BUNBURY SEMINAR & MASTERCLASS with JANGOO CHAPKHANA & KATHARIN CAMERON
It is very difficult to condense 300 years of music history into a one and a half hour seminar. Mr Chapkhana started his lecture with general remarks regarding the approach to piano playing, then he outlined the characteristics of the BAROQUE period, pointing out the importance of phrase shaping, the continuous motion of the semiquavers, the complex task of ornamentation. The pedal is generally not required in that era unless the notes/chords need strict connection. Very important is the character of the pieces: if a dance, what kind of a dance is it? Minuet or courante?
In the CLASSICAL period, the performer gets more specific instructions from the composer. The spirit of the dance is also very important. Phrasing has to be well understood. What is new in the Classical period is the elegance, the restraint, the beautiful sound and no rush!
The ROMANTIC period offers a world of expressive possibilities. Attention should be given to the balance between hands, proper voicing, cantabile touch and rubato. The piano must ‘sing’. The performer needs a sense of direction. Composers of that period display nationalistic tendencies in their music.TWENTIETH CENTURY music has all the elements from the previous periods combined, but in a different way. Composers use more complex harmony, especially in chords which add colour and interest. They introduce different rhythms, often with jazzy/blues flavour.
Students working on pieces should listen to the music from that period and to other compositions by the same composer. This will give them a broader outlook and better understanding of the complexity of all elements which are essential for a good performance.The seminar was illustrated by numerous examples of music selected and played by Mr Chapkhana.
The MASTERCLASS attracted seven students: two singers, a brother and sister played piano duets and three solo pianists. All students performed with confidence and showed great potential. Mr Chapkhana’s remarks were helpful and encouraging.
SHORT WORKSHOP ON SCALES, BY KATHARIN CAMERON
We all know how children detest learning scales. Mrs Cameron introduced her method which is especially designed with lazy children in mind.
The method is described in detail in a little black book. Each scale is illustrated on a drawing of a keyboard, with fingering given for both hands. The sharps and flats are also marked on the black keys. The scales are introduced in order of the ‘circle of fifths’. At the moment, the book deals with major scales only, and is available for purchase via the internet. The short session on scales was followed by questions and answers on the subject.
