Notes & Numbers

7/X The effective use of arm weight is a foundational element of the technique I try to instill in my lessons. Knowing a piece means to know how it feels, both emotionally and physically, and ultimately to recognize how that focus provides a deeper familiarity and facility with the music we love.

That plus an overview of the appropriate way to treat dynamic markings (ranges not steps!) in music makes this a short but sweet video that I hope you’ll enjoy 😊🎹💪

4/X Music is fundamentally a matter of storytelling, rather than simple recitation; what we play is more than the notes on the page in time. In the same way that an actor falls flat if they stop at the correct pronunciation of the words they’re meant to say, a piece of music feels thin without a greater intent, a focus on the emotional web you’re trying to weave.

It’s a concept I’ll return to often in these clips, though with different depths or details from student to student, one point in the process to the next. For now, enjoy a visit with an early piece, Young Hunter, from the Faber level 1 lesson book 😄