Why do we teach artistry?
Here it is in black and white
The reason you must have artistry as part of any piano study is because the whole point of any art form is the self expression part. Artistry is the basis for self expression and that self expression is what makes all the hours of practice possible. Practice is not drudgery when you feel like you are expressing yourself. Self expression and the artistry involved in it are fundamental reasons for practicing any art form.
It seems obvious...... of course the piano involves artistry however, in the piano teaching industry there is a general lack of systematic teaching about artistry. It's important to establish the right habits at the first lesson so that a student is moving and listening in a way that will allow rapid development of speed, accuracy and artistry.
Listening is the foundation for artistry at the piano. Using wrist motions to develop listening should start at the first lesson. Movement of the wrist causes changes in the sound or tone of a piano and should be part of every piano student's artistic development. Within the first month we can point out to a student how their tone changes depending on what they did with their wrist motion.
We've written a short ebook detailing how these wrist motions can lead to a lifetime of enjoyment.
Artistry Can Be Taught in a Systematic Way
At the Pasadena Piano Institute, we focus on artistry in a systematic way starting at the first lesson. We teach two simple rules for moving the wrist at a student's first lesson and then develop that ability over time. Good piano instruction must include training the wrist to move up and down and side to side at particular times, according to the musical score. The rules are pretty simple but the results are wide ranging and dramatic. It's important to establish proper habits at the beginning. There is a proper technique to play the piano just like there is for violin or any other musical instrument.
Benefits of Proper Technique
Using wrist gestures gives a pianist multiple benefits in three broad categories. First, the variety in tone that was described above. Second, there are many economy of motion benefits. Using the wrist, a pianist can get their hands from one place to another faster and with less effort. This allows for faster, yet more relaxed playing. Even beginning pianists play lots of notes and they play them quickly. It's important to learn, at the beginning, how to "travel" on the piano efficiently. Third, it's important to stay relaxed especially when playing lots of notes. This is achieved by a wrist motion called the release. Keeping the hands relaxed avoids a build up of tension. Over many years, tension in the hands can lead to injury. Using your wrists properly leads to an ability to interpret any musical score while producing a consistently beautiful tone while staying relaxed.
The Best Reason for Teaching Artistry
As a parent, you might be saying to yourself, "I'm not paying for lessons to have my child become a concert pianist. I don't care about all this artistry stuff." That's understandable, but hopefully, you are paying for lessons in order to achieve a lifetime of enjoyment for your child. Even if you are only interested in the brain development benefits of piano study, getting your child's self expression in addition is pretty fabulous.
