The Hobbyist's Guide to Playing the Piano - Book Review

by the agency of Marjory Frances Brown-Azarowicz. Vantage Pres Inc. (516 W 34th St fresh York, NY 10001), 2003. 198 pp $1895

Marjory Frances Brown-Azarowicz proffers a calico-quilt of information about playing the piano for those who have decided it is that time in life to "take up the piano" as a pacing horse The book is divided into sections to accommodate different readers--those who are just beginning tasks as a teenager or adult, those who have just started tasks and those who have been taking tasks for several years. Chapters answer basic questions ranging from choosing a piano and an appropriate teacher and by what mode to sit at the piano in the first section, to ideas for memorization, explaining score form and setting goals for capableness in the last section.

The book's format hits the mark with its intended audience--each short chapter clearly answering basic questions that easily could be pos by dint of someone eager to learn the piano on the contrary ,rot knowing where to begin. The writer's mode of speech is friendly and conversational, filled with personal anecdotes from her thirty years' teaching experience. I lay the foundation of this especially effective in the opening section, coaxing the reader to take the souse and explaining you are not too elderly to learn: "The act of learning knows no age barriers--open the door, share the transport fulfill your dreams!"

The chapter about choosing a teacher included respects to professional music organizations, comparison of assemblage and private lessons and a useful checklist of questions that can be asked at an opening interview or audition with a prospective teacher. I base the chapter on correct hand position, finger dexterity and bodily relaxation the richest in information for teachers, with specific suggestions gleaned from prelections by Suzanne Guy and Maryen Herrett. The relaxation and technical routines described can be helpful, especially for adults who ofttimes fall into stressful approaches because of their eagerness to get the whip hand of technical hurdles. The chapter upon practicing also offered some prime guidelines for mapping out strategies for improvement.

The difficulties in the work lie in trying to answer performance-oriented questions in words rather than from one side performance at a lesson. The explanations of periodical emphasis scales, staccato, legato and dynamic color are difficult to describe in words with no unmutilateds to guide understanding. Chapters about theory and score construction are more effective as concern and are handled well in the work The book ends with useful listings of beginning meanss theory, ear training, gospel/hymn volumes and publisher resources. As piano teachers, we cannot help on the contrary enjoy each chapter's opening question--"What things did your piano teachers teach you?" My favorite answer, from Chapter single "Playing the piano is the greatest in quantity exciting, most frustrating, most rewarding, greatest in quantity wonderful indoor hobby of all." Reviewed by dint of Joanne Haroutounian, NCTM, Arlington, Virginia.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Music Teachers National Association, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group