The Collaborative Piano Blog

The Collaborative Piano Blog is 4!

2009-11-07T06:21:00.000-05:00

On November 7, 2005, I took a massive leap of faith and started a brand-new blog about the art of the piano in ensemble, a field that at the time had almost no presence on the internet. I had no idea that four years later, the Collaborative Piano Blog would have achieved such a large reach in the profession, nor that I would have derived such satisfaction from writing it.

Thanks for four great years, everyone!

How To Become An Accompanist?

2009-11-05T12:10:00.003-05:00

Ever wonder about the exact nature of the accompanist stereotype that caused pianists from Gerald Moore onwards to react so violently to the traditional image of the meek and docile assistant at the piano? A quick look at the entry on How To Become An Accompanist in the 1910-12 Everywoman's Encyclopaedia offers a rather disquieting glimpse. The most egregious passages are quoted below - readers on mobile devices may wish to sit down before reading:

To many girls the work of an accompanist appeals in several ways. It does not entail a quarter the strain of solo work; it does not need the big memorising feats expected from a pianist proper; and it gives nervous workers a feeling of security.

An accompanist, once she takes her place at the piano, is working not for herself, but for somebody else; and the whole of her mind and ability has to be concentrated on the person whom she is accompanying. The accompaniment of a song or instrumental number is, after all, a secondary thing; but it needs perfection in its execution or it becomes unbearable. The perfect accompanist - of whom England numbers very few - is an artist who gains little credit from any save those who know. For her art lies in the utter subjection of herself to her principal. The accompaniment that thrusts its presence at an audience is invariably bad.

A good accompanist is soon discovered, especially if she has that wonderful feeling of sympathy and self-obliteration, that is as welcome as water in the desert to singers...for many singers are thankful to practise out of hours with a sympathetic assistant.

What a distance the profession has come in 100 years. You can read the entire article here.

A Visual Dichterliebe

2009-11-04T15:04:00.003-05:00

In order for the art song to survive in the coming years, the genre needs to find ways to re-imagine itself, to discover new ways of looking at the core repertoire. For one of his song recitals, Chad Smyser asked photographer Tasha Roth to take pictures that would encapsulate the meanings of the 16 songs in the cycle. Chad writes about Tasha's process:

She was able to capture a mood which settled between two worlds: nature and the urban environment. The photos conjured up a mythical place where the Black Forest meets Roosevelt Island. They added an evocative dimension to the performance of the cycle, letting the audience find a visual destination to reference during each of the musical miniatures.

Schumann's Dichterliebe: A Cycle in Photographs

Previously on the Collaborative Piano Blog:

Sparks and Wiry Cries Podcast Launches - Long Live Art Song on the Internet
10 Ways to Translate Song and Aria Texts into English
Erlkönig Hacks for the Schubertian Pianist
The Top Ten Song Cycles
Trading Cards for Schubertians

LEGO Grand Piano Set

2009-11-03T20:59:00.002-05:00

(Via P@u! +ox's photostream on Flickr)

Quote of the Day

2009-11-03T20:05:00.002-05:00

Why is it, then, so wonderful? Well, once in a while, we just click into place: there comes a fleeting moment when each of us, playing highly individuated and often wildly complicated parts, actually become an ensemble. We … blend. This is a tremendously intense feeling, and hard to describe. There's a kind of "whoosh" to it – the sensation that you are part of something immensely powerful, something bigger than your own individual capability. The idea that you are part of not only what you yourself are making, but also what the others are creating. Out of our normal human isolation, we make a single, complex voice. This is strangely emotional, and when it happens, I think we all feel it.

--Charlotte Higgins, from How chamber music changed my life

Collaborative Piano Studies at The Boston Conservatory

2009-11-02T21:06:00.004-05:00

The Boston Conservatory is offering a new Master of Music Degree in Collaborative Piano for the 2010-11 academic year. Created by Karl Paulnack (whom many will know from his now-legendary freshman address), the program will start small, accepting only two students for each of the first two years of the program. This program and its curriculum aims to prepare pianists with concrete skills for the professional world, as the Outcome Proficiencies suggest:

Partner a vocalist or instrumentalist in recital, or in advanced study situations, such as a high-profile master class
Prepare an operatic score sufficiently to partner a conductor in staging, musical or coaching rehearsal
Play a piano rehearsal for a soloist and conductor of a symphony orchestra
Command language proficiency sufficient to permit an informed rubato and accurate ensemble, and continue to grow towards fluency or near-fluency in the major art song languages

