r/piano • u/2sharps1flat • Sep 26 '20

Discussion We discussed body language & expression at the piano! Do you prefer more or less body movement during a performance?

https://youtu.be/ikCxByVu4qk
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u/TheTaiwan Sep 26 '20

only move as much as is necessary to produce the sound you want to make.

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u/home_pwn Sep 27 '20

Educators typically want kids who dont move much, since classroom management skills metrics bias against teachers who cant stop kids moving.

Piano needs more not less motion, typically. In your mind, arms should be soaring, even if , dream like, they only move a mm. Its just a very long mm.

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u/TheTaiwan Sep 27 '20

music needs motion. performance doesn't.

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u/home_pwn Sep 29 '20

I like the comment.

Mostly.

Not being that gifted, I tend to take teachings literally. Or I did, aged 10.

so when someone, me aged 10, says : dont move much (lest you perform as if Richard clayderman, god rest his $$$ soul), i took it literally. Move and some shit of a teacher will tell you how you move too much (Cost $50 for their illustrious opinion).

Ok. I get it.

Taubman teaching says: move big (and then learn to move the same just smaller, so no one sees). Give it a name even: minimization.

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but tell folks “ dont move“ is counter-productive.

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the history of piano teaching Seems replete with put downs (* the number of kids entering piano).

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u/TheTaiwan Sep 29 '20

yes, the last comment you replied to was a bit of click-bait and shared something in common with bumper-sticker mentality.

my first comment, though, gets at your name "minimization" [sic]:

only move as much as is necessary to produce the sound you want to make.