One of my favorite kinds of articles to read is interviews with various individuals. In the current issue of American Music Teacher, I enjoyed the interview with Ingrid Fliter, a renowned performer of Chopin’s music. Here are two of her statements that inspired me as both a pianist and a piano teacher:
In response to a question about her practice routine, Ingrid responds, “For me it helps a lot when I practice very, very slowly by memory with my eyes closed so I can feel what the composer actually meant. If I can practice the whole piece with my eyes shut then it means I really know the pieces. If I can do a couple of hours like this then I am very happy. That is equivalent to a week of practicing. I imagine the music, follow the movement of my arm, my hand, and I feel it deep in the bloodstream. You really have to develop your listening skills. You have to be a judge and be very alert and concentrated, otherwise you can practice for hours with little result.”
Another question asked about the ways in which her early teachers helped to influence her love for the piano and guide her in technical and artistic training. She expresses, in part, “My second teacher taught me how to reduce the energy to the basics, never using more energy than what is needed: arms relaxed, wrists relaxed and the fingers have to be strong. Piano has to become an extension of your own body. Taking advantage of the natural weight of your arm is very important as well. I believe, and my teacher always mentioned, that there is never a technical difficulty by itself. It is always related to a musical need. Every difficulty you find is applied to a musical reason. you see and visualize your musical objective.”
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