Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity / To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment / Would you capture it or just let it slip…
Music can be everywhere
There are three common scholarships, academics, sports and music. In this episode I will focus on a musical journey. Music is an interesting direction as you can have a prevalent environment, like you can listen to music anytime, there can be background music while doing everyday tasks. Some people sing in the showers. Therefore, at BE a Scholar Tuition, we believe music exploration is a great avenue. All scholarships will require motivation, hardwork and talent. Music can be a long journey often two instruments are required to be set apart. BE a Scholar Tuition believes that sports and music should be plan B as the progress is at risk from an injury or even wake up one morning and decide something else is better.
Episode 50 is about optimising the music learning process.
*Author is not a musician.
Going to music school probably helps.
Let’s investigate what a music school can offer…
- Expert musicians – experienced top musicians teach kids to play the instruments for longer duration in a week. More time is spent to learn the instrument.
- Peers are all musically dedicated to their instruments. The peers are likely to be just as dedicated or more dedicated to reach their full potential in their instruments.
- Structured timetable to ensure regular practise time. The rest of the curriculum is fitted around the music schedule.
- Music theory – they know what they are doing. Pupils will need to gain an in-depth theoretical understanding to progress to the higher grades.
- Singing lessons, choirs, vocal and aural training. Singing and hearing are important aspects for a musician.
- Frequent performance opportunities for the public. The pupils gain public performance experiences from a young age.
- Group playing and orchestra experiences.
A music school provides an environment for musicians to shine. So going to a music school will help the child to reach their full musical potential. Most schools will have some music education, but the intensity is not comparable to a music school.
It’s about motivation.
The interview questions could be what does music mean to your life? Why do you want to go to a music school? Picking the music path is a huge commitment. From aged 9 to 18, 9 years of musical training may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
My guide to be more musical.
A music school provided a list of music to listen to and analyse. I ask my friend “ChatGPT” to expand further to develop the topics to understand the playlist. There are 7 topics to assess 8 categories of music.
I am certain that if someone listens to all those pieces and analyse them in detail. That person would be more musically aware than someone who did not do that and improve on the musicality.
Music analysis
Music analysis can take many forms depending on the perspective and goal. Here are some key approaches:
1. Structural Analysis
- Form and Structure: Study sections like verse, chorus, bridge, and how they contribute to the overall flow.
- Repetition and Variation: Identify recurring motifs, themes, and their modifications.
- Genre Characteristics: Explore how the song fits or deviates from genre conventions.
2. Harmonic and Melodic Analysis
- Chords and Progressions: Analyze the harmonic structure (e.g., I-IV-V-I or more complex progressions).
- Melody: Look at the contour, intervals, and scales used.
- Key and Modulation: Identify the tonal center and any key changes.
3. Rhythmic and Temporal Analysis
- Tempo and Meter: Identify the beats per minute (BPM) and time signature.
- Rhythmic Patterns: Study syncopation, grooves, and recurring rhythmic motifs.
- Dynamics: Examine how volume and intensity change over time.
4. Lyrical Analysis
- Themes and Narrative: Explore the message, emotions, or story conveyed.
- Language and Wordplay: Analyze metaphors, rhymes, and lyrical structures.
- Cultural and Social Context: Place the lyrics within a broader societal or cultural framework.
5. Production Analysis
- Instrumentation: Study the use of instruments and their roles.
- Mixing and Effects: Examine how audio effects (reverb, EQ, etc.) are used.
- Texture: Evaluate the layers of sound and their interactions.
6. Emotional and Aesthetic Impact
- Mood: Assess the emotional atmosphere created by the music.
- Listener Interpretation: Understand how the piece resonates with different audiences.
- Subjective Experience: Reflect on personal reactions and connections.
7. Historical and Cultural Context
- Composer and Era: Consider when and by whom the music was created.
- Influences and Innovations: Identify inspirations or groundbreaking elements.