Collaborative Piano Degree Program at The Boston Conservatory

Complete list of Degree and Diploma Programs in Collaborative Piano

Looking for a School of Music? Find Your Answers at the Upstate New York Music College Fair Nov. 4 in Rochester

2009-11-02T20:43:00.005-05:00

On Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 5:30-7:30pm, the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY will be hosting the Upstate New York Music College Fair. If you live in the upstate area and are in the market for a music degree, this is definitely the event to check out, with over 70 schools of music presenting. The Juilliard School and Ithaca College are co-hosting the event.

View Larger Map

Marie-Nicole Lemieux and Daniel Blumenthal Perform Hahn's L'heure exquise

2009-11-01T12:23:00.003-05:00

More people should study and perform the art songs of Reynaldo Hahn, some of the most charming and exquisite French mélodies in the repertoire. This performance of L'heure exquise is from mezzo soprano Marie-Nicole Lemieux and pianist Daniel Blumenthal.

(Via Sound Mind)

I Need To Learn How To Do What?

2009-10-30T21:15:00.002-04:00

My latest article for Music Teacher's Helper looks at the types of ways that music teachers can upgrade their skill-sets:

Skill Upgrades for Music Teachers

What Makes a Fabulous Audition Pianist?

2009-10-29T22:06:00.005-04:00

The yearly audition tour at Wolf Trap Opera is underway, and Kim Witman's observations on the audition process are once again required reading for both singers and pianists. Kim's latest post on the subject looks at important things to consider when choosing and working with an audition pianist:

We realize that the audition pianist is a variable that changes from company to company, from day to day, from location to location. Safest to let go of whatever expectation you may have. Control the variables you can. The pianist is not one of them. So, best to think slightly conservatively.

If you're kind of new at this audition stuff, you don't need a lot of curves thrown at you. Bring a pianist (preferably a good one, please...) if some of your rep is non-standard. But be sure that your pianist can play your rep better than a typical company-provided pianist. I've seen too many singers undone by their own colleagues.

Your Audition Partner at the Piano

H1N1 Precautions for Piano Teachers

2009-10-29T06:23:00.005-04:00

I recently received a forwarded email with some useful information from Ian Fennell, President of JJH McLean Pianos in Winnipeg regarding how piano teachers can disinfect their studio pianos:

In response to a growing concern regarding the H1N1 flu threat in Manitoba, J.J.H. McLean & Co. Limited has been recommending to teachers, families, and institutions to use a 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water solution to clean their piano keys on a regular basis. This tried and true (and old) mixture can disinfect both plastic and ivory keys. The store has been very diligent in cleaning its in-stock inventory keys on a very regular basis now since early July and is encouraging all to practice this very easy preventative measure.

Sarah Luebke on the MTH blog also lists some useful precautions:

Wipe down piano keyboard
Wipe down music stands
Wipe light switch
Wipe doorknobs and entrance

In my studio, I've been noticing that students are canceling more often at the first sign of sickness. Ironically, there are fewer sick students at lessons than in previous years (so far at least).

Should piano teachers receive the H1N1 vaccination? Since the facts aren't yet fully known on the effectiveness of the first and second generation vaccines currently available in Canada and the U.S., I won't comment on this issue until there is more information available.

What are your thoughts on the H1N1 threat as it applies to the busy studios of piano teachers? Do you have any further thoughts on how to make your studio a cleaner environment?

Call for Pianists: The Canadian Operatic Arts Academy

2009-10-27T20:45:00.002-04:00

If you're an emerging collaborative pianist looking to gain some valuable skills in the field prior to launching your career, you might want to check out the Canadian Operatic Arts Academy at the University of Western Ontario. About the COAA's Pianist Program:

The Canadian Operatic Arts Academy offers an international program for pianists who aspire to excel in the world of opera. Pianists will gain experience as repetiteurs playing for masterclasses, musical rehearsals, staging rehearsals and private coachings with singers. In addition, pianists will have the rewarding opportunity of working with our distinguished faculty pianists in private lessons and classes to become skilled at the art of vocal coaching and more proficient in their operatic keyboard technique. This year we are thrilled to welcome as our special guest the internationally renowned pianist Martin Katz. This program provides an invaluable opportunity for pianists with a vocal accompanying background to further their training and prepare for professional opportunities in the operatic world.

