Nope, it's not a Tex-Mex dish of grilled meat served on a tortilla. It's a little-known folk instrument with origins in Slovakia. (Wikipedia article) The mother of one of my students sent me links to a local fujarist . 

In years of traveling the world and learning about local musical heritage and instruments, I have never "met" a fujara and thought you all might find this interesting. 

Bob Rychlik lives in Maryland but has a fascinating life story (see 3rd link to learn more).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y5fonktBzQ

http://www.overtone.cc/profile/BobRychlik

http://www.ncsml.org/Oral-History/Washington-DC/20110808/136/Rychlik-Bohuslav.aspx


There's even an international festival:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhr6Tzo_n_8

I was called in to substitute the music director at a local church this morning. My responsibilities included leading the congregation in the hymns throughout the service, and playing music for the prelude, meditation, offertory, communion, and postlude. 

I dug out some beautiful selections that I thought would be appropriate (shout out to my students Taura and Lukas: I included Valse Melancholique and Prelude from Espana) and arrived early enough to get settled, tag the pages in the hymnal, play through the hymns (once each), and circle the spots in the program that I would be playing. 

The first service went well.* While playing I thought that this experience would make a great topic to share and demonstrate how many of the skills we develop in lessons are important for situations in which we have limited time to learn new music. 

A few reminders:

• Be able to play without looking at your hands. Not knowing the music well, I couldn't play any of it from memory.
• Look at (and know) your key signatures. Every hymn was in a different key signature, and it was imperative that I be able to read through without wondering "is that D that's coming up supposed to be sharp?"
• Count! A secure sense of rhythm and a steady pulse is always important, but especially so if you are leading an entire group of people (no pressure, but they are looking at the music as you play).
• Be aware of voicing. Hymns are written in four voices (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass). The piano score has two parts above the text, and two parts below, sometimes making it a challenge to read, as well as to bring out the melody (which must be heard clearly above all the other voices).
• Read ahead. As you are playing, you need to also be scanning ahead to look for upcoming notes, chords, rhythms, etc. that you have to plan for.  Occasionally the bass clef voices are too far apart to be played by the left hand, and thus the tenor part should be added to the right hand. 
• Be ready to improvise a little. I'm not just talking about the few notes I dropped... but rather, since the hymns had as many as 5 verses I would vary the accompaniment patterns, dynamics, and articulations to keep things interesting. In addition, each hymn required a short introduction and conclusion (not written into the music).

After the conclusion of the service a member of the congregation came over to speak with me, and we quickly lost track of time. Soon, it was 10:45; time to get ready for the 11:00 service. I grabbed a bulletin from the front of the church and let out a little gasp. The hymns for this service were all different than the first service. I would barely have time to tag them, and absolutely no time to play through them. I began the prelude while concocting a plan. As the pastor led the church in prayer between hymns, I would look at the next selection and create a mental map of the hymn. This exercised another, very important skill for pianists: 

• Be able to scan the music and "hear" what it will sound like before you actually play a single note. It's sometimes easier said than done, but I tried to get a sense of the melody, harmony, and rhythm. The melody and rhythm was especially important for me as very often the harmony is somewhat predictable - for the most part.
  
• Don't stop. Ever. Keep the music going and keep a  steady pulse, no matter what. Don't go back to correct a note - as doing so will lose the 100 people who are singing with you (or listening to you) and make a small mistake a big one.

The final selection was a hymn in D-flat major (5 flats). Oh joy...

I appreciated all the folks after both services who came over to tell me how much they loved my performance. I resisted the urge to explain what a relief it was that things went well, but instead made an effort to thank them for having me today and wished them a lovely rest of their weekend. :)

*Funny moment: an alarm on my phone (one that I didn't even know that I have!) went off at 8:59am, just as I was finishing the prelude. I finished the piece then dove into my bag to turn it off. I am sure my face turned a nice shade of pink.

