
Course description and guidelines
Intended students and required experience
Learning strategy, creative approach
My teaching philosophy
In this Module, we will:
Select a piano piece, play it
Conduct a quick analysis: key and time signature, tempo
Practice one hand at the time until confidence arises
Dig into hands coordination issues: rhythm
Introduce Melodic invention
Open to simple harmonic development
Module is divided into 4 chapters:
1. Quick analysis to start improvising
2. TECHNIQUE: Coordination issues
3. STYLE: Melodic invention
4. HARMONY: intro to numerals and development
In this module, we are going to:
Play and analyse the first few bars of Pachelbel’s Canon
Identify the key, time signature, and tempo: our framework
Reinforce one hand practice as the foundation of technical progress
Solve coordination issues: rhythm
Develop right hand invention, left hand accompaniment
Introduce rhythmic variants
Module is divided into 4 chapters:
1. Initial analysis to start improvising.
2. TECHNIQUE: Coordination issues
3. HARMONY: Working out the chord sequence
4. STYLE: Rhythmic variants for left and right
In this module we are going to:
Play and analyse the first phrase of Mozart C Major Sonata
Identify the key, time signature, and tempo: our framework
Discuss and practice harmony, rhythm, and melody: hands separate
Expand on coordination issues: the rhythm ‘GRID’
Elaborate on right hand invention, left hand accompaniment
Practice melodic invention from rhythm and harmony
Module is divided into 4 chapters.
1. Thorough analysis
2. TECHNIQUE: the rhythm ‘GRID’
3. HARMONY: combinations of simple chords
4. STYLE: figurations for left and right hand
Today we are going to:
Define our terms: Four Part Harmony and the Perfect Cadence
Show and discuss examples in detail
Develop step by step short exercises
Practice hands separate (as usual)
Provide plenty of practicing materials.
The module is divided into 4 chapters:
1. FOUR PART HARMONY: three against one
2. FOUR PART HARMONY: one against three
3. PERFECT CADENCE: principles and development
4. PERFECT CADENCE: variants
In this module we are going to:
Learn how to expand chord sequences using I and V
Study examples by Chopin and Schubert
Study symmetric phrases (examples)
Transcribe and write ideas: improvise on what we write
Introduce new left hand patterns
The module has 4 Chapters:
1. The waltz Model: Chopin and Schubert
2. Symmetry and Harmony
3. Moving the key centre
4. Explore and Experiment
Do you play Classical Music from the score?
Do you want to create music and improvise in the style of say, Mozart, Satie, or Chopin?
This is the right course for you!
It will guide you to develop creatively the ideas and techniques of many beautiful Classical pieces.
I have coached countless students on how to improvise freely at the piano in the style of their favourite composers, and this course is the sum of that teaching experience. All the greatest composers of the past were sophisticated improvisers, and my goal as an artist and teacher is to learn directly from them!
The course is designed to guide piano students in their improvisation journey. We will approach a number of timeless compositions from the Classical Repertoire and study their main features: it is a process carefully structured step by step, that builds on our stylistic appreciation and on previously acquired technical skills (intermediate piano proficiency or 3, 4 years of piano experience; no improvisation experience necessary; basic theory, basic sight-reading and ear training skills).
The course will teach you how to navigate the fundamentals of music creativity, with an emphasis on 1) harmony 2) melody 3) rhythm: every module offers several improvisation exercises specifically designed to train you on how to combine these musical dimensions into a rich, beautiful, and effective piano improvisation.
The modules are rich and filled with fun ideas: I offer constant little challenges and interesting exercises. Get ready to be pushed to your creative limits! The most advanced student might find the first modules easy or slow: I encourage them to go through the course patiently, as the workload increases significantly by mid-course.
This course is practical!
I want you to transform your abilities and knowledge into creative and fun musical skills. While touching on some fundamental theory (mainly simple chords and scales..) my style of teaching is hands on: every few minutes I will introduce a new exercise or technique, and it is your responsibility to imitate and practice each one on your own. I highly recommend pausing the video often to make sure your hands can put in practice what your eyes/ears/brain have learned!
In my artistic career I found that there is nothing more inspiring than learning from a great master. As a child I started messing around with the Classical music I was learning, improvising and changing the notes: I soon realised that all composers were following similar rules, whether harmonic or rhythmic. Studying and putting those rules in practice opened a world of creative ideas, and it is what I share in this course. The Classical Style of composers like Mozart, Chopin, or Schubert can be understood, appreciated, and imitated: let's learn about it and make music with it!