Studio of Leah Brammer: concert review

Monday, September 19, 2011

Concert Recommendations

There are so many wonderful concerts in the SF Bay Area to go see this year! Following is a list of recommended solo piano concerts and one SF Symphony recommendation with piano concerto. They are listed by performer in chronological order with links to the sites to buy tickets. Enjoy! Leah Brammer

Yefim Bronfman

Tuesday October 11 8:00 PM

Zellerbach Hall - Berkeley

http://www.calperformances.org

***Marc-Andre Hamelin- Get tickets asap

Wednesday Nov. 2 8:00PM –Herbst Theatre SF

SFperformances.org

SF Symphony-Garrick Olson

Performs Mozart Concerto #9

Performances Thursday Feb. 2-Saturday Feb. 4

http://www.SFSymphony.org

Good for younger students

Leif Ove Andsnes

Thursday February 9 8:00 PM

Herbst Theatre SF

SFperformances.org

Andras Schiff

Wednesday Feb. 28 8:00 PM

Zellerbach Hall – Berkeley

http://www.calperformances.org

Murray Perahia

Sunday March 11 – 3:00PM

Zellerbach Hall - Berkeley

http://www.calperformances.org

Stephen Hough

Monday, March 19 7:30

Oshman Jewish center in Palo Alto

http://www.chambermusicSF.org

***Jonothan Biss –Get tickets asap

Sunday April 1 -3PM

Hertz Hall – Berkeley

http://www.calperformances.org

Olga Kern

Monday, April 16 – 7:30 PM

Oshman Jewish center in Palo Alto

http://www.chambermusicSF.org

*SF Symphony- Jean-Yves Thibaudet

Performs Saint-Saens Piano Concerto #5

Performances Thursday April 19-Sunday April 22

http://www.SFSymphony.org

Monday, October 13, 2008

Andras Schiff concert review

Welcome to my blog!

Andras Schiff creates his legacy and brings Beethoven to life.

Last year Andras Schiff embarked on the project of performing all of Beethovens 32 Piano Sonatas in a series of 8 concerts over a 2 year period. So far I have seen all 5 of the concerts he has done, with 3 remaining.

The most striking feature of the concerts is their clarity of expression. No doubt Schiff's expertise in playing Bach comes into play as every note has a horiontal line as well as vertical placement. Because of this transparency in the texture, the true Beethoven jumps out.

Last nights performance included the Sonatas 16 in G major, Op. 31#1, Sonata no. 17 in dminor, Op. 31#2, Sonata no. 18 in E-b flat major, op. 31#3, and after the intermission the Sonata no. 21 in C major, Op. 53 (Waldstein), and an encore performing Bach's Italian Concerto.

The Sonata #16 with it's major key and lightness was the perfect opener. The Tempest followed with all three movements blending together in one kind of sound/tone which was still clear, but decidely more distant and introspective. The third movement of the Tempest is one of my favorite pieces, and one I have been practicing lately. Naturally therefore I have stronger ideas about interpretation. The opening motive begins on the upbeat and ends on the first beat.He played the first beat with an up motion and sound which made the piece sound weak and lacked the rhythmic continuity that is crucial for this piece. He seemed most comfortable in the Sonata #18, and the audience went to intermission very up.

After intermission, I felt him become tired on the Waldstein-an incredibly difficult piece to sustain. It was apparent in the amount of sound he was making as he still managed the clarity. The Italian Concerto seemed a piece of cake for him. So much so that he blew through the second movement even improvising some of the RH as if he had spaced out. Not to matter though the third movement was the best I have ever heard by anyone - even Glen.

It is such a great lifetime opportunity to hear a pianist performing on this level.
The sound stays inside you a long time. I practiced as soon as I got home!
Leah Brammer

Core Education Principles

1. Life Ability
Core Education develops life ability- the ability to live life optimally.

2. Natural Learning
Core Education utilizes and preserves natural learning, which is direct learning from the environment.

3. Whole Learning
Children learn through absorption of the total environment rather than part by part. This is sometimes called ”right-brain learning” Whole learning is a better way to describe this absorption as it involves both the right brain (learning through the senses/intuition and left brain (analytical) types of learning working together.

4. Ability Development
Pattern recognition and the forming of relationships between these patterns can be developed through repetition for optimum learning. This then includes physical ability, mental/memory, emotional balance and spiritual development as well. This is the balancing concept of whole learning and involves understanding of learning in relationship to sequencing and the development of ability through the acquisition of foundation skills

5. Integral Learning
Core learning involves recognition and support for the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of development in combination with mental/cognitive learning to form life abilities.

6. The core focus principle of nurturing:
This principle is that the most fundamental aspect in a child’s learning must always be addressed rather than focusing on the content of what is being learned. It is finding the core aspect of the process that will produce the easiest and quickest way to learn. It is closely connected to Ability Development.

7. Positive affirmation
Core education involves affirmation as a critical component of feedback for the child. Using verbal acknowledgment of that which is correct will accelerate learning. It is not a judgment such as good or bad, but is a positive statement of fact to the child about how they are learning.

Through understanding and applying these principles teachers and parents can recreate the concept of education from the learning of facts to the development of ability.