Week 1-4

Week 4:

Hello to my Piano Classes and all SRC participants in general- this week’s General Music/Piano video come to you ‘hot off the presses’ (well, at least newly received to my email!) from Joshua Velez, the young man who graced us with his amazing piano skills at our SRC concert last year.  Just last night, I received an update email from him and at the end he shared some videos he thought that I would enjoy.  This video is his performance of Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major.  This work was composed between 1929-1931 and this video includes the last 2 movements of this 3 movement work.  It premiered on Jan 14, 1932 and is heavily influenced by jazz.

Originally composed for piano and orchestra, this version has reduced the orchestra part down to another piano arrangement – performed by the older man to Joshua’ s left- 2 pianos!  The video begins with Mvmt 2: Adagio Asia (very slow) and showcases an absolutely stunningly beautiful long legato phrase of a melody line (which Joshua fills with emotion and skilled nuances!)The last movement (3rd movement), which in the video begins at 8min. 49 sec, is “Presto” (quick tempo) and is filled with extremely difficult passagework!!  By the end, I guarantee your jaw will drop and you will be left stunned!  Thought you would enjoy seeing & hearing a piano piece from this young man who was kind enough to participate in our first ever SRC concert!  Enjoy and feel free to share!
https://youtu.be/Ponk4eUWxEk.

Week 3:

Hello to my Piano Classes and all SRC participants in general- this week’s video is a continuation Part 2 video of feeling the beat/time signatures with my friend’s brother, Mr. Gessler.  Please see last week’s video first before watching this week’s.  Try participating along with Mr. Gessler- clapping, chanting.  To my Piano Classes please take EXTRA note of the rhythmic chanting that Mr. Gessler is using – this is called “Takadimi System” – which I may have teased you about in earlier classes.  We are going to try learning this together this month (don’t worry a simplified version!).  Oh and the “students video calling in with questions at the end” -I’ll let you in on a secret—-those are his younger sisters pretending to be students!  Ha!  I got a kick out of that!Enjoy- and hope you get an extra giggle or two over his ‘teacher humor’ (former teachers!).

https://youtu.be/aZl8fZvkrUA

Week 2:

Hello to my Piano Classes and all SRC participants in general—I wanted to share with you a video Music Class on Time Signatures ( ‘feeling the beat’) that the brother of a friend of mine recorded for his class.  Very interesting- a good explanation of time signature and feeling the beat of a song, with good examples to practice with.  Enjoy and try to participate along:

https://youtu.be/TALMqgrIYTg.

Week 1:   

Hello to my Piano Classes and all SRC participants in general—I wanted to share with you a podcast web link (scroll down and beneath the large picture press the smaller play button beside the description to listen). This is more background behind John Cage’s famous “silent piece” that we learned about together a while back in our Piano Classes. Please listen and learn and even participate in the “silent experiment” towards the end. I would encourage you at this time to use the “silence” in the participation section to meditate, practice deep breathing and calming of your body and mind and/or pray for our current global crisis. Peace to you all and my love at this time- Jen Tillson”   https://www.20k.org/episodes/433