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Sidney Prim

Finger Exercises for Pianists: Improve Speed and Overall Performance

Categories Piano

At a glance… 1. Warm up exercises 2. Velocity exercises 3. Finger/hand independence exercises You might ask, why should I do finger exercises? Like athletes, musicians need good control of their muscles, and strong muscles can prevent injury. Playing the piano uses more than just the fingers; instead, the whole arms are required. To learn to use the arms, hands, fingers, and wrists correctly, finger exercises are more effective than actual pieces, since exercises are often designed to target one technique and their simple structure is less distracting. Moreover, finger exercises, similar to strength training for athletes, can improve finger … Read more

What is Sonata form?

Categories Classical Music Theory

In this article, I will talk about the origins, functions and structure of music in Sonata form. I will also dive into our musical analysis of Haydn’s renowned composition. If you have performed a piece of music by either Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven, then you have probably encountered a work in sonata form. Most first movements1 of the symphonies and concertos, as well as the chamber and solo instrumental works, by these composers are organized into sonata form. Typically, the tempo of these opening movements is fast, which is why it is sometimes referred to as sonata-allegro form. This type of … Read more

How to Play Scales and Arpeggios for Pianists

Categories Piano

At a glance… 1. Importance 2. Essential scales and arpeggios 3. Techniques 4. Articulations and rhythms 5. Practice routines The movie Julie and Julia is a highly entertaining and yet inspiring movie. Frustrated with her work, Julie decides to cook every recipe in Julia Child’s cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking and write about her experience in her blog, a task not insignificant. At the same time, the movie shows how Julia works her way up to a famous cook. One scene demonstrates her perseverance in becoming a good cook. She keeps practicing cutting onions. She cuts so many … Read more

“What Is Christmas All About?”: A Charlie Brown Christmas

Categories Arts and Entertainment Music in General Seasons and Reasons

A Charlie Brown Christmas Aired on December 9, 1965 on CBS, A Charlie Brown Christmas was the first television special stemmed from the popular four-column comic strip, Peanuts. Although CBS was not particularly optimistic about the TV movie, in particular about its religious message, it was a great success. Almost half of America’s televisions tuned into the half-hour program, and letters poured into Coca Cola, the sponsor, to express the viewers’ gratitude. Together, the producer Lee Mendelson, director Bill Melendez, Charles M. Shultz, and composer/musician Vince Guaraldi created one of the most popular Christmas special in television history. The plot … Read more

Want to learn a piece of music quickly and effectively? Follow these 8 Steps…

Categories Music in General Piano

At a glance…1. Read the whole score2. Listen to the whole piece3. Play through the entire piece           slowly4. Divide the piece5. Use various techniques for               different passages6. Put the whole piece together7. Rinse and repeat8. Find an audience to perform I think you’ll agree with me when I say: It’s REALLY hard to learn a piece of music effectively or learn to play piano unless you spend hours practicing it . Or is it? Well, it turns out, you can dramatically reduce your time spent learning a new … Read more

Looking for a New Year’s resolution? How about listening to classical music?

Categories Classical Music Music in General Seasons and Reasons

It’s almost New Year. Have you found your New Year’s resolution for 2015? Would you like to introduce classical music into your life? If you have always wanted to know more about classical music but felt overwhelmed by this seemingly difficult kind of music, here is a list of things you can try to make listening to classical music more fun. Bob Satterfield [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons 1. Just relax and use your imagination. This applies to a lot of things, including listening to classical music. Even if you know nothing about classical music, try to let your imagination … Read more

Where did Christmas carols come from?

Categories Seasons and Reasons

Ho ho ho.. It’s that time of a year–a lot of people’s favorite time–Christmas. The houses in your neighborhood have Christmas lights on, Christmas music has been played non-stop on the radio, and everywhere you go people seem to be so excited (or anxious) about this heartwarming season. When it comes to Christmas caroling, you probably think of a group of people singing in front of your house. However, do you know that carols were not always about Christmas and they started as early as the middle ages?  To understand where Christmas carols came from, let’s look at the history … Read more

Tempo rubato

Categories Music in General Theory

Musical concept: Tempo Rubato Tempo rubato, a type of tempo marking, instructs the performer to freely, expressively speed up or slow down at certain passages. In Italian, “rubare” means “to steal,” and “tempo” means “time.” Therefore “tempo rubato” means the time of some measures are stolen by the others. There are two different kinds of tempo rubato. The first kind is when the underlying pulse stays the same and the tempo is slightly varied. This type was common in the eighteenth century and received a lot of discussion from writers at that time. During the rubato passage, some measures are … Read more

Bossa nova

Categories Music in General Theory

Musical genre: Bossa nova Bossa nova is a movement in Brazilian popular music from the late 1950s that caused many changes in Samba. The originators include Antônio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto. Their Chega da saudade was the first important recording of this new style. Bossa nova features distinct rhythmic patterns, which are usually played by acoustic guitar. Singing, unlike in other popular music, is subdued. This music style also displays increased harmonic and melodic complexity. Other musical influences, besides samba, also include cool and bebop jazz. Now let’s hear two albums: Antônio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto’s Chega da … Read more

Tango

Categories Music in General Theory

Genre: Tango The term “tango” has many meanings and interpretations, but it is commonly understood as the Argentinian urban dance in the twentieth century. It’s usually in duple meter, meaning each measure has two or four beats. Each piece usually has two sections and the second section is in the relative minor or dominant key of the first section. The lyrics are usually about love and life in a pessimistic, dark manner. In the Rhythm of Tango—by Leonid Afremov Tango became internationally known in the beginning of the twentieth century and the most popular ballroom dance during World War I. … Read more