- Social Impact: Explore how the music fits within or influenced its cultural setting.
From an extraordinary list of piano works, encompassing a wide spectrum of styles, periods, and technical demands. Below, I offer an overview of the collection and highlight notable aspects for each category.
Historical and Baroque Foundations
- Bach: Complete Keyboard Works
Foundational for all pianists. Bach’s work lays the groundwork for technical precision, polyphonic mastery, and interpretative depth. - Couperin: Ordres Complete
A cornerstone of the French Baroque, these pieces provide insight into ornamentation, phrasing, and French keyboard style. - Rameau: Pièces de Clavecin
A blend of technical challenge and expressive finesse, showcasing the French Baroque style.
Classical Cornerstones
- Haydn: Complete Sonatas
Brilliant for exploring the evolution of the Classical sonata. Haydn’s wit and inventiveness shine throughout. - Mozart: Complete Piano Music
Essential for technical clarity and exploring the Classical period’s elegance and emotional subtlety.
Romantic Masterworks
- Albeniz: Iberia
A vibrant, technically demanding exploration of Spanish colors and rhythms. - Chopin: Complete Piano Works
Essential for pianists; Chopin’s works define Romantic piano writing. - Liszt: Various Works (Anneés de Pèlerinage, Sonata, Transcendental Etudes, etc.)
These are benchmarks of virtuosity and musical depth, requiring extraordinary technical skill and interpretative insight. - Brahms: Ballades, Variations, and Late Piano Works (op. 116–119)
Brahms’ works combine introspection, complexity, and structural brilliance. - Granados: Goyescas
Lush, Spanish-inspired Romanticism. - Rachmaninov: Complete Piano Works and Concertos
Iconic for their sweeping lyricism and technical demands.
Romantic-Era Rarities
- Medtner: Piano Sonatas and Fairytales (Skazki)
Richly textured and melodically inventive. Medtner is a hidden gem of the era. - Godowsky: 53 Etudes on Chopin Studies
These works are the pinnacle of pianistic reimagining and technical wizardry. - Busoni: Various Works
His transcriptions and original compositions bridge the Romantic and modern eras with intellectual and emotional depth.
Modern and 20th-Century Milestones
- Debussy: Complete Piano Music
A vital exploration of Impressionist soundscapes. - Bartók: Mikrokosmos VI and Three Studies op. 18
Exemplifies Bartók’s fusion of folk elements and modernism. - Messiaen: Vingt Regards and Preludes
Rich in spiritual depth and innovative harmonic language. - Prokofiev: Sonatas 1–9, Sarcasms, Visions Fugitives
Prokofiev’s piano works capture his biting wit, lyricism, and rhythmic ingenuity. - Ligeti: Etudes (Books 1–3)
Technically groundbreaking and captivating. - Boulez: Notations
Exemplifies post-serial complexity and color. - Nancarrow: Studies for Player Piano
An avant-garde exploration of rhythm and counterpoint.
Challenging Contemporary Works
- Carter: Piano Sonata
A challenging, richly layered modern masterpiece. - Lachenmann: Guero/Kinderspiel
Highly experimental, pushing the boundaries of sound production. - John Cage: Sonatas and Interludes
A hallmark of prepared piano music and chance-based compositions.
Virtuosic Showpieces
- Balakirev: Islamey
One of the most demanding pieces in the repertoire. - Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit
Renowned for its technical challenges and vivid imagery.
Other Highlights
- Kapustin: Sonata No. 2
A fusion of classical virtuosity with jazz idioms. - Ginastera: Sonata No. 1
Combines Latin American rhythms with modernist techniques.
Hindemith: Ludus Tonalis
A fascinating modern counterpoint to Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier.
In summary
Music is hard. How much do you want it? I will attempt to systematically analyse the pieces and be more musical.
Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity / To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment / Would you capture it or just let it slip?
Be a Scholar Tuition 
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