Insights - Entrada

Insights

Insights are short videos on specific problem spots in repertoire of all levels. Don’t see the piece you are looking for? Members can submit requests for videos directly to Entrada.

Season 1

S1E1

Ravel: Jeux d’eau

The widely-spaced arpeggios in m. 11 are carefully considered with three-dimensional principles and practice strategies.

01:29

S1E2

Albeniz: Malagueña, Op. 165 No. 3

Timing and effortless movement help us capture the lilt and spirit of this Spanish dance.

01:40

S1E3

Schumann: Wild Rider, Op. 68 No. 8

Proceeding to a new section of a piece calls for careful and effective practice.

01:37

S1E4

Burgmuller: Arabesque, Op. 100 No. 2

The B section of this famous piece often is played poorly. Why?

01:22

S1E5

Chopin: Nocturne in D-Flat, Op. 27 No. 2

What did Chopin really mean when he used hairpins?

01:45

S1E6

Bartok: For Children, V. 1 No. 3

Sliding facilitates three-dimensional motion in two-note slurs.   

01:17

S1E7

Mendelssohn: Tarantella, Op. 102 No. 3

Playing fast repeated chords benefits from organizing groupings and using the vibrato technique.

01:25

S1E8

Brahms: Waltz in A-Flat, Op. 39 No. 15

Momentum and three-dimensional shaping are key to bringing this waltz to life.

02:23

S1E9

Debussy: La fille aux cheveux de lin

The large chord in m.6 presents a special pedaling challenge that is easily remedied.

00:53

S1E10

Haydn: Sonata in G, Hob.XVI:8, 4th mvt

The tremolo figure in the left hand is broken down for effective practice incorporating the basic vibrato motion.

01:44

S1E11

Rebikov: Valse mélancolique, Op. 3 No. 3

The composer’s hairpins provide clues to playing with greater sensitivity and lilt in this waltz.

01:57

S1E12

Mozart: Sonata K. 331, Rondo alla turca

The “Turkish band” figures in the left hand become effortless when we cultivate a “small” hand integrated with the vibrato technique.

01:30

S1E13

Glinka: Contredanse No. 1 “Le pantalon”

Focus on repeated notes, sforzandi, and agogic accents leads us to the elegant character of this dance.

01:45

S1E14

Liszt: Consolation No. 1 in E, S. 172

In just four measures, Liszt provides us with opportunities to interpret portato, legato, dolce, and hairpins; each marking has a meaningful effect on expression.

01:56

S1E15

Schumann: Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54, 3rd mvt

Leon Fleisher’s fingering advice is combined with the vibrato technique to produce the dynamic sweep needed at the opening of the finale of Schumann’s concerto.

01:22

Season 2

S2E1

Beethoven: German Dance in C, Pt. 1

Does sforzando only mean a “loud” note or chord?

 

01:48

S2E2

Beethoven: German Dance in C, Pt. 2

The Vibrato Technique makes playing repeated chords easy, even in elementary-level music--and helps us inflect gestures more musically and stylistically.

01:10

S2E3

Mozart: Sonata in C, K. 545 1st mvt

Here’s a great trick for playing the problematic trill near the beginning of this famous piece.

01:29

S2E4

Mompou: Scènes d'enfants I

Finger substitutions allow us to maintain legato, and the vibrato technique helps us play effortlessly and with better rhythm.

02:00

S2E5

Beethoven: Ecossaise in G, Pt. 1

Finger staccato combined with three-dimensional elements (quiet hand, shaping, vibrato) helps project the musical character of this elementary piece with ease.

01:18

S2E6

Beethoven: Ecossaise in G, Pt. 2

A whole-body approach includes releasing your hand after each ‘plucked’ attack and keeping it ‘small’ with quick jumps. Play jumps of any interval without ‘reaching’ and keeping the hand tense. (And look for an appearance by Leo the kitten!)

01:23

S2E7

Bartok: 3 Folksongs from the Csik District -- White Lily

In this exciting final piece of Bartok’s Three Folksongs, the left hand’s large rolls are challenging. Release your hand to keep it small, so you can accompany the right-hand melody in time.

02:03

S2E8

Burgmuller: Ballade, Op. 100 No. 15

Sixteenth notes in the left hand are often played with fingers only. Passages like these become much easier when you choreograph them with three-dimensional shaping.

02:19

S2E9

Handel: Aria from Suite in G Major, HWV 441

Integrating rotation with active fingers and three-dimensional movement facilitates this pianistic figure that becomes commonplace in Mozart and others, in the generations after Handel composed this work.

02:42

S2E10

Granados: Spanish Dance No. 1

How do we use the Vibrato Technique to help us play rhythmically? Whole-body gestures allow us to play the piano easily; in turn, our music becomes more free.

01:55

S2E11

Beethoven: Sonata Op. 2 No. 3, 1st mvt

The opening measures of this Sonata instill anxiety, right when we instead need confidence and good coordination. This Insight offers steps to master this passage, and to apply this process to double notes encountered in other repertoire.

01:58

S2E12

Tchaikovsky: Waltz, Op. 39 No. 9

What is the difference between a dynamic accent and an agogic accent? How do we play accents to aid the character of the music?

01:42

Season 3: Teaching Little Hands

S3E1

TLH - Improv

How do we engage elementary students in improvisation?

03:24

S3E2

TLH - Quiet Hand

It's never too early to teach the Quiet Hand!

02:42

S3E3

TLH - Arm Weight Drops

We can cultivate the sensation of "letting go" from the very first lessons.

00:46

S3E4

TLH - Arm Drops vs Fingers Alone

Good sitting posture, the Quiet Hand, a supple wrist, and a good preparatory lift and drop are all important aspects of optimal coordination to cultivate from the very beginning.

02:00

S3E5

TLH - Counting and Tapping Process

This is an extended interactive lesson segment that, upon closer examination, deals with many more things than counting and tapping.

10:05

S3E6

TLH - Counting and Tapping with Numbers

After tapping and saying, "both, right, left," it's easier to proceed to counting with numbers.

00:59

S3E7

TLH - Teachable Moments: Chord Voicing

Often, teachers are presented with "teachable moments," such as what occurred during Allison's presentation of voicing chords.

01:43

S3E8

TLH - Hand over Hand Arpeggios

Hand over hand arpeggios help elementary students to better understand chords and work on well-coordinated, whole-body movement.

01:15

S3E9

TLH - Early Scale Playing

Even in early scale playing, we strive for economy of motion and musical listening.

02:25

S3E10

TLH - Basic Vibrato Motion

The Basic Vibrato Motion can even be learned by very young pianists. It contributes to building a solid foundation for a wide variety of more advanced pianistic gestures, and can be applied immediately in elementary pieces that use repeated notes.

02:14

S3E11

TLH - Repertoire: Carr Gavotte

The Carr Gavotte provides an opportunity to observe many three-dimensional concepts in a musical context.

02:02