Dear Friends,

Before we get started: I am still accepting questions for my upcoming Q&A video to celebrate passing the 25,000 YouTube subscriber milestone. If you have a question you'd like me to answer in that video, you can submit it at this link. Thanks in advance for your questions! 👋

Anyway, last weekend I was at the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) conference in Minneapolis, where I had the chance to connect with fellow collegiate faculty and independent music teachers from all over the country. One thing that really struck me, especially in these tumultuous times, is just how happy music teachers appear to be. When I say "happy," I mean that people seem content with their decision to become a music teacher, and there was a palpable joyfulness, for lack of a better word, that I perceived at the conference.

I think that joy reflects the deep sense of purpose that runs through this profession. Being a musician connects us to other people, through our teaching, playing, and learning. Music teachers know that what we’re doing matters.

It feels like learning the arts is more relevant now than ever. As music teachers we teach students how to focus. We teach students how to craft something beautiful. We teach students self-actualization through coordinating their physical actions with a tangible, audible result. We teach people how to take a creative leap and express themselves.

These are not small things or frivolous things; they are the foundation for a connected, deeply human life.

This week I’ve been thinking about dynamics. We use the term all the time in music— describing forte, piano, crescendo—but it’s easy to forget the other ways we use that word.

The word "dynamic" stems from dynamikos, a Greek word meaning "power" or strength. That's also the root for the word dynamo: a machine that generates energy.

What a great image for music-making! Even though we take the word for granted ("Let's add some dynamics there, shall we?"), dynamics give energy and life to a performance. Dynamics make the difference between a performance that is flat vs alive, robotic vs expressive. They give the music direction and meaning.

The word "dynamic" can also apply to people and situations. A dynamic person has spark and vitality. A dynamic situation is full of unpredictability and change. And in a way, our lives as musicians reflect this. Teaching, performing, practicing, learning—all require different things of us, but a current of dynamic energy runs through it all.

Music teachers are dynamos. We don’t always feel that way, especially in the midst of long lesson days, but we are generating something powerful. Meaning, purpose, and beauty, not just for ourselves, but for our students and communities.

So here’s what I’m reflecting on this week: how do I bring dynamic energy to what I do? How can show up with purpose, energy and vitality, in my practicing, my teaching, and my life?

My question for you is: what does the word “dynamics” mean to you right now - at the piano or in the wider world?

Write back and let me know. I love hearing from you!

👋 Have a great week! Happy practicing! 🎹

-Kate

Practice TIP of the week:

Each month, I focus on a specific theme for practice tips. This month’s theme is Rhythm and Meter.

In case you missed them, here are the tips so far:
🎵 March 2: Feeling the Pulse​
🎵 March 9: Syncing with the Metronome​​
​🎵 March 16: Subdividing the Beat​

Today's Practice Tip: Playing With Rubato

This month we’re exploring the theme Rhythm and Meter, and today’s topic, rubato, sits right at the intersection of rhythm and expression.

Rubato can be hard to teach, because it relies both on rhythmic precision and musical instinct. One of the best metaphors I know to describe rubato is the image of a pearl necklace. The pearls (notes) touch each other and remain evenly spaced, even when you bend the strand; they don't clump up or spread out. That’s what rubato should feel like: flexible, but still maintaining rhythmic integrity.

The word rubato means "stolen" in Italian: when you take time, you are "stealing" it from somewhere else. Effective rubato requires a give and take: both stealing and giving back. For every moment you stretch, you need to restore the balance by moving forward again in a different moment.

That give and take is what makes rubato feel organic and natural. Just like when you slow down your car in anticipation of a turn, rubato is gradual and makes intuitive sense – it would feel jarring to slam on the brakes or suddenly gun the engine when. you go around a bend.

Even though it is hard to teach, here are a few tips to practice rubato:

• Subdivide. Rubato requires flexibility in the smaller subdivisions underlying the beat. If you can actively subdivide and feel those subdivisions speeding up or slowing down, the rubato will feel much more natural to both you and your listener.
• Sing the melody. Away from the keyboard, sing a phrase you're working on. Notice where you naturally want to linger, or where the melody seems to want to move forward. Then, imitate this at the keyboard.
• Notice where rubato makes sense. Not every passage calls for rubato – for example, if a passage is rhythmic and driving, keep it steady. You'll be more likely to use rubato in transitions between sections, cadences, and passages with complicated melodies or highly ornamented melodic lines.
• Listen, and conduct the beat. Listen to recordings of great pianists playing pieces that require rubato, such as works by Chopin or Liszt. Conduct the beat while you listen, to physically feel how the beat slows down and speeds up. Where does it stretch? Where does it settle back into tempo? Does it feel intuitive when you listen to it? Understanding how others play rubato is helpful in learning how to play it yourself.

What about you? I'm thinking of making a video about rubato! If you are a teacher, how do you teach rubato to your students? If you are a student, what questions do you have about rubato? Let me know by replying to this email!

💜 Some of My Favorite Things

1. Performance 🎶: Yesterday, Du Huang and Xiao Hu, professors at Luther College, visited Indianapolis to give a wonderful masterclass and play a two-piano recital at Butler University. On their program was Ravel's Introduction and Allegro, arranged for two pianos by the composer himself. I had never heard this version before - and it was gorgeous! Here's a score-recording of the piece performed by Giorgia Tomassi and Alessandro Stella.
2. Podcast 🎧: Sticky Notes - "What is a Mode?" If you’ve ever been curious about musical modes, this episode is for you! Inspired by the Leonard Bernstein Young People’s Concert “What is a Mode?” (which is referenced and sampled throughout), this podcast episode goes over each of the church modes and explores how they show up in classical music. It’s accessible, informative, and full of great listening examples.
3. Book 📚: Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity, by Gloria Mark. I don't know about you, but in today's attention economy, I've found it more difficult than ever to focus for long periods of time. If you can relate, you're not alone: this book goes into the science of attention in the digital age, explaining how our focus works (and why it breaks). I have been reading this book (on paper) this month - it's a thought-provoking guide to reclaiming your concentration in a world full of interruptions. Get it on Kindle, hardcover, or paperback. Check out my other book recommendations here!​