Many of my students know about my handstand quest: for a reason I don't quite understand, I so desperately want to be able to do an "effortless" handstand. To hop or kick or lift up into a handstand in the middle of a room (or better yet: my front lawn) and hold it as long as I like, before gently lowering down. And so, I've been practicing. A lot. Natalie (my roommate) teases me as my feet bump against the wall, morning and night. I read up on articles on what muscles I have to strengthen and various techniques of practicing handstands. And, slowly (soooo soooo slowwwwwly) I am getting there. I'm not entirely sure where, but I'm getting somewhere. 

A few weeks ago I had a revelation. I realized that handstand practice is like piano practice, not only in the dedication it takes, but also how we feel when we are "safe" (practicing) versus "exposed" (performing).

1. If I practice up against a wall, I have no problem confidently hopping up into a handstand. 
   
2. If I practice in the middle of a room, my confidence drops and I usually barely hop up - nowhere close to the momentum that's needed. I have to really force myself to simulate the feeling that I do against the wall, and remind myself that at worst, I'll fall over to the side (not a big deal).
3. If I practice in yoga class, I am enthusiastic but terrified of embarrassing myself by falling over (which has happened several times). I give great effort to mini hops but don't come anywhere close to the vertical level that I do in #1. 

Occasionally in yoga class, the instructor will catch me as I'm hopping up and assist me in my efforts. This is tremendously encouraging and exciting, as it seems like I'm closer to my goal. I do remember one class in which the instructor was passing by just as I was jumping up, and I expected that he would catch me. He kept walking. I fell. I laughed, nervously, and followed the class into the next posture. Later in class, he said: we have to be willing to fall, to feel the ground, to take the risk, to know that even if someone doesn't catch us, we will be okay... and that we grow and strengthen from this process.

Take a quick peak at the photo on the left. This is the piano that advanced young pianists used at today's NFMC Junior Festival at UMBC. Notice anything odd? Look under the music stand, in the corner closest to the camera. See it now? The white and green... toothbrush????!!!

Yep - that's a real toothbrush that was found by one of the festival participants (there was a pencil right by it, too). Though the toothbrush didn't impact the sound of the piano (it would be an interesting prepared piano effect if it were on the strings)  it did serve as a good indicator that this instrument is not particularly well-loved. [Sometimes I want to start a new organization: The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Pianos]

Indeed, students were challenged by this beast of an instrument: from the bass notes not sustaining with the damper or sostenuto pedals, to the una chorda pedal creating intense dissonances and rattles, to an uneven sound quality across the keyboard. Yikes. A problem piano? Definitely. A fluke? Maybe (the recital hall piano was unexpectedly locked... and no one could be reached to come open it). A day in the life of a pianist? Yep.

Unlike other musicians, pianists don't get to take their own (or their teacher's) instruments with them for performances. That means we at the mercy of whatever is provided (don't remind me about the times that the concert organizers "didn't realize" I need a piano, or time the TV producer assured me that I can play without pedals for a televised performance with orchestra). Sometimes we luck out and get a beautiful instrument that is easy to play. Other times, we have to work MUCH harder to create an effective performance.  Do we give up when we get a piano that isn't up to our normal standards? No! 

I liken our challenge to the process of a chemist analyzing a water sample: we must evaluate the instrument's strengths and weaknesses quickly (sometimes instantaneously, if we don't have a chance to try out the instrument before diving into the performance) and create a plan of action to make it sound as best as it possibly can. I have witnessed many a fine pianist turn a "bad" piano into a beautifully singing instrument through their expert voicing, determined expression, and careful avoidance of the piano's weaknesses. Thus, I believe whole-heartedly that it can be done. It's not easy... but we need to be ready to step it up a notch when the time calls for it.

This challenge can be:

• Physical: How can we play soft without the sound completely disappearing? How can we play loud without the piano shouting an ugly sound? How can we play forte on a "dead" register of the keyboard without excess tension?
• Mental: How can we stay "in the zone" and lose ourself in the performance when we really aren't sure that it will make a difference?
• Artistic:  Can we effectively evaluate the instrument and create a new canvas of sound?
  

Dr. Stephanie Bruning said that "flexibility is a good middle name for a pianist." I agree! The audience has sympathy for the plight of the performer, however in the end, all they want is a beautiful performance, and it's your job to make it happen.

Congrats to all 29 Piano Prodigies students who performed at today's National Federation of Music Clubs Junior Festival at UMBC. The hard work paid off! Beautiful performances.

