Review of 450 Contemporary Piano Studies in 15 Keys
Nice music, great work
Musical education of every child starts at a very young age. Imagination, intuition, disclosure of emotions —the features which are important for every musician (and individual), can be revealed with the help of playing the instrument. It is very significant to be educated in performing contemporary music.
“450 Contemporary Piano Studies in 15 Keys” (3 volumes) by Charles Austin is filled with natural real sounding beautiful music. These original short pieces are full of different musical characters. The compositions present different styles (classical, blues, jazz and others), various genres (waltz, ballade and so on). Here we find 15 compositions written in each key with different modes (major, minor, pentatonic, diatonic and so on). The idea of the author is to introduce “hard” keys earlier with simple forms. This grand work is based on the life experience of Charles Austin as a jazz performer and a teacher.
The content of these pieces is marked by poetic names (titles). It is a real stimulation to excite the performer’s fantasy, creating musical stories. One can give parallels between the performed compositions and child’s emotions, subjects and phenomena of their life. Students performing the pieces from this book should be curious and ready to explore.
The distinguishing feature of these pieces is their methodical instructions. These accurate, clear and detailed explanations are useful for teacher or performer —to learn musical literacy, to study piano management.
Technique pieces teach everyone to improve rhythm, to achieve connection and coordination among fingers, hands and breathing. Sometimes the fingering given by author is not usual to classical pianist but very useful to try. And it is wonderful that every teacher is free to do his or her own interpretation plan – to put dynamics sights, articulation references, to suggest original phrases.
“450 Contemporary Piano Studies in 15 Keys” can help the teacher to reach mastership in the teacher’s profession and to acquire more teaching skills.
This nice jazz piano collection is very useful for the classical pianist. It helps them to develop the connection between the emotions and the mind, the ability to make decisions and to accumulate attention on stage. Creation and improvisation skills make a performer feel free at the keyboard and to avoid stage fright. The student should study this book to get better sight reading skills, to improve rhythm, to dissolve technical tasks, to have nice concert repertoire.
We know that these days students mostly want to perform popular well-known pieces, to learn them quickly and to play without any efforts. Usually these works are easy arranged with primitive melodies, elementary harmony and rhythm, in simple keys. It is no secret that many students are not willingly attending classical piano lessons.
“450 Contemporary Piano Studies in 15 Keys” is a different piano school. These musical compositions will motivate everyone to play piano. Sincere and warm composer’s Charlie Austin attitude towards students, performers and teachers gives them a real chance to get good knowledge at the lessons and to feel fun in the concerts. It is nice to perform the music which is written now, in our times.
Janina Karaliene, Piano Teacher, Vilnius, Lithuania. September 3, 2018.
“450 Contemporary Piano Studies in 15 Keys” (3 volumes) by Charles Austin is filled with natural real sounding beautiful music. These original short pieces are full of different musical characters. The compositions present different styles (classical, blues, jazz and others), various genres (waltz, ballade and so on). Here we find 15 compositions written in each key with different modes (major, minor, pentatonic, diatonic and so on). The idea of the author is to introduce “hard” keys earlier with simple forms. This grand work is based on the life experience of Charles Austin as a jazz performer and a teacher.
The content of these pieces is marked by poetic names (titles). It is a real stimulation to excite the performer’s fantasy, creating musical stories. One can give parallels between the performed compositions and child’s emotions, subjects and phenomena of their life. Students performing the pieces from this book should be curious and ready to explore.
The distinguishing feature of these pieces is their methodical instructions. These accurate, clear and detailed explanations are useful for teacher or performer —to learn musical literacy, to study piano management.
Technique pieces teach everyone to improve rhythm, to achieve connection and coordination among fingers, hands and breathing. Sometimes the fingering given by author is not usual to classical pianist but very useful to try. And it is wonderful that every teacher is free to do his or her own interpretation plan – to put dynamics sights, articulation references, to suggest original phrases.
“450 Contemporary Piano Studies in 15 Keys” can help the teacher to reach mastership in the teacher’s profession and to acquire more teaching skills.
This nice jazz piano collection is very useful for the classical pianist. It helps them to develop the connection between the emotions and the mind, the ability to make decisions and to accumulate attention on stage. Creation and improvisation skills make a performer feel free at the keyboard and to avoid stage fright. The student should study this book to get better sight reading skills, to improve rhythm, to dissolve technical tasks, to have nice concert repertoire.
We know that these days students mostly want to perform popular well-known pieces, to learn them quickly and to play without any efforts. Usually these works are easy arranged with primitive melodies, elementary harmony and rhythm, in simple keys. It is no secret that many students are not willingly attending classical piano lessons.
“450 Contemporary Piano Studies in 15 Keys” is a different piano school. These musical compositions will motivate everyone to play piano. Sincere and warm composer’s Charlie Austin attitude towards students, performers and teachers gives them a real chance to get good knowledge at the lessons and to feel fun in the concerts. It is nice to perform the music which is written now, in our times.
Janina Karaliene, Piano Teacher, Vilnius, Lithuania. September 3, 2018.
Janina Karalienė has taught piano for over forty years at the National M.K.Čiurlionis Art school in Vilnius, and serves as a lecturer at Music and Theatre Academy Pedagogical department, teaching pedagogical practice.