PIANO
PEDAGOGY
FORUM
v. 4, no. 1/June 1, 2001

EDITOR'S FORUM

Victoria McArthur
School of Music
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306
850.644.7607
mcarth_v@cmr.fsu.edu

The Lost Arts of Technique and Sight-Reading

Scene:
A piano college entrance audition at a university in Anywhere, U.S.A.

• Student approaches the piano and plays a stunning Chopin ballade and dazzling Mozart. The Faculty is rendered speechless.
• The Faculty requests to hear a Bb major scale. Student has no idea of how to start, stumbles multiple times, finally stopping and excusing himself.
• The student, by now perspiring profusely, is presented with a short, unfamiliar piece to sight-read. Without looking over the score, the student launches in and plays a halting, unmusical rendition. The Faculty is rendered speechless, this time for altogether different reasons.

Overheard after the audition: "We should never have asked for his scales or sight- reading."

Is this a true story? Yes, it is. Is there a problem? Yes, I believe there is. The problem is that this student's excellent performance on his pieces was indicative of who knows how many hours of practice on only these pieces, presenting a very skewed picture to the audition Faculty. Obviously this particular student could play those two audition pieces very well. Basing the student's admission solely on his performance of the demonstrated literature is risky in that it gives little insight into the tools he brings into the practice room that enable him to learn literature quickly, accurately, and with some degree of independence. Perhaps the most essential of these tools are technique and sight-reading, without which, pianists are severely handicapped throughout their professional lives.

Suzanne Guy, noted teacher, author, and lecturer has said that the two most common problems she encounters in transfer students are the lack of ability to sight-read, as well as deficiencies in technical training. "Taking care of sight-reading and technique will always be a teacher agenda. No one asks for scales or arpeggios, and poor readers hide behind their deficiencies by preferring to learn and perform music far above their reading level. As the years go by, their performance level slowly increases while the reading level is stunted. It is almost criminal for teachers to stand by and ignore this downward spiral." (personal communication, 2001)

In Steve Roberson's article, Ten Habits of Highly Successful Piano Teachers (American Music Teacher, Aug./Sept. 1993), he concluded by saying that these outstanding teachers all emphasized technique and sight-reading.

I do not believe that the audition case cited above is isolated. Unfortunately, these deficiencies may be more common than we would like to admit. If many contemporary pianists demonstrate a dearth of technical and sight-reading competency, then what is the problem and why does it exist?

Background

In the 18th and 19th centuries, keyboard players existed in a musical milieu where sight-reading with one's peers (chamber music, duets, etc.) was an everyday happenstance. Likewise, the practice of scales, exercises, and etudes were the "bread-and-butter" of pianists' fundamental training. There are many vivid written accounts of lessons and practice sessions consisting overwhelmingly of dry scales, exercises, and etudes. Reginald Gerig, in Famous Pianists & Their Technique (1974, Robert B. Luce) recounts a description of the teaching of Mr. Logier, a teacher in the early 1800s: "Éhe (Logier) had written three volumes of studies, which are all grounded upon perfectly simple themes, and progress by degrees to the most difficult onesÉthey put their fingers on the keys and learn to play scales; but all this, in the respective studies, with all the children at once, and always in the strictest time."

In the Present

In contrast, today's young pianist often fits piano study into a week chock packed with sports, dance, clubs, church, computer, homework, and other worthwhile undertakings. There is simply too little time allocated for piano lessons (national average lesson length is still 30 minutes) and piano practice. Psychologists have gathered mounting evidence that shows that physical skill development at tasks as complex as piano playing requires hours of accurate, on-task practice in order for good habits to ensue. Likewise, sight-reading research has found that sight-reading skill is mostly a result of spending many hours doing it; thus, the pianists who do not have the time nor the opportunities to play in ensembles or accompany often do not spend enough hours to develop the sight-reading tool. ((Lehmann, A.C., & Ericsson, K.A. (1993). Sight-reading ability of expert pianists in the context of piano accompanying. Psychomusicology, 12 (2), 142-161.))

Differences in Practicing for Performance Versus Practicing Sight-Reading

The following is a chart showing the differences in practicing for performance compared to sight-reading. The differences are readily apparent and show why we need to instruct students in specific sight-reading techniques.

