Avery Gagliano | Sunday, January 28, 2024 · 4:00pm | Salon Piano Series | Masterclass in Madison, WI
Avery Gagliano
Masterclass: Sunday, January 28, 2024 · 4:00pm
Program
Mozart Piano Concerto #20 in d minor K466, I: Allegro
Chloe Song, a junior at Madison West High School, is 16 and has studied with Julie Chang for 10 years. Other areas of interest are baking (for fun and also a non-profit), reading (one of her favorite genres is romantasy), and also learning Spanish.
Mozart Piano Concerto #23 in A Major K488, II: Adagio
Mei Dryer, a freshman at Madison West High School, is 14 and studied with Carol Ricker for 5 years, and Eric Tran for the past year. Mei’s goal is to enjoy learning music to its fullest potential. Mei uses music as a means to easily communicate
what is in her soul.
Beethoven Piano Concerto # 3 in c minor: op 37, I: Allegro con Brio
Harry Jin, a junior at Middleton High School, is 16 and has studied with Julie Chang for over 10 years. Aside from piano, Harry enjoys science competitions like Science Bowl, playing Ultimate Frisbee, skiing, and public transit. Harry hopes to
continue piano study well into college where he aspires to study chemistry or earth science.
Avery Gagliano appears by special arrangement with Curtis on Tour, the Nina von Malzahn global touring initiative of the Curtis Institute of Music.
MASTERCLASS REVIEW
An absolutely exquisite afternoon!
3 movements to 3 piano concertos by Mozart and Beethoven were heard and publicly coached by the brilliant Avery Gagliano at Farley’s House of Pianos. Excellent teaching and demonstration proved Avery’s talents lie not just in performance, but instructing as well. The young Avery is only 22, but clearly an old soul with musical artistry pouring out of her mind and fingers.
Chloe, Mei, and Harry are fortunate Madison area students to have worked with Avery! The attendees of the masterclass were equally fortunate to observe and learn. Everyone can take what is covered in a masterclass and apply it to their own playing and teaching.
Points discussed and ideas given were spot on! Read below.
- To establish a great opening tempo, think ahead to more difficult sections with faster moving rhythms, and base your tempo on that thought.
- Always project and think of playing to the back of the recital hall. Every nuance must be heard.
- When ideas are repeated, treat those variations as though you are improvising.
- Listen! Think more gestures, and less “notes”. Phrasing should be horizontally moving, not vertically.
- Breathe with your arms and body. Feel and hear the rests! Music is in the rests and timing!
- Always bring out the top notes!
- Music is dialogue between voices and hands. Hear the conversation!
- Music tells a story. Imagine yourself singing the story. The left hand has its own story. Listen to both hands.
- SLOW PRACTICE is an absolute must.
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Think of slurs as bowing an instrument. Shape all passages.
A huge THANK-YOU to the Salon Piano Series for offering these opportunities to Madison. Another thank-you to the Farleys for providing the pianos and venue for the masterclasses. They are absolutely, invaluable.
A final thank-you to Avery Gagliano for sharing your talents with area piano students.