Piano Masterclasses

Monday – Ray Gallon

Intros and Endings

As pianists, we are often responsible for how the performance of a song begins and ends, information that is usually not included in lead sheets. Explore various ways of creating clear and functional intros and endings through the utilization of turnaround progressions, vamps, pedal points, sequential patterns, motivic derivations, tempo changes (e.g. ritardando, rubato), and dynamic shaping.

 

Tuesday – Shamie Royston

Becoming One with the Piano

• The use of the left hand for comping, bass lines, solo lines etc.
• Playing in different settings and the function:  Trio, Quartet, Solo Piano
• Making traditional jazz standards sound like your own with different harmonies
• Feeling comfortable with all 88 keys and not limiting yourself to the center of the keyboard.

 

Wednesday – Helen Sung
The Art of Solo Jazz Piano

How does one approach the incredible (and often intimidating) form of solo jazz piano with its immensely rich and deep tradition? Pianist/composer Helen Sung shares her ongoing journey and story in her solo experiences as well as ideas/concepts to explore.

 

Thursday – Maya Keren

Feeling Intervallically

Do you have a favorite voicing on the piano or favorite melody on your instrument? Have you ever wondered why this specific group of notes speaks to you the way it does? In this masterclass, I will explore the emotional impact of different intervallic shapes and explain my personal process of deconstructing and internalizing specific intervals on the piano. We’ll talk in detail about the use of the pitch sets 025 and 035 (ex. C-D-F and C-Eb-F starting on C) and the way they make us feel in the music of John Coltrane, Olivier Messiaen, Kris Davis, and in my own compositions.

 

Friday – Miro Sprague

Exploring Motivic Improvisation

Motivic improvisation means thinking like a composer — taking a short musical idea and developing it — through rhythmic and melodic variation, transposition, inversion, fragmentation, and more. In this workshop I will demonstrate how to use the various techniques of motivic development to create compelling improvisational statements in any musical context. I will discuss practice methods and also reference some of the masters of this style of improvising including Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk.