Lectures

 

 

Svetlana Belsky has presented workshops and lectures for groups of piano teachers on various topics of piano pedagogy.  During the upcoming year, she will explore the following subjects:

 

 

The Psychology of Practice and Performance.

 

If what we call technique is the art of reproducing with the fingers the sound picture in the performer’s mind, true musical artistry lies in the ability to form the clearest possible, and the most convincing mental picture of the work.  In this lecture, Dr. Belsky will analyze the psychological aspects of preparing a piece – imagination, memory and design.  The questions of concentration and performance anxiety will also be discussed.

 

Secrets of the Russian School of Piano Playing.

 

Based on the writings of Heinrich Neuhaus, the celebrated teacher of Richter, Gilels, Radu Lupu, and Grigory Kogan, Russia’s foremost historian and theoretician of pianism, this program will address questions of tone-production, phrasing, pedaling, and various other aspects of piano technique.

 

 

 

Piano Masterclasses

 

Dr. Belsky is privileged to have a musical pedigree reaching directly to Arthur Rubinstein, Theodor Leschetizky, Ferruccio Busoni and Heinrich Neuhaus.  She considers it an honor and a duty to pass on the great traditions of piano playing to a new generation of students.  It is Svetlana Belsky’s goal in a masterclass setting to nurture the enthusiasm and love for music of each student, and to encourage students to fulfill their potential, whatever it may be (usually much greater than they think!)

 

“Her session was wonderfully inspiring as she offered us not only musical ideas, interpretive suggestions but cleverly crafted mental scenarios to make the music really come alive. She has an uncanny ability to chisel artistic forms out of vaguely defined musical shapes as presented by us to her.”

-          Masterclass Participant (University of Chicago)

 

“With the contagious enthusiasm of a co-conspirator in piano playing, [she] drew from each child the most engaging and eager responsiveness, relaxing the worry of a teenage perfectionist, introducing concepts of artistic shading to an eight-year-old, or describing layered voicing techniques to a high school senior.  We were reminded of the need for rigorous preparation and judicious pedaling, while at the same time [we were] entertained with tidbits of history and encouragements to search for poetic freedom.”

                -     Dr. Emily White (Piano Department Chair, Prep Center of Brooklyn College)