Your concentrations for your music degree were in both piano performance and music history. Though an important part of building musicianship, it’s an area many students neglect. What are ways that you work with your own students to not only learn the history themselves but apply it to their own playing and understanding of music as a whole?
I love talking about the development of music with students and integrating it within their repertoire. I believe that it is very important to understand the era and a bit about the composer when learning a piece. Not only does it give the performer a chance to connect with the composer and understand their music better, but it allows them to develop their own interpretation on a deeper level.
A fun part of your past is that you worked with refurbishing musical instruments. Students are used to sitting down to an instrument but unaware of what goes into its construction - some students these days are known to ask “where is the ‘on’ button” when at an acoustic piano. What would you say you learned from refurbishing that has helped give you a better understanding of the piano?
I worked with a piano technician for a very brief period of time (3 months) where I got to observe and do some work, mainly in tuning pianos. I also got the unique opportunity to work on period instruments, doing A435 tuning and standard A440.
Most of my experience in instrument refurbishing actually comes from working on cellos! I worked with a luthier for a year and a half where I specifically refurbished and did basic repair work on student instruments for the local orchestra programs. Working on instruments of all kinds gives you a deeper understanding in playing and also is just fascinating to understand.
When you go inside of the piano and do hammer/action work or repair for example you’re able to physically see the percussive qualities that make the piano and process how it functions.
Every teacher has a long history of teaching moments with students that stand out over the years. Can you share a comical moment you’ve had with a student?
One of my students dressed up as a rubix cube for the halloween recital a couple of years ago. It wasn't until the rehearsal beforehand that he told me he would not be able to sit down due to his costume. So he played the entire piece standing up and could not see his hands haha.
The Opus 1 summer recitals are quickly approaching. What tips do you have for our students that will help them prepare and perform confidently?
Practice performing for as many people as you can, eat a banana beforehand (it has qualities that help ease anxiety) and just allow yourself to be in the music!