Benjamin Steinhardt is a well-respected teacher from Connecticut. He places an emphasis on creativity and exploration in his teaching and incorporates concepts from the Taubman Approach among others. In addition to his innovative piano instruction, Benjamin can be heard performing regularly in the New York metro area.
Piano Parent Podcast listeners first met Benjamin Steinhardt in our teacher chat about Hanon Exercises (PPP177) and he is back today to dive deeper into his preferred method of piano technique.
Listen to the full episode here
Tell us your piano story.
I began as an older student, closer to 10 years old. A friend left a keyboard at my house and I really got into it.
I went from not practicing to practicing and playing a great deal, which lead to two bouts of tendinitis. My body rebelled and I didn’t have the tools I needed to ensure I was playing in a healthy way.
This ties into our topic very well today.
Were you a good student?
My mother didn’t have to nag me to play. More likely, she had to drag me away from the piano.
I was a good student but I was a headstrong student. I had strong ideas about how things should be done, not unlike my own students today.
What is one thing you often say to your piano students?
Itzhak Perlman, the great violinist, signs his autographs to students, “Practice Slowly.” I saw the same thing to my students.
I also tell them, “Think before you play.” It is so easy, when you’re practicing, to get into mindless repetition. It is better to be conscious of what you’re doing and to be mindful about each playthrough.
How are parents in your studio most helpful to their children?
The most helpful parents in my studio are the ones who simply facilitate piano practice at home. They compliment their children in a specific way and encourage them to play.
In my own experience, my mother encouraged me to play. I think if she had made it a chore or an unpleasant activity I would have pushed back against that and not practiced as much as I did.
What keeps you motivated as a teacher?
In addition to interacting with my students one on one, I really enjoy problem solving.
Maybe it’s the kid who can’t sit still on the bench and I have to figure out how to make his time with me worthwhile for him.
It might be a student who struggles with reading music notation or a student who is working to overcome technical obstacles or interpretive obstacle in their playing. I enjoy learning new things to help them.
What piece of music did you enjoy learning and made you feel like a musician as a student?
I was very interested in the Romantic piano repertoire; Rachmaninoff, Chopin, and the like. On my very first piano recital, I don’t think I played it very well but I played, Chopin’s Prelude in E minor. It gave me an opportunity to be very expressive at the piano.
Tell us about an app or technology that you find useful in your teaching.
I use YouTube to help students hear the pieces they are playing and to see anything that might be related to the music they are playing. We might find dancers performing a minuet or an orchestra performing the full version of a tune they are learning.
I use a SloMo app to record a student’s playing and slow it down to help them see what their hands are doing, particularly when we are working on technique.
I sometimes use sightreading apps like Piano Maestro or NoteRush as the need arises.
Listen to PPP065 interview with NoteRush Developer, Thomas Grayston.
If you could visit with any composer or musician who would you choose and why?
While I had the opportunity to play for Dorothy Taubman when she was in her 90’s. I would have loved to have taken lessons from her when she was teaching full time.
The Dorothy Taubman Approach to Piano Playing
Dorothy Taubman developed her approach to a more natural way of playing the piano after she attended Julliard School of Music and lost her free and natural technique.
Ironically, through her extensive research and the technical approach which she developed, she became the underground “fixer” of injured students from Julliard.
Some things parents can watch for in their piano kids as they practice:
What parting words of wisdom or quote do you have for parents of new piano students?
Work with your teacher to set your child up for success.
Encourage.
Resources Mentioned in this Episode
March 28, 2020 is Piano Day!
Join us for a fun photo challenge in the month of March leading up to Piano Day. The March Pianogram Challenge offers a daily prompt for sharing your piano journey with your friends and studio mates.
(Parents, while your piano kid is at the piano, they may as well spend a few minutes practicing, right?!)
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