Practicing?, Best use of time Options

[ajm3212]

Hi

As you know i´m taking my LRSM in July next year and have finalised my programme:

Bach Partita No. 2 in Cminor

Beethoven Sonata in D Major Op10, No. 3

Brahms 3 Capriccios from Op. 116

I am practicing alot at the moment - up to 4-5 hours a day - but have not experience a great change in success. I have now changed this schedule to 6 half hour practice sessions throughout the day. This has resulted in:

More detailed study of small sections of the music.
Greater emphasis upon relaxation whilst practicing
Better memorisation of small sections, returning to them several times a day.
Greater confidence in the areas i am studying.
Confidence and pleasure that progress is being made within a defined time period.

This seems to be much more successful than stumbling through all the pieces 3 or 4 times in one go and leaving the piano feeling unsatisfied and even more worried that i am not getting any better.

Any comments upon this method of practicing? I know i am very lucky to have the option of practicing this way as i have no work committments.

Also, i would like to take some intensive lessons from the great Bernard Roberts early next year, but the email address on his website is not working. Any suggestions on how to get in contact?

If anyone has any general advice on the LRSM exam day that would be most welcome.

Thanks

[JohnS]

That sounds like a much better way of practising. Little and often with clear aims has got to be good for whatever level. Nice pieces!

[davidenglish]

Hi:

I received the LRSM with Distinction this past June. My program consisted of

Bach, Partita No. 2 in C minor
Mozart, Rondo in A minor, k 511
Schumann, Fantasy Pieces for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 73
[I elected the keyboard accompanying specialist option]
Ginastera, Danzas Argentinas No. 2, "Danza de la moza donosa"

I did not try to memorize the recital. As an adult amateur player, I only have so much time for practice. The lack of memorization appears to have had no impact on my grade on the LRSM exam.

Sometimes I practice straight through, but I mostly practice in shorter sessions. It depends on my available time and on what I find most productive that particular day. Oftentimes, I divide my practice based on the piece, with breaks in between, which I can do because I work mostly at home. I am currently preparing for the LTCL, playing pieces by Bach, Mozart, and Hindemith. Consequently, I often divide my practice sessions into three, with perhaps a 1/2 hour to 45 minutes devoted to each piece. But I do not necessarily play the whole piece but usually work on particular movements or sections.

You should listen to recordings. Here is where I pick up ideas about tempo, articulation, and ornamentation. For the Bach Partita No. 2 I found the CD by Angela Hewitt to be particularly instructive.

Some thoughts for exam day. Don't overpractice on that day. Simply take 10-15 minutes to warmup. Most important, see if you can try out the piano on which the exam will actually be given. Pianos vary greatly in terms of touch, depth of pedal, etc. I was able to try out the piano for both Grade 8 and LRSM, which made a big difference. For the DipABRSM, I didn't get a good feel for the piano until midway through the first piece.

Take time a couple of days before the performance to review your program notes in detail. Also review some of the sources used to prepare the program notes. For both my DipABRSM and LRSM exams, the viva consisted almost entirely of questions based on the program notes.

Try to sightread some each day. I found the Bartok Mikrokosmos helpful for this purpose. Lots of unexpected rhythmic, key signature, pedal changes etc. I started at Book 2 and got about halfway through Book 4 at which point the pieces became too difficult. There are also a number of piano collection books published in both the US and UK that are directed at the late intermediate or early advanced player and are good practice.

Simply play the best that you can and try not to be too nervous on the exam day. I actually tried to pretend that I was playing at home, which also helped to calm the nerves.

[debbie_s'pore]

Hi

If you need the full recordings for Brahms 3 Capriccios from Op. 116, I can send them to you via email because I happen to have the recordings. (:

As you know i´m taking my LRSM in July next year and have finalised my programme:

Bach Partita No. 2 in Cminor

Beethoven Sonata in D Major Op10, No. 3

Brahms 3 Capriccios from Op. 116

[johann]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) [quote name='davidenglish' date='Nov 30 2005, 02:07 PM' post='200794']
Hi:

I received the LRSM with Distinction this past June. My program consisted of

Bach, Partita No. 2 in C minor
Mozart, Rondo in A minor, k 511
Schumann, Fantasy Pieces for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 73
[I elected the keyboard accompanying specialist option]
Ginastera, Danzas Argentinas No. 2, "Danza de la moza donosa"

I did not try to memorize the recital. As an adult amateur player, I only have so much time for practice. The lack of memorization appears to have had no impact on my grade on the LRSM exam.

