jewel case.  Students also learn mixing techniques.

 

Harpsichord:  Students have the opportunity to play on a seven foot Flemish harpsichord.  This instruments is a copy from the Ruckers Family of the late 1600's.  This provides the student with the rare opportunity to hear Baroque keyboard music as it sounded during that era.  They may also have their pieces recorded live on this instrument using the latest digital equipment.

 

Recitals:  Recitals are not required.  However, I would suggest giving it a try.  Performing in front of an audience can be a nervous experience.  However, it can help develop self confidence and reap other benefits.  The more you perform, the easier it should get.  For those who enjoy performing before the public, arrangements will be made to ensure those students are involved in recitals and other performance opportunities.  For adults, we have occasional master classes.  These classes feature guest clinicians, and students may also perform at these events.

 

The Composers' Circle:  This program allows students the opportunity to compose a piece of music by hand, or by using the Sibelius music engraving software.  After the engraving process, the composition is assigned to another student (the interpreter) in the program to study, perfect, and record the work.  The recording goes back to the composer to see how well the interpreter observed the score.  The composer sends a critique back to the interpreter.  Every students participating in this program experiences being a composer and interpreter.  When enough students have completed the process, a "Composers' Concert" is held where only the students' compositions are performed.  Each student receives a certificate with the actual sheet music in the background slightly faded.  The purpose of this program is to allow students to use the full range of their imagination without any restraints.  It also enhances students' attention to detail and appreciation of a variety of compositions.  It also helps the student better understand theory.

 

Additional Comments:

 

The Lesson:  The lesson covers many aspects.  However, we may not be able to cover every piece of music the student is studying.  This is true especially as the student becomes more advanced and has more pieces to play.  The emphasis is quality, not quantity.  The lessons is dedicated to learning, and just one new concept may improve a student's ability to create beautiful music.  Parents are free to sit in on lessons at any time.

 

The Curriculum:  Besides the areas listed above, the course is designed for each student.  This is accomplished by combining the best method books and supplemental materials.  I do not believe one method is complete, and presently combine Faber and Faber along with Hal Leonard method books.  For those who have progressed to a higher level, they learn pieces from the Celebration Series.  This curriculum is also used at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Canada and encompasses eleven repertoire books, work books, and étude books.

 

Fee Designation:  A good amount of the fees are reinvested in the sheet music library, the purchase of equipment, and other investments directly benefiting students.

 

Progress Reports:  Students and parents may receive a progress report upon request. 

 

The Lesson:  The lesson covers many aspects; however, we may not be able to review every piece of music the students is studying.  This is especially true as the student becomes more advanced and has more pieces in this studies.  The main emphasis is quality, not quantity.  It's important to learn something new at each session, and just one new concept may improve a student's ability to produce beautiful music.  Sometimes the lesson may resolve a technical problem.  Parents are free to sit in on lessons at any time.

 

Philosophy:  Those studying music do so for different reasons.  Regardless of the reason, great benefits are derived from studying the piano and participating in other music programs mentioned her.  The "side benefits," resulting from the study of music may include; creativity, self-discipline, self-esteem, focus, stress reduction, and enhanced results in areas such as math and science.  These are a few examples, and applies to students of all ages.  It is important students look forward to their lessons and leave the studio feeling good about what happened during the session.