One of the most respected piano pedagogues of this generation was Marvin Blickenstaff. I was only familiar with him from afar, but I recently came across the book he published shortly before his death, “Inspired Piano Teaching.”
I always love reading books like this from piano teachers; it’s almost like attending a year’s worth of masterclasses! And just like when I attend a masterclass, I find myself looking for a couple of “nuggets” that I can implement right away in my teaching. From Marvin’s collection of insights, I gleaned two that I’ve been using repeatedly:
1. “The last note of the phrase is the quietest.” Marvin used this phrase frequently, and I don’t know why I’ve never thought of simplifying one element of musical phrasing so succinctly, because it is so effective! I have found myself saying it in multiple lessons and every student registers it like a light bulb going off in their brain. Talk of shaping phrases or ebbing and flowing dynamically with the rise and fall of the phrase gets more of a glazed over look many times, but this simple statement is concrete, easy to execute, and almost always true.
2. Marvin referred to a “Drop of the Hat” list that included repertoire that student’s were prepared to play “at the drop of a hat” when asked. I mentioned this to my students at our last group class and told them I thought it would be fun for them to each put together their own “Drop of a Hat” list to show me at their next lesson and have for their own reference. I only mentioned it once, but it must have resonated because almost every one of my students came back the very next lesson with their list compiled! Here’s one example:
Again, I might have used the terms “repertoire list” or “performance-ready pieces,” but something about “Drop of a Hat” stuck with them. I guess it goes to show that it really does matter what words and phrases we use with our students, and the more we can make ideas concrete and memorable, the better. I’m grateful for these little nuggets that help me grow and improve so that I can become the best piano teacher possible for each of my piano students!
Please note: Some of the above links are affiliate links that enables us to receive a small commission from purchases made through them (at no additional cost to you). We only recommend those resources that we find valuable for teaching and studio use. We are so grateful for the support of teachers and musicians who use our affiliate links to help offset the costs of running Music Matters Blog and providing free resources for music teachers!
Leave a Reply