A discourse concerning the importance followed by a study of piano pedagogy; of piano teaching method, its history and general aspects of piano technique; a fully comprehensive method of piano teaching from the very earliest stages to the advanced; a discussion of various important selected concepts incorporated in the method which require particular emphasis; the application of certain concepts in the various style periods, such as dynamics, tempo, tempo rubato, pedalling, ornamentation, to the teaching of a piece; a discussion of the psychology of piano teaching and practising. All of these various branches of study are imperative in the training of the prospective piano teacher. (Preface)

Thesis (MMus) -- Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Two of the most frequently reported performance problems amongst musicians are memorisation and performance anxiety. For the purposes of this study, memorisation is investigated regarding its importance in a musician's life; different faculties of memorisation are discussed; and practice methods are proposed providing the memoriser with maximum memory security and confidence. Performance anxiety, as a corollary of memory insecurity, is investigated regarding its symptoms, causes, and possible cures. It was found that memory insecurity and extreme performance anxiety result because of insufficient or inadequate practice and/or a lack of trust in the musician's own abilities. Musicians should prepare the best they can and then, during performance, they should put trust in the preparation that has been done. A healthy self-esteem, as well as good health, are requisites for success as a performer. It was also found that performers should concentrate less on the feat of technique and memory, and more on making music. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Memorisasie en verhoogvrees is twee van die grootste probleme wat deur uitvoerende musici aangemeld word. Die belangrikheid van memorisasie word ondersoek; die verskillende faktore daarby betrokke word bespreek; en oefenmetodes word voorgestelom die memoriseerder te vergewis van maksimum geheue-sekerheid. Verhoogvrees, as 'n uitvloeisel van memorisasie, word ondersoek ten opsigte van sy simptome, oorsake en moontlike oplossings. Daar is bevind dat onsekerheid betreffende die geheue sowel as ekstreme verhoogvrees die gevolg is van onvoldoende voorbereiding en/of 'n gebrek aan selfvertroue in die musikant se eie vermoëns. Musici moet bloot na die beste van hul vermoëns oefen; tydens die optrede moet daar dan vertroue geplaas word in die voorbereiding wat getref is. 'n Gesonde selfbeeld, saam met goeie gesondheid, is vereistes vir 'n uitvoerende kunstenaar om suksesvol te kan wees. Daar is ook bevind dat uitvoerders minder op die oorwinning van tegniek en geheue moet konsentreer, maar wel meer daarop moet konsentreer om musiek te maak.

This inquiry explored cooperative learning theory and methodology in the context of teaching functional keyboard skills in undergraduate collegiate group piano classes. The purpose was to create a teaching guide to be used in the teaching and learning of harmonization, transposition, improvisation, sight-reading, accompanying, playing by ear, and technique. The guide was created using established cooperative learning methods and was intended to be used in conjunction with other resources common to collegiate group piano classes. The majority of cooperative learning material pertains to non-music subjects; of those resources that relate to music, there are almost no available published sources that incorporate cooperative learning into the group piano curriculum. Teachers of collegiate group piano classes may wish to use this guide to introduce cooperative learning methodology in their teaching situations. / School of Music

This paper will examine color-coded musical notation. The history of color and music will be briefly explored before a more in-depth analysis of the widely available color-coded curriculums. Traditional method book formats will be examined for the potential integration of color-coded musical notation.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the kinetic structures or reinforcement schedules of metric temporal patterns (metric combination of note values within a measure) in five best-selling beginning piano method series. Based upon a survey mailed to 98 music dealers, the five best-selling beginning piano method series in 1992 and 1993 were identified as: the Alfred Basic Piano Library, Bastien Piano Basics, David Carr Glover Piano Library, John. W. Schaum Piano Course, and John Thompson Modern Course for Piano. A coding system was developed for identifying the numerical appearances and occurrences of various metric temporal patterns per learning piece within each method series. Several computer programs were written to compute the kinetic structures, scope, and pacing of metric temporal patterns for each method series. The derived data were then compared to delineate relationships between the three analytical variables.

It has been the purpose of this study to examine representative beginning piano methods, as found available in published form, and to compare and evaluate them according to musical, psychological, physical, and educational standards.

In 1970, the Hungarian publishing firm Editio Musica Budapest began a long term project, ending in 2005, that endeavored to compile and publish all Liszt's works in a complete edition titled, The New Liszt Edition (NLE). Through the efforts of this firm, Liszt's Technical Studies were published in the way that he had originally intended for the first time in 1983. Yet, although the eminent Liszt-scholar Michael Saffle has stated that 'Pedagogy is one of the most thoroughly-mined veins of Liszt material ever uncovered', academic discussions on Liszt's Technical Studies (Walker, 2005), his definitive pedagogical work for piano, are scarce. What it was that Liszt set out as being fundamental to the acquisition of pianistic virtuosity in the Technical Studies and the nature of its trajectory is generally unknown. Through an examination of the didactic instruction Liszt supplied in the Preface of the autograph manuscript to the Technical Studies and specific technical commentaries written by Mme. Auguste Boissier in her Liszt pedagogue, I will argue that the Technical Studies are built on six artistic and mechanical principles, exemplified by Liszt in the exercises, written to help the pianist acquire technical virtuosity. The methodical divisions of the work into sections that deal with specific mechanical objectives are illustrated with musical examples and their technical trajectory defined.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation.

In 1970, the Hungarian publishing firm Editio Musica Budapest began a long term project, ending in 2005, that endeavored to compile and publish all Liszt's works in a complete edition titled, The New Liszt Edition (NLE). Through the efforts of this firm, Liszt's Technical Studies were published in the way that he had originally intended for the first time in 1983. Yet, although the eminent Liszt-scholar Michael Saffle has stated that 'Pedagogy is one of the most thoroughly-mined veins of Liszt material ever uncovered', academic discussions on Liszt's Technical Studies (Walker, 2005), his definitive pedagogical work for piano, are scarce. What it was that Liszt set out as being fundamental to the acquisition of pianistic virtuosity in the Technical Studies and the nature of its trajectory is generally unknown. Through an examination of the didactic instruction Liszt supplied in the Preface of the autograph manuscript to the Technical Studies and specific technical commentaries written by Mme. Auguste Boissier in her Liszt pedagogue, I will argue that the Technical Studies are built on six artistic and mechanical principles, exemplified by Liszt in the exercises, written to help the pianist acquire technical virtuosity. The methodical divisions of the work into sections that deal with specific mechanical objectives are illustrated with musical examples and their technical trajectory defined.