A Little History . . .

from Emma's Studio

Most people, once they graduate from college, do not find themselves willingly sitting down to write a research paper. However, two weeks ago I found myself spending many hours at the kitchen table writing a research paper on “Russian Music for Children.” The reason? My piano teacher (I still take piano lessons in addition to teach them) roped me into participating in his semi-annual thematic recital, this time focused on Russian music. After putting in the work to do my paper, I spent a pleasant evening with several of my fellow piano students listening to performances of Russian music and learning details about Russian music I had never heard before.

This thematic recital idea is a great one to use in piano studios for many reasons. For many students, it is a rather fun break from the traditional repertoire recital. A thematic recital also provides an opportunity for students to learn about a topic they might not otherwise explore, and share this information with their fellow students. I learned several things about Russian art music during my recital, including the fact that it did not really begin until the early 1800’s due to censorship by the church. I also learned that composers Rachmaninoff and Scriabin had the same musical training but came up with very different styles, and the Communist party’s emphasis on education caused many fine composers to write great music for children. I would recommend implementing this kind of recital in your piano studio because it gives students opportunities to learn from each other.

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