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Didactics of Preparing Pianists for Artistic and Pedagogical Professions

Course No. 4 – Didactics of Preparing Pianists for Artistic and Pedagogical Practice

(four-semester course)

The aim of this course is to improve the quality of preparation of students for the profession of piano teacher and to prepare lecturers and leading teachers for professional seminars and further education of teachers. Updating the professional knowledge of piano teachers of music grammar schools, secondary and higher vocational schools and pedagogical faculties; creating conditions for professional discussion and exchange of experience. Professional training of piano methodologists at all levels and heads of subject committees at primary schools. Enhancement of the practical and theoretical knowledge of graduates of courses numbered 1 to 3.

The course includes the compulsory subjects Pedagogical and Performance Seminar and Didactics of Piano Art and offers the possibility of choosing two subjects from the three listed below, which are marked with an asterisk. In addition, it is possible to choose consultations in the subjects Piano Playing and Teaching Practice or Chorepetition, Improvisation, Harpsichord Playing.

Pedagogical and performance seminar:

*Teaching thesubject Compulsory Piano: the different mission of this teaching for the practical application of a graduate of the ZUŠ, music high school, conservatory of music or dance, pedagogical faculty. The specificity of teaching beginners of different ages and the choice of appropriate schools and repertoire. Methods of motivating the pupil. Differences in working with students depending on their different levels of progress and major field of study. Improvisation, playing from the page and transposition. Creative approaches to style and musical expression. The importance of examinations and criteria for classification.

*Teaching thesubjects Methodology of piano playing and Teaching practice: forms and ways of motivating students – future piano teachers. Preparation of a syllabus in the subject Methodology of piano playing and creation of questions for conservatory examinations or state examinations at pedagogical faculties. Contemporary and historical Czech and foreign literature in the field of piano pedagogy. Possibilities, forms and combinations of ways of organizing teaching practice.

*Methodology ofthe courses History and Literature of the Piano, Improvisation and Playing from the Sheet, Interpretation Seminar, Accompaniment – Accompaniment: comparison of curricula and plans at home and abroad, requirements for exams and graduation. Professional literature on the methodology and content of teaching the above mentioned subjects. Preparation of the student for further self-education in professional practice (scope: 20 hours).

Piano didactics: study of modern literature in the field of piano performance theory. Analysis of piano compositions from the core repertoire of conservatories. Preparation for public performances and competitions. Preparation for university studies in piano performance. Analysis of compositions and discussion of performance records of conservatory and university students. Analysis of how outstanding teachers work in teaching and in their performance courses. Professional discussion of current issues in the field.

Conditions for obtaining a Certificate of Completion

Participation in courses recorded in attendance lists. Graduates of the course will receive a certificate indicating the courses studied or the grade achieved in the final exams, if requested.

NEWLY INTRODUCED SUBJECT

Harpsichord playing: provides the audience with the opportunity to learn about specific harpsichord technique and historical fingering. The listener learns about the articulation, sound and dynamic possibilities of the instrument. Emphasis is placed on adapting the stroke to the delicate historical mechanics of the harpsichord and other historical keyboard instruments. The study focuses on exploring, analyzing, differentiating, and mastering the commonalities and differences in the techniques of playing historical keyboard instruments and the modern piano. The student will become familiar with the most specific harpsichord literature, especially the repertoire of the English virginalists and the French clavecinists. The class will introduce the student to issues of period aesthetics and playing practice. Throughout the course of study, the student will become familiar with the specific features of ornamentation according to national schools with emphasis on its application to the repertoire studied. The student has the opportunity to explore the diverse styles of historical repertoire and adapt his/her technique to the historical instruments in question. Emphasis is placed on the opportunity for feedback and application of the knowledge gained in the teaching and performance of early music on the modern piano. It introduces the basic method of playing general bass accompaniment and basic improvisation of the numbered bass.