Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983), a foremost representative of nationalism in his native Argentina, remains one of the most acclaimed and widely performed Latin American composers. His piano compositions have achieved not only pianists’ appeal, but also an enthusiastic reception from audiences. A unique fusion of Argentine folk dances and songs with a contemporary harmonic language characterizes his constantly evolving compositional style. This lecture recital focuses on Ginastera’s early piano works: Danzas Argentinas, Op. 2; Tres Danzas, Op. 6; and Malambo. Op. 7.

The tango is more than a dance. It represents the grace and glamour of the high-class and the peripheral ill-reputed brothels of 1880’s Argentina. Its popularity disseminated rapidly throughout the world and its influences met no boundaries. This colorful presentation traces the Argentine tango from its beginnings to our time. The tango’s history and its far reaching influences in the world of music and beyond become alive with the help of dancers, audio and video clips.

Pictures at an Exhibition is Modest Mussorgsky’s most popular work, especially as orchestrated by Maurice Ravel. The original piano scored, inspired in the work of the artist Victor Hartman, represents a milestone in Russian piano literature. This lecture recital consists in a journey through each piece, discussing form, folk elements, external references, and musical structure.

Mozart wrote most of his piano sonatas for his five-octave Walter fortepiano he acquired between 1782 and 1785. The interpretative possibilities in a fortepiano is quite different from what the modern piano has to offer. An awareness of the fortepianos action and sound are crucial for the interpretation of Mozart’s music. Whether it is on the fortepiano or the pianoforte, the music needs to be approached with the appropriate style and expression. This thought-provoking lecture recital explores the performance characteristics, advantages and limitations of both instruments.

Chords, Arpeggios, Scales, and Technique are an integral component in the development of every musician. However, many students see this core element of their music education as a source of frustration and boredom. This presentation will explore practical and fun ways of acquiring the best CAST!

Students of all ages feel a great sense of accomplishment when they get to learn pieces by the great masters: Beethoven, Chopin, and Mozart. However, some of these pieces may be beyond their musical and technical abilities. In this workshop we explore suitable compositions by Mozart appropriate for the late elementary and intermediate student.

Minuet. Musette. Sarabande. Gigue. The beginner student can easily find himself playing pieces with titles that don’t mean much to him. In this workshop, we will explore dances from the traditional repertoire and discuss tempo, rhythmic inflections, phrasing, and interpretation.

How many times have we told this to our students? With students who seem to be involved in more and more extra-curricular activities, it is crucial that we teach them how to effectively use their practice time. This interactive workshop explores practice strategies and effective tips to maximize practice time.

All musicians will agree that rhythm is perhaps the most critical element in performance. This presentation surveys tools and strategies to develop an inner sense of rhythm in the beginner and intermediate piano student. Through interactive activities we will assess the effectiveness of each approach in the development of perfect rhythm.

This seminar focuses on the keyboard music and musicians of the Baroque Period. Through examples of the standard repertoire and lesser-known compositions, dances, tempo, articulation, dynamics, and ornamentation are discussed in this interactive presentation.

This seminar focuses on the keyboard music of Clementi, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. The characteristics of the Classical Period and the fortepiano are discussed in detail through examples from the standard repertoire.

The nineteenth century was a time of changes. The Romantic-period composers were richly influenced by their counterparts in literature and the visual arts. Extreme ranges of emotions along with an attraction to nature are some of the characteristics of nineteenth-century works. The piano and its construction underwent notorious changes, and so did its literature. Through examples of the standard repertoire, I will discuss the inherent characteristics of the romantic style.

If the nineteenth century was a time of change, the twentieth century was a time of disparity and experimentation. This presentation will focus on three areas: impressionism, nationalism, and non-tonal music. Grouped in these three categories, the music of the major exponents of the twentieth century will be explored in detail.

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