The piano faculty includes Carolyn Herrington, Martin Katz and Mark Payne.

Application deadlines are coming up (Nov. 1 for live audition and Nov. 15 for DVD audition), so make sure you get your materials sent to UWO in time.

Canadian Operatic Arts Academy Home Page
2010 Season brochure

2010 Pianist Program brochure

Celebrating Canadian Composers: The Canadian Music Centre's 50th Anniversary

2009-10-25T07:30:00.004-04:00

The Canadian Music Centre is 50 years old this year and will be celebrating the event in style at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on November 9. Here is the complete CMC press release:

October 22, 2009, TORONTO, ON – The Canadian Music Centre is proud to celebrate its 50th Anniversary this year. In honour of this milestone year, the National Arts Centre and its Orchestra are partnering with the CMC to present a special all Canadian concert and birthday celebration on Monday, November 9th 2009 in the NAC’s Southam Hall.

In appreciation of this historic event, the CMC is recognizing 50 outstanding Canadian performers and conductors who have played exceptional roles in shaping the Canadian music scene and raising the profile of Canadian music. The CMC will honour these individuals, who will come from all across Canada to attend the special 50th Anniversary concert and celebration, at the NAC in Ottawa.

Congratulations to the following CMC Ambassadors:

Lydia Adams – Robert Aitken – Colleen Athparia – Karin Aurell – Mario Bernardi – Louise Bessette – Walter Boudreau – Isabelle Bozzini – Jeremy Brown – Kathryn Cernauskas – Lawrence Cherney – Robert Cram – Lise Daoust – Julie-Anne Derome – Eve Egoyan – Victor Feldbrill – Salvador Ferreras – Judith Forst – Peter Gardner – Rivka Golani – Janet Hammock – Ian Hampton – John Hess – Gwen Hoebig – Beverley Johnston – David Kaplan – Elaine Keillor – Gary Kulesha – Veronique Lacroix – Marie-Chantal Leclair – Robert Leroux – Bill Linwood – Eduard Minevich – Mary Morrison – Marie-Danielle Parent – Alex Pauk – Heather Pawsey – Joseph Petric – Christina Petrowska Quilico – Barbara Pritchard – Olga Ranzenhofer – Shauna Rolston – Jacqueline Sorensen – Wayne Strongman – Sylvia Shadick-Taylor – Bramwell Tovey – Alain Trudel – Owen Underhill – Lorraine Vaillancourt – Pauline Vaillancourt – Jon Washburn

The evening’s all-Canadian program will feature the National Arts Centre Orchestra under the direction of maestro Jean-Philippe Tremblay, theGryphon Trio, flautist Robert Cram and pianist Andrew Tunis, clarinetist Kymball Sykes and pianist Jamie Parker performing works by Canadian composers who span the history of the CMC. These composers include Louis Applebaum, Steven Gellman, Denis Gougeon, Christos Hatzis, Alexina Louie, Phil Nimmons, Abigail Richardson, and Harry Somers.

The Canadian Music Centre and its Board of Directors gratefully acknowledge the tremendous dedication from its supporters both nationally and globally. We are truly humbled by their commitment to the CMC and Canadian new music. We are privileged to celebrate this milestone year with them, and we now enthusiastically look forward to what the next 50 years will bring.

Tickets to Celebrating Canadian Composers: The Canadian Music Centre’s 50th Anniversary are available in person at the NAC Box Office or by calling 613.947.7000 ext. 343

Congratulations to all 50 CMC Ambassadors and I'm proud to have worked with many of them over the years!

(Thanks, Heather!)

The Vocal Coach, Defined

2009-10-24T20:22:00.004-04:00

If you're looking for a clear explanation of the difference between a voice teacher and vocal coach, look no farther than Elizabeth McDonald's recent post on the subject:

The voice coach (aka: collaborative pianist) is the person who deals with the musical, language and dramatic demands of the vocal repertoire. They are pianists who have done training in diction, repertoire, collaborative piano and opera. The goal of the vocal coach is to serve as the other half of the music (piano part or orchestra reduction) and help the singing put everything together. They expect a singer to arrive with notes learned, language translated, and an idea about how the song should be presented. From there the coach is the musical "mirror" for the singer and reflects back what they hear and makes suggestions on how to make any necessary changes.

I like the mirror comparison a lot, which I had never considered. I've also previously written about the difference between voice teacher and coach.

