Thursday, November 11, 2021 by LaDona Ahenda | Performances

On this Remembrance Day, it is fitting to reflect on the gift of a great performer during wartime in London, 1939.  London was in a "cultural blackout" with the closure of concert halls and galleries. Dame Myra Hess, known especially for her interpretations and transcriptions of Bach, offered to play a concert for a few friends in the hall of the National Gallery. 

The arts, she believed, played a powerful spiritual role in the health of the nation at the best of times - and would play an (even) greater role now during wartime.  National Gallery

She expected maybe 50-60 friends would show up. Organizers were amazed when over 1000 people lined up to hear live music. 

As we come out of the COVID drought and live performances resume with masks and reduced capacity, I remember how much I craved live music during all the shutdowns brought on by COVID. And I live in a time and place where there is no shortage of music. I can listen to the radio, watch YouTube videos, and stream anything on a whim. It's hard to imagine a time when almost the only music people could hear was either on the radio (program-dependent) or, if they were lucky and wealthy, on early recordings that sound terrible to our tech-spoiled ears. 

Nothing communicates the range of human emotion the way a live performance can - the despair, angst, hope and joy that was surely felt that October day in 1939. We have felt much the same in the last eighteen months. Myra Hess gave this gift to Londoners that day in October, 1939. She ended her recital with a performance of her famous transcription of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. 

You can read more about the National Gallery concerts here. 

YouTube video found on the pianopera channel. 

Friday, November 5, 2021 by LaDona Ahenda | Masterclasses

Things have settled down enough that we have been able to enjoy small masterclasses in the studio. This was the first time in almost two years that students had the opportunity to perform live in front of their peers. The nerves showed a bit, as I expected. 

Once students are advanced and have been in my studio for a few years, these classes run themselves. Some of these moments have been among the best in my musical career. They have been eager to share what they observe and offer valid suggestions, sometimes suggestions that I hadn't even thought of. This tells me they have been listening and absorbing well in the lessons. I am always a little sad when these students move on. 

So we start at the beginning with the young students. At that stage, I am happy if there is a wide enough range of dynamics that this can be clearly heard by others. And class by class, lesson by lesson, they hear more and become more aware. My satisfaction grows, and I trust theirs' does as well. 

Monday, June 21, 2021 by LaDona Ahenda | Teaching

The music year has almost come to a close. Exam students have taken their online exam, and we have had the "debriefing" and planning sessions for next year. 

It was a year unlike any other. We were in and out of the studio, most of the time in-person but sometimes online. Local restrictions made online lessons mandatory for awhile, and there were always one or more students who were isolating. 

Having my students in the studio was a joy. We thrive on human interaction, and Zoom doesn't quite deliver. We managed to stay safe and COVID-free in the studio, thanks to the constant sanitizing and masks and distance. I'm fortunate that I have the space and second piano that has made this possible. Having said this, I'm grateful that Zoom, and other online platforms, made lessons possible when physical proximity was not an option.

We as teachers noticed an interesting trend. For a good part of the last 15 months, students practiced well, more than was typical. They had nothing else to do. Great progress was made. Then it seems like we collectively hit a wall and motivation disappeared. The last few months were harder as COVID hung on and the third wave hit hard. But the students persevered and I think they all did quite well on the exam, some technical issues notwithstanding. 

Much as I welcome the summer break, I am excited about fall lessons. COVID has given us the gift of time - time to reflect and consider how we might do things differently and better. Ideas are percolating and demand to be written down before they disappear. Resources have been sitting on my shelves for years, begging to be opened and tried. Helping my students develop a better ear is a high priority for me; solidifying the fingering for scales and chords is an ongoing challenge. I have a brand-new beginner whom I will be starting in a new-to-me method, Piano Safari. I'll need to spend some time in August going through the method and familiarizing myself with everything it has to offer. 

The future is looking much brighter. Better days are ahead.