Best wishes to all Piano Prodigies students for tomorrow's festival! 

Edit by Kara Iwanowski. 

Great article, featuring my sister's beloved professor at Peabody, cellist Amit Peled.

 http://peabodyinstitute.wordpress.com/magazine/vol-8-no-2-spring-2014/the-nature-of-nurture/

“So, how did it go?” Peled queries a student about a recent performance in New York. The student hesitates for a moment and responds, “Well, it was good. My biggest problem is that I get nervous.” Peled waves his hand dismissively. “Look,” he says, “everyone has that fear. You must overcome it. Everyone must. It’s not like practicing at home. The stage is totally different. You must prepare for it. You don’t just go out there. It’s very personal what people do before a concert. But right before you go onstage, you should just play and play and play. Be completely warmed up. That’s what athletes do. They pump up the muscles before a game.” 

At the end of their hour together, the student places his cello and bow back into a case and informs Peled that he plans to enter a prestigious competition and will try to win. Peled shakes his head. “You don’t want to try. You want to win,” he says. “That’s the right attitude. Don’t do competitions as an exercise or experiment or just to play. That’s a waste of time. You want to win!”

In my last post, I went over the benefits of regular scale practice (and the resulting mastery of all 24 scales). Here are some ways to practice scales (and make them just a bit more fun):

Direction: 
1. THE BASIC: 1-2 octaves (young beginners) or 4 octaves (intermediate and advanced) in parallel motion. Hands move in the same direction at all times.
2. CONTRARY MOTION: Both hands start on the same key (e.g. for C major, both hands on middle C) and move in opposite directions. The notes will not be the same but (for most scales) the fingering will be the same. Two octaves each direction.
3. RUSSIAN SPLITS (late intermediate): Two octaves parallel ascending (start low), two octaves contrary and back, two more octaves parallel ascending, two octaves parallel descending, two octaves contrary and back, and two more octaves descending (to get to starting position). 
4. TRIPLETS (advanced): LH plays a one-octave scale low in the keyboard. RH starts an octave above and plays triplets (3 notes per LH note) for four octaves. Continue this pattern until the hands return to the starting position (it will take ___ complete RH scales to get to this point). Then switch: RH plays a descending one octave  scale at the top of the piano, LH plays a descending four octave scale in triplets. 

Articulation and Dynamics:
5. All legato.
6. All staccato.
7. Legato on the way up, staccato on the way down (and reverse)
8. One hand legato, the other hand staccato. Try for the entire scale, or switch halfway. Or switch every octave!
9. All forte.
10. All piano.
11. Forte on the way up, piano on the way down (and reverse)
12. Crescendo on the way up, diminuendo on the way down (and reverse).
13. Crescendo to the halfway point of the ascent, then diminuendo to the top. Same on the way down (and then reverse).
14. One hand forte, the other hand piano. Try for the entire scale, or switch halfway. Or switch every octave!


Variations:
15. THIRDS: LH starts on the tonic, RH starts a 3rd above (median)
16. SIXTHS: LH starts on the 3rd note of the scale (median), RH starts a 6th above (tonic)
17. TENTHS: Like thirds, but with an octave in between
18. OCTAVES. Both hands playing octaves. 

Some helpful links:
http://www.true-piano-lessons.com/piano-scales.html
http://www.pianocareer.com/piano-technique/piano-scales-arpeggios-art-exercise/
http://kantsmusictuition.blogspot.com/2007/09/method-of-practising-scales.html

Not many students would call practicing scales fun (at least, until they become fluent in them). When I ask students why we practice scales, broken chords, cadences, etc. I usually get a blank stare, unhappy face, and a response that goes something like this: "Because... we have to?" 

