Welcome to Music and the Teacher BLOG, where you will find articles about music, music teaching, and music performance of interest to teachers, students and parents.
The ‘Atonal’ Piano Music of Béla Bartók
Helen Kasztelan Chapman
MMus (UniMelb), Graduate Diploma in Music Performance (VCA), BA Mus (VCA), LMusA, AMusA, MVMTA
As an AMEB piano examiner with over twenty-five years’ experience in teaching, examining and adjudicating in eisteddfods, I have observed that Bartók’s piano music is often overlooked by instrumental studio teachers. I wanted to find out why this is the case as well as look at the technical aspects of teaching this music…
Embodied Training for Instrumental Technique
Jeremy Woolhouse
Instrumental technique may be considered as the interface between concept and sound. Our technical prowess determines how effectively our ideas flow from imagination, through the instrument, to the listener. The definitions we create of technique, guide our practice and teaching. They may be a liberating or limiting factor. We inevitably acquire a set of judgements around what is appropriate technique, and what is not.
VMTA Performance Day
St Peter's Anglican Church Box Hill
Saturday 11 August 2018
The VMTA Performance Day was the first event to be held in the beautiful St Peter's Anglican Church in Box Hill where our Schimmel grand piano is now housed. This annual event gives students of VMTA members who are working at any level and on any instrument, an opportunity to perform in front of a supportive audience and receive valuable feedback from an experienced presenter. Students receive a written critique and general advice that can be applied in their music lessons and performance.