Support The Royal Conservatory of Music Faculty

2009-10-23T21:37:00.009-04:00

Although I've been remarkably open about the variety of professional work I've had the pleasure to experience over the last few years, there are a lot of things I haven't talked about on this blog.

Since 2003, I've had the honor of being a member of the Royal Conservatory of Music faculty, and have had the privilege of working in one of the finest institutions to be found in the music world. For the last three years I've been a member of the RCM Faculty Association Executive, and even though most of the Faculty Association Executive's work is done behind closed doors, the events of the last few weeks have made it quite public. Martin Knelman's Op-Ed piece of September 28 reported the fact that at the opening of the Royal Conservatory's world-class Koerner Hall, the faculty held a demonstration outside the building. Since late September, three more rallies, the launch of the Faculty Association's Facebook page, and several articles in Canadian culture blogs have publicized a fact rarely known until now:

The RCM faculty have been working without a contract since 2007.

Because of this, the Faculty Association is reaching out to the musical community to support us in our goal of achieving a fair collective agreement. One of the best ways to show your support is to become a fan of our Facebook Page. Here's the link:

The Royal Conservatory of Music Faculty Association/OSSTF Facebook Page (FB ID req'd)

Once management can be persuaded to return to the bargaining table, I hope to be able to update this post with happy news, and I hope that the hard-working, dedicated, and incomparable RCM faculty will be able to move forward professionally as they teach in one of the best musical facilities on the planet.

Update 10/25 9:52pm

Faculty have just been notified that negotiation dates are being scheduled. The following notice was posted on the RCMFA Facebook Page a few minutes ago:

Good news: Management and the Faculty Association are in the process of scheduling negotiation dates. This week, teachers will be wearing blue RCM Faculty Association t-shirts to reinforce the message "GOOD LUCK at the bargaining table!" We would like to thank everyone who assisted in encouraging management to come back to the table. Bargaining dates will be announced as soon as they have been confirmed.

Iolanthe Review in Opera Canada

2009-10-23T07:40:00.003-04:00

Wendy (who played the Fairy Queen in TOT's Iolanthe a few months ago) just got a very favorable mention in the Fall 2009 issue of Opera Canada. From Geoff Chapman's review:

The best voices belonged to baritone Andrew Tees as the rigid Coldstream Guardsman eyed by the Queen of the Fairies and mezzo Wendy Hatala Foley, who was in comfortable, majestic voice throughout.

4th Birthday Ticket Contest Winners

2009-10-22T21:16:00.003-04:00

The ninth hour has struck, the contest is over, and we have two winners! The first winner was already announced on Monday morning and has the following answer to the question "Who is your favorite opera heroine? Why?":

Iphigenie, of course. As a child the story of Abraham’s willingness to kill his son consumed me. When I discovered the story of Iphigenie, her heartsicknesses at sacrificing the man who is her brother resonated with me as the more magical, fantastical version of the Abrahmic myth of obedience.

The final winner, with the best comment, is another anonymous commenter (actually neither are anonymous to me, as they disclosed their names to me in the entry email) with the following choice:

I choose Magda Sorel from Gian Carlo Menotti's The Consul. She is my favourite opera heroine not only because she is a strong, sympathetic character whose perseverance and devotion is breathtaking (and who is all the more real and sympathetic for her tragic end), but because she is fighting not only for herself, not only for her husband, but also for her baby - and for the freedom of the people who share her life in their state of political oppression.

Menotti's writing vividly highlights the drama of the situation and the characters' emotions. I absolutely cannot listen to a recording of the opera without crying at the end.

Thanks to everyone for competing I hope both winners enjoy their free tickets to Opera Atelier's upcoming production of Iphigénie en Tauride. I would also like to thank Opera Atelier for making these tickets available to readers of the Collaborative Piano Blog.

4th Birthday Ticket Contest: Opera Atelier Will Give Away 2 Pairs of Tickets to Iphigénie en Tauride in Toronto

2009-10-19T07:58:00.003-04:00

On November 7, the Collaborative Piano Blog will be celebrating its 4th birthday. To mark this event, Opera Atelier will be giving away 2 pairs of tickets to its upcoming Toronto production of Iphigénie en Tauride at the Elgin Theatre running from October 31 to November 7.