Sometimes I practice straight through, but I mostly practice in shorter sessions. It depends on my available time and on what I find most productive that particular day. Oftentimes, I divide my practice based on the piece, with breaks in between, which I can do because I work mostly at home. I am currently preparing for the LTCL, playing pieces by Bach, Mozart, and Hindemith. Consequently, I often divide my practice sessions into three, with perhaps a 1/2 hour to 45 minutes devoted to each piece. But I do not necessarily play the whole piece but usually work on particular movements or sections.

You should listen to recordings. Here is where I pick up ideas about tempo, articulation, and ornamentation. For the Bach Partita No. 2 I found the CD by Angela Hewitt to be particularly instructive.

Some thoughts for exam day. Don't overpractice on that day. Simply take 10-15 minutes to warmup. Most important, see if you can try out the piano on which the exam will actually be given. Pianos vary greatly in terms of touch, depth of pedal, etc. I was able to try out the piano for both Grade 8 and LRSM, which made a big difference. For the DipABRSM, I didn't get a good feel for the piano until midway through the first piece.

Take time a couple of days before the performance to review your program notes in detail. Also review some of the sources used to prepare the program notes. For both my DipABRSM and LRSM exams, the viva consisted almost entirely of questions based on the program notes.

Try to sightread some each day. I found the Bartok Mikrokosmos helpful for this purpose. Lots of unexpected rhythmic, key signature, pedal changes etc. I started at Book 2 and got about halfway through Book 4 at which point the pieces became too difficult. There are also a number of piano collection books published in both the US and UK that are directed at the late intermediate or early advanced player and are good practice.

Simply play the best that you can and try not to be too nervous on the exam day. I actually tried to pretend that I was playing at home, which also helped to calm the nerves.



thank you david ........thank you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[GregoryLui]

Ginastera! My teacher gave me that piece a few months ago. Just have to say that it was a lovely piece to play albeit a difficult one (for me at the time).

[Hammerklavier]

Also, I would like to take some intensive lessons from the great Bernard Roberts early next year, but the email address on his website is not working. Any suggestions on how to get in contact?


One way that you could try contacting Bernard Roberts is through Cheathams school of music in Manchester.

If you ask for the piano department and speak to Murray Mclachlan (head of key board) you might be lucky. Bernard teaches on the Cheathams piano summer school each August so they should know how to get hold of him. By the way, he is an excellent choice with regard to all three composers music that you have chosen.

Best of luck!

[DiabolicConcerto]

Dear ajm3212, I saw your post and thought I would like to respond to give you some advice that I have received in the past. I totally sympathise with you. Doing 4-5 hours of solid practice can leave you exhausted both mentally and physically, and when you finish your practice and reflect upon it, it's devastating to realise that you may be getting worse!?!

I started having lessons with a teacher (and this was further stressed by a lecturer at uni) who said that in every hour of practice you do, take a 2-3 minute break after every 20 minutes. In this break, you are to try to mentally 'switch off' and perhaps stand up and stretch or yawn etc and basically let all your tension and thoughts go.

I think that these smaller brackets allow you to more easily focus on particular areas of practice. For example, you might think to yourself "right! bars 12-24, in the past I've always skimmed over you because you're too difficult, but today, you're mine!!!" (hehe) and you can acheive small successes often. To quote that teacher- "A play through is NOT a practice".

I heard about an interesting study done by scientists who discovered that the human brain cannot focus for more than about 15-20 minutes at a time anyway...

I, too, recently sat my LMusA (Australian equivalent to LRSM) and was required to perform one complete work from memory, but the rest of the programme was performed with the music there as a guide. I didn't have to really focus on it, but it was just there.

Also, the comments offered to you by Davidenglish are invaluable.

Good luck with your exam!