TAT “Challenges in Young Pianists (including Pedal!!)” with Bonnie Kellert is postponed. Date TBD

“Challenges in Young Pianists (including Pedal!!)”

Presented by Bonnie Kellert

Discussion offers strategies for teachers to show students how to practice technical challenges and to retain these concepts.  Of foremost importance is detecting, distinguishing and determining a technical challenge before approaching and discovering solutions.  Demonstration of basic technique includes posture, finger strength, sound production, articulation, evenly played scales & accuracy.  Beginning years also includes absence of tension, economy of motion, variety of dynamics, creating a beautiful sound.  Teachers should establish effective goals and clear solutions for motivating students to accomplish challenges and select appropriate and individualized goals for each student so that established objectives can be accomplished. 

Watching students practice can be very illuminating and guide the teacher about how to approach problems.  Videotaping teaching sessions is a useful tool to remind students HOW to achieve consistent results.  Good, consistent practice habits, developing LTM (Long Term Memory) and learning to listen, along with employing reliable concepts, are vital to success and will help preserve and retain dependable results.

Other topics of discussion are welcomed, including pedaling.

Bonnie Kellert, scholarship student of Leon Fleisher.  Performer, teacher, lecturer and Master Class presenter.  Her performances have elicited these comments:   “All her playing is imbued with unpretentious, unspoiled musicality”…” a musician who has command of the keyboard, a brilliant mentality and a dramatic flair balanced by sensitive insight…”