OA's production of Iphigénie en Tauride will feature Peggy Kriha Dye in the title role, as well as Kresimir Spicer as Oreste, and Thomas Macleay as Pylade. Andrew Parrott will lead the Tafelmusik Orchestra playing on period instruments.

To win a pair of free tickets to Iphigénie en Tauride, answer the following questions:

Who is your favorite opera heroine? Why?

There will be two winners: one for the first entry and one for the best entry.

Here's how it works...

Competition Rules and Regulations

1. Answer the question "Who is your favorite opera heroine? Why?"

2. Once you've answered the two questions, you have to do two things:

a) Email it to me at collaborativepiano [at] gmail dot com - this is so I can reach the authors of the winning entries.

b) Leave it as a comment on this posting so readers can follow the contest entries as they appear.

3. As soon as the first entry is received in both my inbox and on the blog comments, I'll announce the first winner and put them in touch with OA so they can receive their free tickets. Whoever wins the prize for first entry will be ineligible for the prize for best entry.

4. The deadline for entries is Thursday, October 22 at 9pm EDT. After that I'll go over all the entries (except for the first), choose the best entry, announce them in a separate post, and forward the winner's name and email address to the Opera Atelier office so they can be contacted by an OA staff member about how to pick up their free tickets.

5. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can either comment anonymously or invent a nom de plume for your comment. Just be sure to send me your real email address when you submit your entry to my email address (see 2a) Be sure to email me your answer before you submit it as a blog comment.

Thanks for following the Collaborative Piano Blog and I look forward to reading your submissions!

Update: Both winners have been announced, and their entries can be read here.

Collaborative Piano Blog 4th Birthday Giveaway Contest Starts Tomorrow

2009-10-18T07:22:00.006-04:00

On November 7, the Collaborative Piano Blog will be celebrating its 4th birthday. In anticipation of the event, I am pleased to be offering another contest, so be sure to drop by this blog tomorrow at 8am EDT for details. Early risers will be rewarded with a gatecrasher prize! In the meantime, watch this video...

Opera Atelier's Iphigénie en Tauride from Opera Atelier on Vimeo.

Collaborative Pianists in the News

2009-10-15T22:13:00.008-04:00

Here are some recent mentions of collaborative pianists from various press outlets:

Che Anne Loewen and Michel Ross talk about music and poetry in the Varsity
Jake Heggie in recital with Frederica von Stade at the Royal Conservatory's Koerner Hall
Greg Granoff, Shao Way Wu, and Aber Miller at the Arkley Center for the Performing Arts in Eureka, Califonia
Tim Cunniffe appears with John Michael Swinbank in a program of cabaret favorites in Prahran, Australia
Rira Lim's preview of her Carnegie Hall concert at the Ada Arts and Heritage Center in Ada, Oklahoma
Brian Ray in recital at the Rhodes College Faculty Concert Series
Corazon Bisda performs with baritone Giuseppe Spoletini and soprano Stephanie Tennill at the Greenville Community Church Recital Series in Scarsdale, New York
Jennifer Carter performs the first recital in her new north London series with clarinetist Shelly Ezra
Andreas Kern in recital with Measha Brueggergosman this Saturday in Toronto
Jessica Paul hosts the Art Song Jamboree at Luther College
Finally, congratulations go to Ruth Shipman Morawetz, winner of the Community Service Award from the University of Western Ontario Alumni. Some of Ruth's accomplishments:
Morawetz has excelled as a collaborative pianist, working with many distinguished musicians and actors, including Maureen Forrester, Martha Henry, Ben Heppner, Adrianne Pieczonka, Louise Pitre, Rosemarie Landry, Mark Pedrotti, and Frances Ginzer.

Morawetz’s volunteer contributions are a testament to her dedication to the arts. She organized 178 Preview Lectures with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra; booked and chaired 88 programs for the Toronto Arts and Letters Club; coordinated the Jean A. Chalmers Awards for the Canada Opera; was a Board Member and Co-chair of the Rubies Award for Opera Canada Magazine; and has organized numerous fundraising galas over the years.

More collaborative pianists in the news can be found here.

