Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Piano Masterclass - Helpful or Absurd?

My point ... my really one and only point is this (and you won't like it) having a 'master' teacher show you how to play other people's music the (right way, better way, more interpretive way) or whatever way you want to call it is absurd.

That's my opinion. And so far, I haven't been persuaded to see it any other way.

nah, what would be easier is to buy a jim brickman or yanni CD, listen to about 5 minutes of it, then doodle in a major key (with a little relative minor thrown in to tug at the heart strings) and call it an original new age piano composition.

no muss, no fuss!

That's a good idea!

I find your arguments flimsy and rambling.


A. Yes. B. No

I wouldn't say masterclasses are absurd, they hold the value of experience which the master is giving the student. The student's interpretation isn't wrong, neither is the master's. The master is merely presenting his/her experience of the piece; the student can take it on, change it, or discard it. Over time as the student becomes more progressed they will develop their own ideas, most probably built upon what they have discovered from the masterclass.

This thread is still going? It's like Sarah Palin's political career.

Actually I haven't been trying to persuade you at all, merely giving you my take on the whole notion. I guess in your opinion, when it comes to music, no advice is good advice. I happen to disagree and to me it's that notion seems a bit absurd. Given that the best we can hope for is to agree to disagree.

Question, if a person came to you and asked your advice on how to play something, would you politely decline to give any feedback at all?

Does it count as a career when no one takes notice?

Hey now, you're talking about my dream president.

No one notice? Politics 101: Sarah Palin is attacked at every opportunity by the left. When that occurs to a politican, left or right or otherwise, it is because they have power, i.e. they are noticed and have a following, and the other side wants to hurt them politically.

Okay then: does it count as a career if no one with any common sense takes notice.

My job as a teacher is to lead and guide students to create their own music. I offer guidelines and principles and leave it up to the student to take it from there.

I don't teach children. Just adults. Or anyone who doesn't mind exploring a different approach to playing piano.

Cannibal, just stop please. Politics is not allowed on these forums, and for good reason. Some of these threads are bad enough without adding additional poison.

Okay, my apologies. Don't worry, i don't actually have anything against Sarah Palin, it's just my poor attempt at a joke.

Apology accepted.

Can you give an example of "guidelines and principals"? If I as an adult came to you and said "I'm trying to get the right mood for this section, but I just can't seem to make it sound on the keyboard the way I have it in my head", what type of advice would you give me?

Ed can see Russia from his keyboard!

Well, I am afraid that to me, it is your one and only point that is absurd.

That is my opinion.

I'd say forget about trying to 'come up' with something and just play what you feel. I don't teach people how to create a 'happy music' or a 'sad music.' To wit..

Many students want to create music that has a certain emotional quality. For example, I once had a student ask me to show her how to play something that sounded happy.

Of course, this student missed the entire point of my teaching - to play where you are emotionally and to not try and come up with something. I tried to explain to her that if she were feeling happy, then the natural outcome of the music would be flavored with this emotion.