News from the Studio of Esther Chung Marks

Two students of Esther Chung Marks just received the results of the Royal Conservatory Music Development Program piano performance assessments Level III that they took on December 6, 2014 at the Amadeus School of Music in Queens, New York. Both Tom Liu, 7, and Zoe Marks, 9, received "First Class Honors" for their performances of a multitude of technical and aural skills, five repertoire pieces and sight reading. Congratulations!

Guild Information - Leadership change and Venue Change

The long time chairperson for the Setauket-Stony Brook, NY Guild Audition center, Tamara Slobodkin, has resigned.  Although we will definitely miss working with her and the leadership she has provided over these many years, we are happy to let you know that Ms. Esther Chung Marks has stepped forward to fill the position.  We look forward to working with her this coming year!

Although the center name will remain the same for 2015, certain changes have taken place including a change of venue and a little earlier time frame for auditions. The new hosting facility is Costa’s Piano Shoppe, only minutes away from the former site SUNY, located at 4747 Nesconset Hwy, Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776, 631/689-2977 (across from Home Goods in the Port Jeff Commons Shopping Center).  The REQUESTED (but not yet confirmed) dates for 2015 auditions are May 14-22 (incl. Sun.).  These TENTATIVE dates will appear in the winter issue of PGN and as always, for confirmation of dates please contact Guild Headquarters Scheduling Dept. directly or your center chairperson who will be notified by Headquarters once confirmed.

Communication by email is preferred by so many today, however not everyone uses it for their main contact and some still prefer standard phone/mail notifications.  Although many of you have provided email information to Guild Headquarters, our current privacy policy does not allow us to release those addresses without direct permission.  For this reason we ask that you contact Ms. Marks as soon as possible at esmrks@icloud.com or by phone at (631) 928-7738 if you are unable to communicate by email.  Ms. Marks would appreciate having your email address as the preferred method of contact in order to provide the most updated information to all participants by the most convenient and accessible method.

Should you have questions about this year’s arrangements or need assistance in enrolling your students in an audition center other than Setauket-Stony Brook, please contact Gloria Castro or Leslie Frost in the Guild Headquarters Scheduling Dept. (512/478-5775).  They will be happy to assist you!

We look forward to a musically successful 2015!

Sincerely,    

Leslie Frost

Scheduling Dept.

Guild Headquarters

512/478-5775

Musicale Notes by Fred Barnett

                                      ” The Composer’s Landscape”

                                                              

                                                                               Carol Montparker

                                                                            

 

If instantly recognizing the unique textual landscapes (appearances) and fully grasping the core interpretive differences of eight major composers, down to the smallest details, are truly the most significant in reaching the highest of pianistic peaks, this latest 250 page book (very recently published) by Carol Montparker may even be better than any of the accolades of notable luminaries on the back cover. Although we’ve repeatedly heard much of the commentary within over the years from many sources, CM has remarkably succeeded in synthesizing and compiling the most significant interpretive insights, apparently gathered over a lifetime, into one convenient volume.  Making this perhaps the most valuable addition to any piano teacher’s pedagogical collection, ESPECIALLY AS A HANDY REFERENCE PRIOR TO ANY LESSON FEATURING ANY OF THE COMPOSERS:  Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Chopin, and Mendelsssohn.    

                                                                            

Despite the most meaningful counsel of all “Let the music speak for itself,” ironically from no other than Leopold Mittman, one of her prime teachers, and an exploration in the Beethoven chapter re: whether interpretation can really be taught at all, Carol goes on to consult and pick the interpretive brains of virtually everyone of note under the sun in her musical orbit. The Bibliography alone contains 29 disparate entries from pedagogue legend Heinrich Neuhaus to

Albert Schweitzer to Charles Rosen, not to mention quotes and ideas of apparently hundreds more, most probably sought out during her role as senior editor of Clavier for fifteen years.

 

A few tidbits -

 

On Bach: having students sing subject-themes helps. Beethoven: “the most human of all composers.” Mozart: difficulty of creating artistry with fewer notes. 

Alfred Brendel’s practicality: “anything played slowly, yet accurately, can be played faster.”

Comedy: Radu Lupu re: textual fidelity re: repeats (p.86). Controversial: ”we can never get to the level of composers’ greatness as the music itself” (p.51)” Tongue ‘n Cheek: blaming Clara Schumann for setting the memorization precedent. Curiosity aroused: To what extent did Clara correct, alter, even revise her beloved husband’s published works? Technique: Best to approach technical passages musically, etc.

 

The ultimate question of all, however, re: Landscapes, if rated by purely pedagogical standards is

“To what extent have these multitudes of insights, dead on or not, actually contribute in reality to student playing? Especially, unfortunately, during this age when most struggle to simply decode written notation and are preoccupied with simply playing the notes and rhythm accurately. Carol herself would, no doubt, be the best qualified by objectively reflecting on her private teaching and the recent master class series at Steinway. Perhaps, planting seeds. Hopefully more  

 

Also unique: A 16 selection CD, convincingly played by Carol. An appendix devoted to interpreting Chopins’ Barcarolle and Fm Ballade, discussed by renowned pianists,  much musicology type analysis minus musicology type jargon, etc.

 

One cannot help being moved by the sheer amount of work and organization that clearly must have been consumed in such an exhaustive lifetime endeavor. Am sure many SPTF appreciative members would agree.

 

Unquestionably a major contribution.

 

Fred Barnett 

 

 

Published by Amadeus Press, 2014

An Imprint of Hal Leonard Corporation

7777 West Bluemound Road

Milwarkee, WI 53213