Practicing for Performance

• Correct your mistakes.
• Look at hands when playing.
• The details are important.
• Correct fingering is essential.
• Incorrect and omitted notes are bad.

Practicing Sight-reading

• Don't correct mistakes; maintain rhythm and meter.
• Don't look at hands, except occasionally.
• The "big picture" is important.
• Get to the notes however you can.
• Incorrect and omitted notes are inevitable.

Are there other reasons for this problem?
As teachers, we may not ourselves always strongly emphasize the importance of sight-reading and technique in the lesson. Part of this might be because our own piano lessons as students may not have stressed it. In many cases, we do not convey the sight-reading/technique message strongly enough to parents also. After all, in the case of pre-college students, convincing parents not to complain when they hear the same scale over and over is a matter of educating the parent, not necessarily the student.

As teachers, we need to spend time thinking about structuring motivation for achieving excellence at technique and sight-reading. Presently, there are vast and ever-growing numbers of competitions on the local through international levels. Overwhelmingly, these competitions evaluate memorized performances of the literature. At some local and possibly state levels, a portion of the adjudication is based on sight-reading and technical performance also. These events should be showcased and held up as laudable examples of attempts to fill the void. However, not all students are motivated by or are even capable of participating in these types of events.

What else can we do to encourage technical and sight-reading achievement?

1. Stress the importance of sight-reading and technique in EVERY lesson, not just when there is time left over.
2. Organize a lesson structure as well as a practice structure with record keeping as a component.
3. Spend time thinking about techniques to motivate students both individually as well as part of the group (within your studio, class, etc.).
4. Seek out and assign good materials. These materials should be pedagogically sound, well laid-out, attractive, and motivating to students.
5. Assign piano literature that also improves technique and/or sight-reading through the repetition of patterns.

Specifically, how can we as teachers achieve the above points?

Stress the importance

1. If we begin each lesson with sight-reading and/or technique, students will know that we consider it important. If we wait until there are only a few minutes remaining in the lesson to begin hearing these items, that in itself sends a negative message.
2. For older students, a frank discussion of the merits of good sight-reading and technique is time well spent. We should find ways to interject other pianists' stories and advice about these issues also, whether it be from an advanced student who is a role model, a local piano "legend," or an internationally-acclaimed pianist with whom the student is familiar, etc. Perhaps an article in Piano Explorer could be a useful source for finding articles about applicable topics, written in "youth-friendly" language.
3. As mentioned earlier, including parents in this discussion is beneficial. If personal time is not available, perhaps an individual e-mail, or a letter or mass e-mail to multiple parents would serve as well.

Lesson structure

1. Investigate the possibility of a 15 minute lesson overlap (30-45 min. private/15 min. partner) with another student of similar level. During the 15 minutes that both students are sharing the lesson, sight-read duets, play scales in unison, comment on the otherŐs performance, etc. In general, make music together using sight-reading and technique as the vehicle.
2. Some materials on the market have places to record attainment of various criteria such as accuracy, memorization, or tempo goals ((e.g., Beautiful Etudes Bks. 1-4 by McArthur (Alfred), The FJH Classic First Scale Book by McArthur and McLean, The FJH Classic Scale Book by McArthur and McLean, Treasures in Technique Bks. 1-3 by Rossi and Warren (FJH), Let's Sightplay! Bks. 1-4 by Massoud (FJH), A Line a Day by Bastien (Kjos). FUNdamental Musicianship Skills, Bks. 1-6 by Montgomery (Alfred), My First Keyboard Warmups by Olson (Alfred)).

If the materials you use do not have built in record keeping, consider making a progress chart out of poster board or colored, decorative paper. Record keeping of student progress is not only motivating for the student, it also helps the teacher keep track of the student's progress.

