In this issue
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
November/December 2017: Recent Research
Music with the mind Neuroscientists have created the world's first musical instrument which can be played using only thoughts. The hands-free device may help rehabilitate those…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
Protecting Passwords in 21st-Century Style
Do you panic when prompted to enter a password? It's virtually an impossible task to remember every password you create as most websites now require you…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
Thank You
This Editor's column will be my last for Clavier Companion. After eleven years at the helm of this magazine and its predecessor, Keyboard Companion, I have decided to…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
November/December 2017: New Music Reviews
(S3) From Sight to Sound: 6 Original PIano Solos, by Randall Hartsell. Randall Hartsell composed From Sight to Sound to express the "interconnectedness of nature and…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
On Boating and the Pleasures of Ear Training
Yes. You read right. I bet you never thought you'd see the words "pleasure" and "ear training" mentioned in the same sentence. Pleasure and boats seem…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
November/December 2017: CD & DVD Reviews
CurrentsMichael Mizrahi, pianoNew Amsterdam Records NWAM075[Total Time 60:01]www.discogs.com Whether you are an avid fan of contemporary music, a casual listener looking for something off the beaten…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
November 2017: Mind Matters: Thinking about Thinking
What do you think about when you think about performing? Take a few minutes before reading further and make a short list. Below, I have listed some frequent…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
November/December 2017: Questions & Answers
Q: This is the time of year when high school students are considering college and preparing for auditions. As a music administrator, do you have any…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
November 2017 Making Money Making Space: Creating Space to Move from Good to Great
One of the wonderful realities and paradoxes about being a piano teacher in 2017 is that a good idea is only one click away. The proliferation…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
November 2017: Keyboard Kids
Meet the Composers: Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, on December 6, 1770. His family background was Dutch; the name Beethoven means…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
Perspectives: Why I Love Teaching Learning-Challenged Children
As a piano teacher, I love working with students who catch on to new concepts quickly, who are respectful and obedient, who are able to give…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
November 2017: Pupil Saver: Set Your Alarm
Students are sure to make time for Kevin Olson's energetic early-intermediate piece Time's Up! (FJH). The imaginative use of changing meters and brisk tempo give this piece a…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
Moving from Sonatina to Sonata: Bridging the Gap with Johann Wilhelm Hässler
Progressing from late-intermediate level sonatinas by Clementi and Kuhlau to early-advanced level sonatas by Mozart and Haydn can be a challenge for students. The piano repertoire…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
A Legacy of Excellence: An Interview with John and Nancy Weems
Through their teaching, John and Nancy Weems have instilled in their students a love for music and a commitment to artistic pianism. In addition to a long-standing…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
Coping with Cross-Rhythms
One of the most frequent problems I have encountered with students in my teaching, examining, and adjudicating is their approach to cross-rhythms. Yet, a lack of confidence—even…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
Piano Method Review: Tales of A Musical Journey
Tales of a Musical Journey, by Irina Gorin with assistance from Olga Lukantsov, is presented in the form of two chapter books for young children ages four…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
Unifying Techniques in Musical Compositions
Any musical composition may be analyzed from the perspective of attempting to reveal its various facets of unity and variety. A work may often prove to be satisfying to the listener…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
November 2017: Create and Motivate: Developing Seventh-Chord Fluency
The ability to recognize and play chords without hesitation benefits all pianists. For improvisers, chord fluency enables practical skills such as learning tunes by ear, transforming lead…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
News & Notes Nov/Dec 2017: Falling Pianos and Extreme Minimalism
Falling pianos At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the annual "Piano Drop" has been a celebrated event for more than forty years. According to Steve Annear of The…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
November/December 2017: Poetry Corner
Beethoven: Sonata No. 14 for Roma You were at the piano playing the "Moonlight," A name Rellstab gave it when he heard The Adagio, and remembered…
November 2017; Vol. 9, No. 6
DIGITAL ONLY CONTENT: Speak out! Five-and-a-half minutes with composer, Christopher Norton
Deborah Rambo Sinn - Interviewer What kind of composer are you? I've been known as an educational composer since the 1980s, partly because I was a…