Piano and Music Videos

Maybe you’ve heard of this before. It is sometimes referred to as the Russian School of Piano Playing, Violin Playing or just the Russian School of Music. Each culture has different aspects and the Russian’s are no exception. The Russian culture is known for their intense emotionalism which certainly reflects in their music. They often perform with a great intensity and emotion and this is sometimes referred to as the Russian School.

But is it really a school? Not so much. It’s certainly not a formally organized institution; the Russian school is no different from something like the French school. These are movements started by composers at certain periods. They brought about certain types of music and performances that distinguish an era of music.

Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff are two composers that defined the Russian school. They both had a large amount of intensity and emotion in their music. However, just because two pianists are from the same school doesn’t mean they play the same way. Rachmaninoff and Horowitz were incredibly different musicians, yet both were Russian pianists.

So what does this mean? Much like Romantic and Classical music terms are very general, Russian School is also a general term to describe a certain style and era of music. It’s something that’s done after the fact to categorize a movement of composers and style of performance.

As performers we all have a certain amount of ego – if we go out and perform something and people aren’t paying attention it’s pretty insulting. It would be great if every time you performed people would simply stop what they are doing and give you their full attention but, you have to be realistic; this isn’t going to happen all the time.

The first thing to remember is that there are many different types of performances. There are formal occasions such as recitals or symphony concerts as well as more informal locations such as parties, restaurants or even malls. While the performances might be similar, the audience and setting is extremely different.

If people are loud and obnoxious at a formal event – which does happen – this is something that is completely antithetical to the setting of the performance; if they act that way in a public setting it’s something to be expected and planned for. You can’t expect everyone at a party to stop what they are doing to listen to your performance – they are probably there to eat, drink and socialize with their friends.

It’s very important as a musician to understand your audience and the context of the performance. In many cases when you are playing in an informal setting you have to put your ego aside and realize that what you are doing is more of a job than a pure musical expression.

But how do you deal with an audience member in a formal setting who is being loud? There are a number of ways to react and deal with a situation like this.

One method is to be confrontational. You could try looking towards the source of the noise and possibly intimidate the audience members to quiet down so everyone can enjoy the music. This can work but it can also backfire. Really the last thing you want to do is create a distraction by developing a dynamic between you and an audience member – you want to minimize the distraction to your audience. It’s probably best to avoid confrontation whenever possible.

I personally use a much different method. If I find someone is being disruptive during a performance, I do my best to draw them out to the audience and make them aware of the distraction. For example, when I come to a quiet part of a piece I may play even quieter then I normally would. This might seem counter intuitive, but if you captivate your audience and have them follow you into a quiet section they will be incensed at the idea of someone disrupting it for them. In situations like this the audience will take care of your problem for you.

The best thing you can do is keep your composure. You don’t want your audience seeing you affected in a negative way and you don’t want them seeing you upset. You will have to deal with this problem as a performer and it’s always important to remember the context in which you are performing.

Improvisation is something that seems almost impossible when it’s done effectively. If you’ve ever seen a comedy act in which they improvise using different objects or ideas it can be incredibly entertaining and it’s amazing to watch people come up with such great ideas out of thin air.

In a lot of ways it’s how we used to think as a children; coming up with elaborate stories and creative games is something that comes naturally. Over the course of our development in society we are taught to temper these creative aspects of our personality in order to conform to a more strict set of rules. However, inside all of us lies the ability to be creative and let ourselves go – it’s just really a matter of re-discovering those aspects of ourselves!

When it comes to music, there are many different types of improvisation. Many genres of music have structure in which improvisation is built on. For example, when it comes to great jazz artists (like Chick Corea or Miles Davis) they will perform improvisations on a song that is somewhat pre-determined. There is a melody and theme to the music that stands as a foundation and throughout the course of the song they improvise and embellish it by using improvisation to change the melody, harmony and the overall arrangement. One of Miles Davis’ albums, “Bitches Brew” had over 20 musicians – including multiple percussionists – in the same room playing at the same time. Without some sort of foundation to the music it would sound like chaos. While there might not have been a pre-determined course for the music, a consistent rhythm section is able to keep the piece intact while other instruments improvise different melodies and solos. However, this is by no means the only type of improvisation when it comes to music.

Keith Jarrett is an artist who would go out on stage and play an entire concert that is totally improvised and not based on any previous material. Sure, there might be some riffs and chord changes he’s played a number of times before but the actual structure of the music is purely improvised with new melodies and structure every time.