Motivation

1. Motivating younger students at the earlier levels is generally most effective when tied to some sort of game-like or themed approach. Try something fun like a Sight Reading Pays Off event where students get pledges of money from family or friends for each minute spent sight-reading (1 to 5 cents per minute) which is then donated to a good cause like the Humane Society or another charitable entity meaningful to students. For teachers into risk-taking, this could even be a public event!
2. Assemble sight-reading as well as technique "kits" for each level of piano study. Keep books, pieces, notes, etc. together in folders labeled by level for quick, efficient lesson reference.
3. Students will persevere through learning their scales if they know they will perform them as part of a tuneful, musical duet. Useful materials with these goals are: Get Ready for Major Scale Duets! by Rossi and McArthur, Get Ready for Minor Scale Duets! by Rossi and McArthur, and Get Ready for Pentascale Duets! by Rossi and McArthur (all are published by FJH).
4. Summer camps for students in the studio (others may be invited also) with games and activities relating to technique and sight-reading can raise motivation levels tremendously during the lazy summer months. They also provide a source of teacher income.
5. Enrolling students in adjudicated local events, Guild auditions, etc. motivates many students, particularly those who are goal-oriented.
6. Older, more mature students, once they see the pay-off from their sight-reading and technical achievements, generally will be self-motivated to continue this practice as it becomes a habitual part of their practice routine.

Assign literature that is patterned
1. Much of the standard intermediate literature commonly in use today fits the bill. However, in addition to "pattern-ness," teachers also must consider the musicality of the literature as well as student appeal when selecting literature.

Selected Recommended Literature
Baroque-

1. Many works by Bach. Delay the introduction of the Two-Part Inventions until after students have played some of the other contrapuntal works in the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach as well as easy short prelude or fugues and Bach dances (French Suites, etc.)
2. Many of the suite movements by Purcell and Handel, and the fantasies by Telemann are effective.
3. Baroque-style settings of well known folk tunes are well-represented in Willard Palmer's Baroque Folk (Alfred).
4. Tasteful arrangements of famous Baroque melodies may inspire students to seek out the original. Faber & Faber's PreTime to BigTime Classics series (FJH) has many notable examples.

Classical-
When seeking patterned literature, the Classical period is a treasure-trove of excellent examples.

1. The sonatinas of Kuhlau, Clementi, Diabelli,Czerny, Beethoven, etc. are well known and excellent for both sight-reading as well as technical development.
2. The variations of Mozart and Beethoven are also superb. Most useful for teaching are those variation sets having shorter movements.
3. Less known, but valuable, are the works of Hassler as well as the preludes of Clementi.
4. The dances of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven are not as well known as the longer works by these composers. Many of the German Dances, Landler, Country Dances, Ecossaises, etc. are lovely, playable, and very patterned.
5. Czerny's First Instruction in Piano-Playing contains delightful, patterned settings of well known tunes such as Rule Britannia and others.

Romantic-
This period is the beginning of an "explosion" in piano literature written specifically for piano teaching purposes.

1. The many opus numbers dedicated to piano etudes written by Cornelius Gurlitt, Jean-Baptiste Duvernoy, Ludvig Schytte, Stephen Heller, Johann Friedrich Burgmuller, Albert Loeschorn, and others contain numerous beautiful and effective pieces for study as well as performance.
2. Grieg's ten books of Lyric Pieces provide expressive and descriptive teaching material.
3. Many of the works of Chopin are somewhat patterned, particularly the easier preludes and waltzes as well as selected mazurkas and polonaises.
4. Schumann's Album for the Young contains many gems, well known to most teachers.

Modern (Contemporary)
The tradition of writing specifically for piano students has continued to the present day.

1. Many of the easier works by Bartok are effective with students. Recommended are selections from For Children, Ten Easy Pieces, First Term at the Piano, Romanian Folk Dances, and Mikrokosmos (especially Vols. 1-3). Regular exposure to the pentatonic/modal sounds of Bartok works wonders to break down psychological "barriers" to dissonance.
2. The easier works of Gretchaninoff, Rebikov, Kabalevsky, and Khachaturian are excellent choices for teaching rhythmic and melodic patterns.
3. Donald Waxman's multi-volume Pageants series (Galaxy) contains superb examples of arrangements as well as original works clothed in playable patterns demonstrating modern sounds.
4. Over the past 30 years, educational piano publishers have promoted the works of many effective composers whose music is ultra-patterned as well as extremely appealing to students. Many, but not all of these composers sometimes write in pop-like harmonic language. Selected examples are: Dennis Alexander, Margaret Goldston, Martha Mier, Catherine Rollin (for Alfred); Melody Bober, Timothy Brown, Nancy Faber, Kevin Olson (for FJH); James and Jane Bastien, Eugenie Rocherolle (for Kjos); Robert Vandall (for Myklas); William Gillock (for Willis); Lynn Freeman Olson (for Carl Fischer and others); Jon George (for Warner Bros. and others).

