Performing from music

Subject: Performing from music
From: GUEST,Mary
Date: 14 May 01 - 05:36 PM

I always tell my beginning students to look at their music when they perform WITH the music and not to look every now and then at their fingers. AM I TELLING THEM RIGHT? I am also recently substituting a teacher and I was given a grade 4 piano student. He plays some of the music without looking at the music but he can NOT perform the entire works from memory. He needs to look at the music every now and then. BUT...WHEN HE TURNS HIS HEAD UP TO LOOK AT THE MUSIC HE DOES NOT KNOW WHERE HE IS AT THE SCORE AND HE LOOKS HERE AND THERE TO FIND THE PLACE. I encouraged him to look at the music but HE SAYS HE CAN NOT DO THAT BECAUSE HE CAN NOT FIND THE RIGHT NOTES WITHOUT LOOKING AT HIS FINGERS. Indeed he presses wrong notes when he does not look at his fingers especially when there are big leaps. HELP!!! What shall I do? Is memorizing the piece the only solution? But again I do not think he can manage to memorize the pieces in two weeks because in two weeks he has his piano exam. Please send me your suggestions the sooner. Thanks

Subject: RE: Performing from music
From: Kim C
Date: 14 May 01 - 05:40 PM

I always had to memorize my music, even as a young child.

Subject: RE: Performing from music
From: mousethief
Date: 14 May 01 - 05:45 PM

I was never allowed to look at my fingers when I was learning piano. Or maybe that was typing. Anyway, when you watch people playing in competitions, or professionals, they may look at the music, but NEVER at the keyboard. Or maybe an occasional glance when they have a great leap to make. But 99-44/100% of the time their eyes are up and not down.

Alex

Subject: RE: Performing from music
From: Sorcha
Date: 14 May 01 - 07:12 PM

Me three. I am not a great piano player, but I did have some lessons, and your hands are supposed to memorize where they are, if that makes sense.

As a violinist/fiddler, I was taught to listen for the correct pitch and after the first few months, was not supposed to look at my fingers. Orchestral music is almost impossible to memorize. You have to learn to look back and forth from the music to the conductor, never at your fingers.

I don't have any suggestions for your student, except practice. Also, Kate's piano teacher sometimes used a long, narrow piece of cardboard to cover her hands and make her learn to feel where she was on the keyboard.

Subject: RE: Performing from music
From: Justa Picker
Date: 14 May 01 - 07:28 PM

Encourage them to memorize the music (which only comes from repeated practising.) Then, once memorized, encourage them to practise at home with their eyes closed. Eventually they'll develop an innate sense of where the keys are, by feel and a mental grid.

Subject: RE: Performing from music
From: sophocleese
Date: 15 May 01 - 07:52 AM

Take him through simple exercises with his eyes closed. Anything he does have memorized encourage him to play with his eyes closed. This will help him learn his way around the keyboard.

Subject: RE: Performing from music
From: alison
Date: 15 May 01 - 09:17 AM

yeah.. my teacher used to hold a book over my hands so I couldn't look at my fingers............

after a while you get used to finding your way by touch....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Performing from music
From: GUEST,UB Dan
Date: 15 May 01 - 10:04 AM

for a short term solution...maybe if he made marks or notes on the music sheet to bring attention to certain phrases, it would be easier for him to find his place when he looks back up at the music...This may not be the best answer...but it might work within the 2 week time frame...or at least give him the added confidence needed.

Subject: RE: Performing from music
From: Kim C
Date: 15 May 01 - 12:47 PM

I get easily distracted if I don't look at what I'm doing at least some of the time. It's been so long since I've seriously played the piano, that I don't remember what I used to do there. I have got to where I can play some things on the guitar or the fiddle without really looking.

Subject: RE: Performing from music
From: GUEST,Mary
Date: 15 May 01 - 04:40 PM

Thank you all guys. I will try your suggestions. I will get back to the thread again. Please if you have any more suggestions please!!! post them. I will give them all a try. Thanks again.

Mary