Category: Technique and Artistry
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Happy New Year, Mr. Hanon

Happy New Year, Mr. Hanon! And to all teachers, students, adult learners, colleagues, and those who enjoy playful patterns, ceremonial chords, and an adventurous Auld Lang Syne—fueled by Mr. Hanon’s first pattern in “The Virtuoso Pianist.” Charles Louis Hanon (1819−1900) has helped develop the technique of thousands of pianists through his patterned exercises in “The Virtuoso […]

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Flowers that Bloom in the Fall

Two things you might not normally think of together: autumn and… blooming flowers. But they pair very well when you’re thinking of new piano students. If you have students starting in our Piano Adventures Primer Level, you probably already know where this is going! “Round Hand Shape” is our Technique Secret No. 2, and “blooming flowers” […]

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Level 1: Articulation and the Wrist

An essential concept of Level 1 is beginning articulation, specifically legato and staccato. These terms are so familiar to us as music teachers that we might overlook the importance of these touches in developing technique and musical expression. Perhaps you have noticed that there are no articulation marks at the Primer Level—no slurs and no […]