Listening is Learning

Pictured from left to right: Holly, Erwin, Emily, Dan, Imran, and Julian attending Erwin Helfer's concert last fall.

If you are an adult starting piano lessons for the first time, you are probably a fairly high achiever with the desire to  understand everything about piano playing and notation, like, yesterday. You question your posture and your hand position and the notes on the page and, oh yeah, "what did my teacher say I was suppose to do in this spot - get louder or get softer?” You finally start playing and hope that it, at least, vaguely sounds like its suppose to. You anxiously wait for your next lesson to find out.

But what if you already, intuitively, knew what it was suppose to sound like? What if you didn’t need to wait until you saw your teacher? What if you could self correct, right now? What if you could rely on the sound you heard to tell you whether your hand position was working or not? You CAN, if you practice listening. One of the most important, enjoyable, easy and often missed essential elements of practicing the piano is listening. This is why we, at South Loop Piano Lessons, have added Musical Field Trips to our adult curriculum. Every couple months we select an event that we believe is especially relevant and fun. You have the opportunity to attend with us and practice listening.  

Attending a concert is similar to a writer reading many books in order to become a better writer. You, the pianist, attend concerts to learn, through observation and listening, how to become a better player. As you listen, consider things like: What do you like or don't like? What do you want to replicate or not? Its important to ask yourself questions like these as you listen. It tunes your ear and helps you, intuitively, begin to know what you want your music to sound like. 

Consider these additional questions when you attend your next concert:

1. How is their technique different from your own?  What are they doing differently? What do their hands look like? Are they playing close to the keys or jumping all over the place? 
2. Is there dynamic contrast in volume and expression during their performance? Is it articulate? Can you clearly hear the melody over other textures involved in the piece? What stands out to you?
3. Is the rhythm/tempo steady? Can you tap your foot with the music? 

Of course, it is very helpful to be able to talk over your thoughts with an expert and our teachers will be there to discuss what you learn as well as suggest some additional things to think about.

Please join us for out next field trip on Sunday, January 28th at 4pm for Piano Forte (1335 S Michigan) Foundation's annual Schubertiade, a celebration of Franz Schubert's life and music. We will enjoy the performance of "Die Schöne Müllerin", a song cycle based on the poems by Wilhelm Müller for piano and voice. It is considered one of Schubert's most important works and is widely performed. 

We hope you will attend this performance with us and ask yourself the questions we suggested above. We will be there to help you along the way!