There are dozens of different types of improvisation when it comes to music. Indian Ragas are another example of improvisation where a number of musicians will get together and play a piece that could sometimes last 90 minutes and is improvised above a consistent drone.

When it comes down to it, there are really two main types of improvisation. One that is built upon a foundation and one that is purely made up. A lot of improvisation will blur the lines between the two and form their own unique styles. For example, I like to improvise classical pieces. I have grown up with music and have a strong understanding of this musical language so I find enjoyment in making up pieces or taking existing pieces and improvising with them.

There are countless different ways in which you can improvise with music and all of them can be both rewarding and beneficial to your musical development.

This is a very common and important question and I’m going to answer it as honestly as I can. Surprisingly, this doesn’t have to be as controversial a topic as it sounds. In some occasions there is a point at which some students can simply outgrow a teacher.

A common example of this is a student progressing past a teacher and needing someone with a larger range of experience and repertoire to continue to grow as a musician. This is something that teachers should be aware of and understand as a possibility. While it might be tough to see them go, letting a student progress to a higher level is something we should all strive for as teachers and sometimes it’s just best to let go. Keeping a student past the point of diminishing returns will only stunt their development and it could end up creating resentment. Many musicians will have a number of teachers over the course of their lives; it’s not something to be afraid of or avoid, it’s a part of musical development.

Another example is if a student wants to branch off into another genre of music that their teacher isn’t familiar or experienced with. Maybe you have a student trained in classical violin who decides they want to explore bluegrass and fiddling. Some teachers might turn up their noses at the idea of a different genre but it’s not something we can and should control. If a student wants to explore other genres of music with their instrument you should encourage them and help them however you can. If it’s beyond your abilities it might be best if you help them find another teacher that specializes in their desired genre possibly even an adjunct course at a local college in addition to lessons.

This can be a real touchy subject for many teachers and students but it’s not something that should get in the way of learning. If you are learning well and getting along with your teacher then you should continue to do so. If it’s time to move on, it’s time to move on. The best thing we can do as teachers is continue to help our students become the best musicians they can be. If they outgrow us it should only be taken as a compliment – after all, you laid the foundation for their progress and you’re part of the reason they have progressed so far!

Middle C is something that every musician is familiar with. Today we are going to go a little more in-depth on this common phrase and explore some things you might not be aware of.

The piano keyboard has a number of C’s on it, so you might assume that middle C is right in the middle of the piano. While it is near the middle of the piano, there is a slight problem:

The note in the absolute middle of the keyboard is not C. The exact middle is right between, E and F above middle C. So why is middle C called middle C?

There are actually 2 C’s near the middle of the piano:

So which one of these is middle C? It is the lower one.

This is middle C:

It is technically closer to the middle of the piano but this is not the only reason it’s called middle C. The reason it has this term is because where this note is located on the grand staff. While the treble clef and the bass clef form the 10 lines in the grand staff, there is a space you can think of as an 11th line that runs between the two. This is where middle C is located:

This makes perfect sense! Middle C has less to do with its location on the piano keyboard and more to do with where it is located on the grand staff. This is a very important note because it helps you in reading both notes in the treble and bass clefs. Naturally, when middle C is written in the bass clef, the ledger line is closer to the bass clef and when it is written on the treble clef the ledger line is closer to the treble clef – but it is the same note!

This is an incredibly common question and there are a lot of opinions on the subject. I have to admit, I do have a viewpoint which I am happy to share with you.

I know a lot of teachers and I’ve known some over the years who worry when their students begin to branch out into jazz, rock or other styles. A common concern is that their students will lose the delicate touch needed to perform Classical music. An even bigger concern for many teachers is that jazz being an improvised style will effect the accurate representations of the great Classical repertoire.

Here is a parallel that may shed light on the subject. Imagine you’ve grown up in the United States and learned English your whole life. One day you decide to learn to speak French. Will this effect your abilities of speaking and comprehending English? I don’t believe so. I think it could present an opportunity to expand your horizons. However, it is necessary to be clear what style of music you’re playing.

The style of music you play extends far beyond the differences in jazz or Classical. If you are playing 19th century music of Chopin, you wouldn’t want to impart the Baroque style of Bach in your playing; it’s a completely different type of music and style. Each period of Classical music has its own set of demands and styles unique from one another.

When it comes down to it, as a pianist it’s best to have a multitude of different styles you can perform. Whether it’s jazz, Baroque, Classical, or whatever it might be, the more styles you can have in your musical arsenal the more marketable a musician you can become. Not only that, but different musical genres offer unique rewards.