Some New Blogs of Note

2009-10-15T20:23:00.002-04:00

Although the classical blogosphere is thriving and holding its own these days, it doesn't seem to be growing as quickly as it was a few years ago. Perhaps it's our current dependence on social media (read: Twitter and Facebook) that changed things from the veritable linkfest that was classical blogging when I first started four years ago. Or perhaps it's still growing, but I haven't got my ear to the ground in the right places any more. Nevertheless, here are a few relatively new blogs that I'm tracking these days and which are definitely work subscribing to:

Unquiet Thoughts, the new blog of Alex Ross located on the New Yorker site. It seems that the granddaddy of classical music blogs, The Rest is Noise, has run its course, but will still remain intact for readers to peruse its archives. Best of luck to Alex with this new venture.
The National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy blog, curated by Linda Christensen. This is more a music education blog than a classical music one, with lots of links and videos that showcase the cutting edge of piano pedagogy.
Canadian Opera, a blog on all things operatic and Canadian by the fabulous bass Gerrit Theule, who will soon be moving to Winnipeg. If you want to keep up with the healthy and growing Canadian opera scene, Gerrit's blog is the place to do it.

For a list of the classical music blog heavy hitters, check out Invesp's ultimate ranking, in which the Collaborative Piano Blog figures prominently.

Of course, this list wouldn't be complete without a non-music blog of note. One fascinating blog that came to my attention only last week is Vivian Maier - Her Discovered Work, featuring recently discovered photos of mid-century Chicago from a previously unknown street photographer.

What recent classical music blog startups would you recommend?

Aleksandr Hrustevich Plays the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto 3rd Movement on Accordion

2009-10-14T22:05:00.004-04:00

Playing a reduction of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto 3rd movement is hard enough on piano. Aleksandr Hrustevich plays both the violin and the orchestra parts on a button accordion:

(Via Paul Pisano)

Quote of the Day

2009-10-13T21:21:00.002-04:00

The unnamed pianist in this Twitter status update certainly put their foot in their mouth, as ShellyAnnSings tweets:

Accompanist said "I'm sorry, I was counting like a singer"The chorus booed, & thedirector informed us that there'd be stones available after

Pedaling 101

2009-10-12T09:03:00.004-04:00

Hugh Sung, as part of his continuing Clair de Lune from Scratch series, has created a very informative video on how to connect notes through pedaling. Notice how seamlessly he incorporates technological tools into the thread of his core teaching process. Hugh's digital illustration of correct hand vs. foot coordination around 5 minutes in is right on the money.

An Evening With Measha Brueggergosman and Andreas Kern on October 17 in Toronto: All Proceeds Will Go To AMREF Canada

2009-10-09T20:23:00.014-04:00

On Saturday, October 17 at St. Andrew's Presbyterian, Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman, in recital with pianist Andreas Kern, will be making her only 2009 Toronto concert appearance in a benefit for the African Medical and Research Foundation. The performance will start at 5pm, and the evening's festivities will be presided over by Jian Ghomeshi, host of Q on CBC Radio One.

This is a very important fundraising event for AMREF Canada, whose mission is to raise funds in order create and build health infrastructure in African communities. All revenues from this event will be going to AMREF Canada, so your support will be able to help sustain and build on the vitally important work that this organization does in improving the health of African communities.

Tickets for the recital are $125/60, or $175 including an invite to the VIP reception following, with students receiving a 50% discount on all tickets.

This will also be a prime opportunity to hear the playing of German pianist Andreas Kern. From the AMREF press release:

Pianist Andreas Kern is Measha’s co-host on “Arte Lounge”, a TV show that promotes classical music in Germany. Mr. Kern flew in specifically for this concert. He studied at the Privatinstitut für pianistische Studien in Dusseldorf and later on at the renowned Hochschule der Künste. As a soloist, Andreas has performed in concerts around the world, including in Germany, Italy, India and Japan. He has performed with several orchestras, including the Hannover Philharmonie, Kottmann Stringorchestra and the Aachen Youth Orchestra. He has also performed contemporary music for a radio concert series for the German radio station, WDR. Since 1999 he has been the artistic director of Sommernachtstraum Arts Festival in Berlin. A versatile performer, Andreas recorded film scores composed by Christian Biegai for the upcoming DVD release “Croatian Fairytales from Long Ago”, directed by Helena Bulaja. In 2004, he was the collaborative pianist for the acclaimed Sasha Waltz Dance Company in the South of France. In the same year he performed Mozart at the “Wiener Festwochen“. He was also been invited to serve on the Jury of the prestigious Steinway Competition for 2006 in Berlin. In the same year he produced his own classic show for Arte TV which was aired in May 2007. He also performed twice his new show of "Dolce&Ciabatta" for the German EU-Presidency.

