“Dear teachers, do not start with the position of the hand, but start with the condition of mind” — J.Hofmann
In our piano lessons in Manhattan we use a unique Russian method of piano instruction in which we provide stories and games for younger students and metaphors for adults in order to help them understand the meaning of music. We start with the music itself: no lesson book, no mechanical exercises. The music we choose is colorful, drawn from the rich traditions of folkloric music from all over the world, or original music from great composers.
Our method is a collection of inspiring and colorful music, which then serves as inspiration for the student to create stories, poems and drawings as a way of expressing an understanding of the meaning of the music. This is the first step towards an artistic performance of the piece. Using this method allows teachers and students to be creative and makes the lesson come alive.
The origins of our method come from the treasures of the Russian school of piano: First Meet with the Music by Anna Artobolevskaya (1905-1988) and The Art of Piano Playing by Heinrich Neuhaus (1888-1964).
Anna Artobolevskaya was an outstanding piano teacher at the Moscow Central Music School. She was known for her enthusiasm and endless creative approaches to every individual student. In the art of teaching the piano Artobolevskaya was a supreme artist.
Heinrich Neuhaus was one of the greatest pianists and piano teachers of our time, a professor at the Moscow Conservatory. Amongst his pupils were Emil Gilels and Sviatoslav Richter. Neuhaus believed that the duty of the music teacher is “not merely to teach the student how to play well”, but also “to make the student more intelligent, more responsive, more diligent, and more conscious.”
