Gabriel Piano Studio
  • 2024-25 FALL-SPRING
  • 2023-24 FALL-SPRING
  • VIDEO TUTORIALS

LESSON PAGE.  HURWITZ

Lesson notes. April 22, 2025.

Registration resource:
"Student Services" <[email protected]> 202-686-8000
"Frank Llewellyn" <[email protected]>  202-686-8000 x1304

Frank is my personal booker and he may provide a quicker response by phone.

I am under the impression that during the summer the enrollment system is more flexible than during the academic year.  I just asked frank about that and I am waiting for his response.  To get started, check which date you may want to resume lessons, and how many weeks you are available.

I initially do not have travel plans for this summer, so by default, the dates I am available to teach are as follows:

Your schedule is currently on week -B-

Tuesdays in APRIL 
22 (today) -week B-
29 -week A-

Tuesdays in MAY
6 -week B-
13 -week A-
20 -week B-
27 -week A-

Tuesdays in JUNE
3 -week B-
10 -week A-
17 -week B-
24 -week A-

Tuesdays in JULY
1 -week B-
8 -week A-
15 -week B-
22 -week A-
29 -week B-

If you would like to start on May 20, it looks like that would be 6 lessons every other week.

Repertory suggestions for the summer:

Here are some of my suggestions, based on your reading level and technical level, so that you can start exploring them on your own until we resume lessons at the end of May.
If you have some pieces you wish to learn, please send me your suggestions.  I'd rather you spend your practice time on something you love, than a piece you may feel indifferent, but suggested by me.

Lower technical level and easier to prepare on your own:

Tchaikovsky - Album for the Young Op. 39 No. 1 - Morning Prayer
https://youtu.be/0nmHJvdn4v8?si=MiKp3efygR6n_YSH

A bit more difficult:
Grieg - Arietta Op.12 Nr.1​
https://youtu.be/5TbQftYOKms?si=_a4kc8DIkacMv75L

List - Consolation Nr.3 in D-flat Major.
https://youtu.be/41BPRxg975o?si=n6psSFaWnsMFu63c

Debussy - Reverie (Dream)
https://youtu.be/ouYT5OEPfRI?si=jm1oV0tlsIC2PzF2
TCHAIKOVSKY
File Size: 119 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

LISTZ
File Size: 1172 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

GRIEG
File Size: 420 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

DEBUSSY
File Size: 267 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Lesson notes. April 8, 2025

​Träumerei (Dreaming) by Robert Schumann
General Observations:
• Struggles with reading notes fluently and maintaining flow; frequent pauses to read.
• The current tempo is too fast for comfortable note reading and understanding.
• Voicing and musical phrasing will be addressed once note-reading is more secure.
Suggestions:
• Slow down the tempo to allow for smoother reading and better control.
• Break the piece into small sections to study structure, chord shapes, and hand placement.
• Practice each chord individually, focusing on:
• How it’s built
• Fingering
• Pivoting, especially using finger #3 to transition between chord notes
• Pay close attention to tied notes—make sure they are held properly and not replayed.
• Once these steps are solid, begin working on voicing the melody, texture layering, and phrasing.

Assignment:
• Record a video of the first two lines and send it by next Tuesday (April 15).

How to Record and Send a Video via Email:
1. Use your phone or tablet to record the video in landscape mode (horizontal).
2. Keep the recording under 2–3 minutes to make the file size manageable.
3. Review the video to ensure clear sound and visibility of your hands.
4. Email Instructions:
• If the video is small (under 20–25 MB), attach it directly to an email.
• If it’s too large to attach, upload it to Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox, then email the shared link.


Measure-Specific Notes:
• M. 4–5: Keep eighth notes even and flowing—avoid acceleration.
• M. 7: Requires more mental processing—practice carefully.
• M. 11–12: Mark these as high-focus measures.
• M. 15–16:
• Natural sign applies only to the C, not the B (which remains B♭).
• Give this passage extra practice and analysis.
• M. 21: Yes, play the bass note.
• M. 22: Use a cross-hand arpeggiato technique to manage the wide chord—LH crosses over to play the top note smoothly.

Lesson registration information:
• Today was lesson #14 of 15 in your current registration package.
• The final registered lesson will be on April 22.

Scales.  Levine Curriculum Level THREE
(Keys: C, G, D, A, B, F Major.  A, E, D, G, C, F minor)

LEVEL 3 C MAJOR
File Size: 1047 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

LEVEL 3 A MINOR
File Size: 1083 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture

Sight-reading exercises

bach--notenbuch-anna-magdalena.pdf
File Size: 2334 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

schäfer_sight_r._exercises_book-1.pdf
File Size: 1080 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

schafer_sight_reading_book-2.pdf
File Size: 3039 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

schäfer_sight_reading_book-3.pdf
File Size: 1258 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

CZERNY-GERMER Etudes

CZERNY-GERMER exercises 1+2
File Size: 216 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

JANUARY 28
​When you have a chance, please send me an audio or video recording of 1-2-3-4.

Examples for 1 and 2.  See visual examples on the right. --->

Picture
Picture

After 1 and 2, proceed with 3 and 4:  See visual examples on the right. --->

Picture
Picture
czerny-germer_vol_1.pdf
File Size: 26078 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


SCHUMANN.  Dreaming (Träumerei)

MARCH 11. The score on the right margin is in original form with all the notes.
The second score is the same, but with highlights indicating where the melody is and where the bass line is.
traumerei.pdf
File Size: 89 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

traumerei_highlight.pdf
File Size: 1357 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Passed. CHOPIN.  Prelude 28 04 e minor

chopin_prelude_28_04_e_minor.pdf
File Size: 257 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Passed. SATIE.  Gymnopédie Nr.1 and Nr.2

SATIE with some labeled chords
File Size: 718 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Passed. ALBENIZ.  Tango

ALBENIZ Tango
File Size: 2142 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Passed: BEETHOVEN.  Moonlight Sonata
​First movement (Adagio sostenuto)

BEETHOVEN Moonlight 1st
File Size: 926 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

MOONLIGHT Barenreuter
File Size: 1118 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Picture
Picture
Picture
  • 2024-25 FALL-SPRING
  • 2023-24 FALL-SPRING
  • VIDEO TUTORIALS