Other Recommended Materials Not Specifically From Any Single Historical Period

For Sight-Reading
Let's Sightplay!, Bks. 1-4 by Kathleen Massoud (FJH)
Artistry at the Piano, Bks. 1-4 (especially Repertoire and Ensemble) by Jon and Mary Gae George (Warner Bros.)
New Pageants Reader Series, Bks. 1-3 (Galaxy)
A Line a Day SightReading by James and Jane Bastien (Kjos)
Alfred's Group Piano for Adults, Bks. 1 and 2 by E.L. Lancaster and Kenon Renfrow with MIDI accompaniments and/or CDs (Alfred)
The Hal Leonard Student Piano Library with MIDI accompaniments and/or CDs (Hal Leonard)
Piano Adventures Lesson and Performance with MIDI accompaniments and/or CDs, primer through level 5 (FJH)
Sightread Successfully, Bks. 1-3 by Louise Guhl (Kjos)

For Technical Training
Materials discussed fall under the categories of: etudes, five-finger exercises, exercises outside the five-finger patterns, "traveling" pattern exercises, standard piano patterns, and "away from the piano" exercises.

Etudes (pieces designed as "studies")
Criteria for selection: musical appeal as well as technical effectiveness and efficiency of use.

Beautiful Etudes, Bks. 1-4 (3 and 4, in press) by Victoria McArthur (Alfred)
Piano Repertoire: Etudes, levels preparatory-10 by Keith Snell (Kjos)
The Best Traditional Piano Etudes, Bks. 1 and 2 by Lynn Freeman Olson (Alfred)
25 Progressive Studies, Op. 100 by Johann Friedrich Burgmuller (many editions)
Op. 108 by Ludvig Schytte (currently out-of-print)
Op. 101, 117, 140, 82, 131 by Cornelius Gurlitt (many editions)
Etudes Brutus by Paul Sheftel (Alfred)
Technique Teasers by Jeanine Yeager (Kjos)
50 Etudes, Bks. 1-4 by Donald Waxman (Galaxy)
Piano Adventures Technique & Artistry by Faber, Faber and McArthur (FJH)

Five-Finger Exercises; Also, Exercises Moving Beyond Five-Finger Patterns
Schmitt Preparatory Exercises Op. 16 (many editions: McArthur/FJH; Palmer/Alfred, etc.)
Piano Adventures Technique & Artistry by Faber, Faber and McArthur (FJH)
Freedom Technique by Joan Last (Oxford Press)
A Dozen a Day by Burnam (Willis)
Liberation & Deliberation in Piano Technique by Roeder (G. Schirmer)

"Traveling" Pattern Exercises (exercises that move up and down via a pattern)
Schmitt Preparatory Exercises, Op. 16 (many editions: McArthur/FJH; Palmer/Alfred, etc.)
Hanon The Virtuoso Pianist (many editions)
Piano Adventures Technique & Artistry by Faber, Faber and McArthur (FJH)
Freedom Technique by Joan Last (Oxford Press)
Artistry at the Piano: Musicianship by Jon and Mary Gae George (Warner Bros.)
The Music Tree by Frances Clark, Louise Goss, and Sam Holland (Warner Bros.)
A Dozen a Day by Burnam (Willis)

"Away from the Piano" Exercises (exercises done on a tabletop or the closed key cover)
Piano Adventures Technique & Artistry by Faber, Faber and McArthur (FJH)
Artistry at the Piano, Introduction to Music by George and George (Warner Bros.)

Conclusion:
A solid grounding in a relaxed, efficient piano technique, and confident sight-reading skill are two of the most significant and lasting gifts we can give our students. While their recollection of many of the pieces of literature we teach them may grow faint over time, these two skills will provide them with the necessary tools to be independent learners in their future experiences at the piano. Without these tools, the wonders of our vast heritage of piano literature will remain largely unattainable.

© 2001 University of South Carolina School of Music