Full AMREF Canada concert listing
Facebook event listing for An Evening with Measha Brueggergosman

Donate to AMREF Canada

Piano Stairs

2009-10-09T09:11:00.006-04:00

Not enough people take the stairs these days. The solution: turn stairs into a piano keyboard, as this video by the Volkswagen fun theory initiative shows.

(Via Adrienne McKinney)

Opera Atelier at First Canadian Place

2009-10-08T21:30:00.002-04:00

Below are some pictures from yesterday's Opera Atelier lunch-hour concert at First Canadian Place where I performed with soprano Ambur Braid, mezzo soprano Cassandra Warner, as well as dancers Jeanette Lajeunesse Zing and Nathaniel Kozlow.

As you can see, the keyboard I played on was hardly an authentic instrument - such are the difficulties of performing an outreach concert in the middle of downtown Toronto. Nevertheless, yesterday's event was an excellent way to reach an audience often new to early music, as there was not one, but three short mini-concerts geared towards people in transit who might not be able to stay longer than a few minutes.

Opera Atelier's season begins with Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride, opening October 31 and running through November 7 at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto. If you're looking to score some free tickets, be sure to check out Opera Atelier's Twitter feed for a daily ticket giveway. You can also see more singers and dancers (and me) performing at OA's fall salon next week at the Toronto Board of Trade (more information to come in a few days).

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Chris Foley's Posterous

What is Music Teacher's Helper? A Quick Feature Rundown

2009-10-06T20:56:00.006-04:00

It's no secret that one of the online services for musicians that I get most excited about is Music Teacher's Helper. I both use and promote this product and have found that it makes a world of difference in the management of both my performing and teaching activities.

But with a service that offers such depth of management tools, the most common questions I get about MTH are what it is and what it does.

To put it simply, Music Teacher's Helper is a web-based computer service that integrates studio scheduling, communications, marketing, invoicing, and income/expense tracking under one roof. Here are some of the features that are available through MTH:

the ability to build and customize your own website with both public and login-only areas (using SSL encryption to protect your student's data)
integration with your email client so you can easily communicate with individual students/parents, groups, and the studio as a whole
online registration (still the holy grail of registration features that most schools of music and studios lack)
online scheduling with the ability to sync with Google Calendar
student invoicing, both manual and automated (with multiple payment options including credit cards via PayPal)
income/expense tracking
student progress tools, including lesson notes, download capability, a practice log, and lending library

You can find a complete feature list here. But what I find creates the most value in my studio with MTH is not just the depth of tools, but the fact that they are all integrated with one another, can all be easily accessed once you've logged in to the site, and can be customized to fit your agenda as a teacher.

These two videos give an excellent introduction to the service:

If you have any more questions about Music Teachers's Helper or wish to share your experiences using it, feel free to leave a comment below.

The Tri-Chromatic Keyboard

2009-10-06T08:55:00.002-04:00

Roy Pertchik's revolutionary Tri-Chromatic Keyboard rethinks the way that the notes of a keyboard are layed out:

I wonder how this type of keyboard layout would work on a piano?

More information and reviews of the keyboard layout and prototype vibraphone
Try a whole-tone keyboard (without color-coding)

(Thanks, Jamie!)

Professional Pianists vs. Cheap Pianists

2009-10-05T08:50:00.001-04:00

Why, even in 2009, do audition organizers insist on hiring cheap pianists who don't know the rep? These lines from Susan Eichhorn Young's Is It Asking Too Much for a Decent Pianist? made me stand up and cheer:

Good and great pianists are worth EVERY PENNY they charge!!! They provide knowledge, support, understanding, musicality, sight reading skills, improv skills, and an incredible asset to both the singer auditioning and the people sitting at the table!!!

Don't just look at what something costs people - but look at what it is WORTH!!!

A good and great pianist is worth far more than what they charge for a day of auditioning. The difference between a poor pianist who doesn't play for singers or for auditions regularly or doesn't coach or know the repertoire and a great pianist is worth their weight in GOLD!!! It can make the audition day go smoothly - singers are happy and can relax and do their best work; the audition panel can sit back and really hear what the singer is capable of instead of guessing around the incompetence of a poor pianist...

But remember, singers, if there's a house pianist playing at auditions that you would rather not work with, you can always pay and bring your own, especially if you're auditioning with difficult songs or arias. Money spent on high-calibre pianists is always money well spent...