Scales are an essential skill for every musician. They develop:

• A practical understanding of theory. In western classical music we have 24 keys: 12 major and 12 minor. When we learn a new piece of music, one of the first things we need to heed is the key signature. A strong understanding of the hierarchy of the notes in that key (tonic, subdominant, dominant, relative minor... as opposed to just "trying to remember the sharps and flats") will very much expedite the learning process. In addition, we can better recognize and memorize patterns and understand the relationships between various sections of the piece (e.g. relative and parallel keys).
• Easier performance of scales in music. So many pieces have scales and scale fragments built into them! Once we know our scales, it becomes so easy to identify and play the scales within the music. 
• Coordination between the hands. There is a variety of fingerings for scales, and there are also a number of different ways to practice the scales that will very much increase the independence and coordination of the hands and fingers. 
• Stronger and fast fingers: All fingers are used and none should stick out as being too loud or too soft. If you can successfully play a scale at a slow tempo, you're not done your job yet. Work (with metronome) on increasing your speed. Try a variety of articulations. Listen to your tone quality. It's limitless!
• Keyboard topography: The ability to find notes without looking at your hands is really essential. Scale practice develops a strong familiarity with  the keyboard layout.

Performance psychology is a very interesting field and important topic for performers of all sorts (musicians, athletes, public speakers, etc). There are many approaches to building and maintaining confidence under pressure. Here are a few of my thoughts on preparing for a successful performance:

• It may seem obvious, but keep in mind when practicing that you are preparing for a performance (especially if the date is already set). If we forget or completely dismiss the performance aspect and forget to plan accordingly, the performance comes as a shock. We can and should look forward to the performance (anticipation) and prepare for it in a methodical manner. This includes creating specific goals (e.g. memorize this 2 page piece in the next two weeks) and a timeline for achieving them (memorize 1 line per day), and objectively evaluating the status of the piece ("how close to ready am I for the performance, and what do I have to improve?"). 
• When a piece is learned, we do need to balance practice (problem-solving, addressing specific issues, slow work, hands separate, rhythmic exercises, metronome) and performance (playing through, non-stop, in full tempo) during our at-home practice sessions. Be aware that playing through repeatedly from beginning to end (as many students like to do) will not improve the performance. Nor does it count as practice. The ratio of practicing to playing should be about 4:1, both in time and repetitions. In addition, playing through should be followed by an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the performance (thus, recording and listening back... or asking the audience for their feedback... is extremely helpful). 
• Keep it in perspective: performances are not life and death situations. We want to do our best, and we should make every effort to do so, but the reality is that mistakes happen to every performer, at every performance (yes, even the stars). We do have to learn to recover quickly (very important) and keep going. Performances sometimes are humbling experiences - but less because of audience judgement (audiences have great sympathy for performances, especially for students!) and more because of self-judgement/ego/pride. A mistake does not mean we are a bad person, bad pianist, etc. It means we are human. We learn from our mistakes and challenges and aspire to make the next performance better. The journey is endless! 
  
• The venue/occasion can and will impact the level of comfort or anxiety. When we practice at home, we are relaxed. When we play in a lesson, we may feel nervous and make some mistakes. When we play a new piece in front of others (family and friends, or recital) we may feel even more so, and the degree may depend on our level of comfort with the piece (and how long we have been playing it), recent success or challenges in playing/practicing it at home, past performance experiences, and the importance of the performance occasion. 
• We need to remind ourself that we are worthy of a good performance, and that we have done the work. We can repeat this mantra in the hours and minutes before the performance. Leading up to a performance we experience a flood of negative and paralyzing thoughts; that we have not practiced enough, that we will be judged, or that we will get stuck if we mess up. This is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, as by thinking about it we lose our confidence. One of my favorite musicians, Brian Ganz, says that he tells these voices "thanks for sharing" and then focuses on the positive thoughts and energy that is crucial to a successful performance.
  
• Some things that seem basic are very important to take note of in practice: what notes do I begin on and in which octave? This seems obvious when we do it at home, but in a performance, we may look at the keyboard and blank. If we have mentally prepared for this (oh, the RH starts on the D 2 octaves above middle C, with the 5th finger) we have a better foundation to begin. :)
• It's very useful to practice the music away from the piano. E.g. Sit in bed (or in chair, at desk, etc) with eyes closed. Do NOT move fingers. Try to imagine the entire piece from beginning to end. This is an excellent memory test, and quite hard (usually, if the memory is weak, at some point we will get stuck). Pull out the music, look at the spot that was a challenge, then do it again...