Workshop Topics

FOR TEACHERS

The Artistic Practicing™ Process
Practicing Feelings
The Miracle of Breath - Musical Breathwork™
Hear That? Teaching Harmonic Sensitivity
Cultural Differences in Teaching: China and the USA


FOR PERFORMERS

Communications Make-Overs for Young Artists (series)

Have you ever wondered how some people always light up the room wherever they are? Do you want the audience, even the first-timers, to connect with you? Would you like to be confident in making a lasting impression? Each workshop will explore a specific area of building a loving relationship to your piano playing and to your community. Can you be honest with your teacher and parents about your struggles? Teachers and parents, how might we use our precious one-on-one time to encourage our young professionals to succeed in the real world? Receive invaluable ideas and pro tips on communication skills for building a lasting career. Let's discuss how our communication skills can help us find the right partners and friends in our lifelong musical journey.

Can be presented as a la carte subtopics, including "Owning the Stage".

Artistic Practicing Process

Hear That! Harmonic Analysis

Seminars for Advanced Pianists (series)
A series of 14 rotating topics, ideally paired with masterclass for application demonstration. (sample brochure below.)

1. Foundations: “3 step listening”, “3 levels of understanding”, “Elements of the Music”2. The Miracle of the Breath 3. Stepping outside the comfort zone (how to absorb new information)4. Strategic Timeline (from week to week)5. 3-2-1 Action: Performance Strategy6. Fluid Technique7. Harmonic Colors & Energy Levels8. Building Blocks (Structure) & Pacing9. Preventing Injury (dynamic stretch, breath, static stretch)10. Practice Applications (making the most of every hour)11. Memorizing12. Methods of Voicing13. Overview of Contemporary Piano Music14. Listen & ReviewNutmeg spice: a symbol of vivacity and enthusiasm

Beyond Your Fingertips: Imprinting Emotional Well-Being (series)

How do we as complex human beings fulfill our emotional and psychological needs in the midst of artistic pressures? These five workshops address difficult questions through multiple lenses with applicable exercises and interactive participation. 1.Mental Practicing- group practice workshop2.Practicing Feeling- using emotional awareness to maximize effective practice3.Rising Above Performance Anxiety- customizing your own approach4.Cultural Values in Teaching Styles: American and Chinese Perspectives5.Finding Our Values- discovering personal values to drive your career. Finding where what you love intersects with what you’re good at.


FOR BEGINNERS in PIANO

Adult Beginners Technical Progression in 6 Stages
Sight-Reading in 6 stages

FOR AUDIENCE MEMBERS (a sample)

Guided Music Listening - Romantic Piano Quintets

Inside the Orchestra: From a Composer's View (series)

Guided Music Listening - What Do You Hear? (series)

How do musicians listen to concert music? How do diverse instruments combine to create spectacular music and the rich tapestry of orchestral color? Steinway Artist and university faculty Hsing-ay Hsu developed her Conscious Listening™ method to guide audience listening for each composer’s unique language. With discussions and keyboard demos, interact with new friends and listen like a pro for the dynamic interplay of musical elements. These seminars are designed for the inquisitive music-lover or active performer.

Foundations of Understanding - “3 step listening”, “3 levels of understanding”, “Elements of the Music”.


FOR COLLEGE LEVEL ENRICHMENT

Tonal Analysis for Performers - College Level Course

Would you like to enhance your performance by understanding and communicating the harmonic language? We will review listening & analysis skills on a wide range of styles, in order to improve aspects of performance, such as phrasing, timing, and memory. Our repertoire will include orchestral, chamber, and solo works. This is an advanced level course, open to all instruments. Working knowledge of basic theory is required. Session1Introduction-Weekly Listening Acuity: CadencesPreparation using Tonal AnalysisCase StudySession 2:Weekly Listening Acuity: Cadences"Finding Structure by using cadences"“Listening for Leading Tones”“Modulations to get lost in”“Pacing of change” Session 3:Weekly Listening Acuity: Cadences“Patterns”“Pivot Chords” "Ambiguity""Phrasing without Relying on Timing"Session 4:Weekly Listening Acuity: Cadences“Chord Qualities” “Orchestral Colors”“Complex Chords” “Significant vs. Passing”“Inferred Tonal Centers”

Additional Topics:

Chamber Music Skills/MasterclassAural Training through Great Repertoire
The Miracle of Breath - Kinesthetic Embodiment of Performance Analysis

"Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt." ~Shakespeare