Dear Friends,

It’s been a while—around six weeks—since I last sent out an installment of Notes from the Piano Prof. For those of you who are new here, HELLO and welcome! 🥰

Today’s update will be brief, as I’m in full preparation mode for the upcoming academic year. My days have been filled with finalizing my teaching schedule, revising syllabi, writing and turning my annual review, and tackling all the administrative tasks that come with teaching at a university.

The beginning of a new semester is always charged with possibility. I associate this time of year with freshly sharpened pencils and crisp, clean notebooks just waiting to be filled with new ideas. I’m excited to reconnect with returning students and to welcome those who are new. The semester kicks off this Wednesday and runs until mid-December. I often think of these preparations like lining up a row of dominoes—everything carefully set in place—until the first day of class, when the chain reaction begins and the semester unfolds, one step at a time.

As I prepare to dive into a new semester, my question for you is: What fresh start or new goal are you excited to pursue this season? Whether it's in music, learning, or another passion, I’d love to hear what you’re looking forward to and how you're setting yourself up for success! Feel free to write back and let me know!

👋 Have a great week! Happy Practicing! 🎹

-Kate

🎶 Today's Practice Tip: Understanding Articulations

I have noticed that students often overlook articulation when they are learning a piece. “Articulation” refers to how long or short a note is. Examples of articulation markings are staccato, legato, tenuto, etc.

Articulation is foundational to musical expression, shaping the character and emotional impact of each piece you play. Becoming comfortable with articulation allows you to convey a wide range of emotions and textures – from the sharp, energetic quality of staccato to the smooth, flowing nature of legato.

The more proficient you are at accurately playing different articulations, the better you will be able to interpret the composer’s intentions and express your own artistic vision.

Understanding how to interpret articulation markings effectively also makes your playing more engaging and dynamic, captivating your audience and bringing the music to life in a vivid and compelling way.

Examples of articulation markings:

• Staccato: Play notes sharply and detached.
• Legato: Connect notes smoothly without gaps.
• Tenuto: Hold notes for their full value, and separate from the next note.
• Accent: Play notes with extra force or emphasis.

This week’s exercise:

When you practice scales, vary the articulation. Here are some ideas:

1. Play each scale twice: first legato, and then staccato.
2. Play one hand legato and the other hand staccato, then reverse the hands.
3. In order to practice different types of staccato, play a scale extremely quietly, with very short staccato. Then play the same scale at a louder dynamic, with a slightly longer staccato touch. Experiment with different note lengths, all within the staccato touch.

🎥 Recent video:

​Do THIS For Fast, Even Passagework! My most recent video is a real-time piano practice demonstration. In this lesson, I demonstrate how I practice fast passages on the piano, focusing on bars 66-78 of Mozart's Sonata K. 311.

Throughout the lesson, I also share tips to achieve an even tone, play hands together, and maintain musicality while practicing. This method can be applied to other passages and technical exercises like scales, providing a robust foundation for your piano playing. Click here to watch the video!​

💜 Some of My Favorite Things

1. 🌎 World Premiere: "NISHIKI: bright fabric" - composed by Miho Sasaki. Last month, I had the honor of performing the world premiere performance of a piece that two colleagues and I commissioned. Click here to watch the video.​
2. 🎙️ Podcast Episode: “Cheers to Pruning the Piano Teacher Brain” - as a gardener myself, I greatly appreciated Christina Whitlock’s perspective on making space for new projects and creative endeavors. Favorite quote “If we do not pluck off our dead ends, the things that are not serving us anymore, we end up using our valuable energy in places that it is no longer needed.”
3. 📚 Book: The Piano Student’s Guide to Effective Practicing - Nancy O’Neill Breth. This is actually a 3-page card rather than a book, but it is an invaluable resource, packed with practice strategies. I recommend this to anyone who is teaching or learning the piano as a helpful reference to pull out during practice, especially when you get “stuck” and want new ideas for what to do next. Click here to see my other book recommendations.​

🎹 Stay Connected:

• 🎓 Contact me to learn about applying to study with me at Butler University at the undergraduate or master's level.
• 📚 Check out my resource pages, where I share my recommended books, technical exercises, gear and more!
• 🎥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel!
• 📱Follow me on Instagram!