Artistry by Veda Zuponcic, Notes from MTNA 2019 Conference

I will be adding my notes from the 2019 MTNA Conference here.  I hope you enjoy them. 

Artistry

Veda Zuponcic, Rowan University, Glassboro, New Jersey

What is artistry?  Clean technique, capturing the character of the piece, personal charisma.

Artistry and technique must go together.  Technique comes first.

See Martha Argarich's scales.  Here's an example of a Scarlatti Sonate .

Build:

• Fingers
• Musical intellect
• Taste/Style
• Develop confidence

1. Use great materials.  Try to get to early intermediate by the end of the first year.  (i.e. Anna Magdalena Bach).

Ages 5-7:  the "Golden Age".  They can sit still for 20-30 minutes.   They have enough language to understand and they respect authority.  They have an intense interest in learning and they have time.  At this age, the practice responsibility is on the parents.

Look for method books that have melodies shared between two hands, the intention of the author to move child forward, not tethered to certain positions, many tonalities with and without key signatures.  (Reading errors happen when kids don't know scales).

Year 1-3 master all majors/minors in circle of 5ths.

2.  Master Every Detail in the score--written or implied:  intervals, dynamics, consonance, dissonance, things that are the same or different in the score.

3.  Comfortable physical approach to the piano:  create a variety of sounds, physical freedom at the piano.

4.  Build a big technique:  scales, arpeggios, inversions with speed. You can't play big literature without big technique.  Hanon and Czerny Etudes! also Cobb.

Slurs--mother of artistry.  Drop-lift with wrist.  

If using one finger, use finger #3.  Recommends Russian technique.  You don't have to worry about thumbs since RT uses a lot of only #3. Never play two notes with the same finger.  Changing fingers requires the arm rather than making the fingers do the work--easier and better sound. Graduation to Anna Magdalena Bach after "Under the Green Apple Tree" #83 of Russian Technique book. 7-8 exercises/week.  Do RH alone, LH alone, 15x HT.

5.  Provide opportunities for performance so that at least a portion of repertoire reaches a high performance level:  Recitals, auditions, competitions, volunteer recitals, (MTNA e-festivals, NVMTA general and judged recitals), school opportunities.

Primary value of competitions:  deadlines, extensive preparation.  If student has 8 deadlines, you'll get 8x the preparation.

6.  Art of Balance:  big and little gestures. Stay close to the keys for a soft sound. 

The Happy Farmer is a good example of a piece that requires good balance between the hands.  Talk about the character of the piece: 

Why is the farmer happy?

• He loves to see things grow
• He's happy to come home to his family
• He loves working in nature

What does he look like?

• tall or short?
• strong or thin?
• smiling or sad?

Transfer Students---don't give them a book with a level number.

Melody:  Teach lots of Schumann.  Make sure students do Preludes and Fugues before graduating from high school.