Teaching music and playing the piano is an endlessly fascinating process for Peter. As part of his own learning process, he writes about music and piano playing based on his experiences as a teacher and musician. Many of his articles have been published Clavier Companion (see below for a list of titles), a periodical dedicated to the art of piano pedagogy. His articles have also appeared in the Canadian Music Teacher, La Scena Musicale, and the Calgary Herald as well as Registered Music Teacher newsletters across Canada.
Please feel free to read any of the linked articles below. If you would like to publish one in your newsletter, please provide proper copyright credit, and include a short biography of the author, including the address of this website. For information concerning the Clavier articles, kindly contact them at The Instrumentalist Magazine.
Of Means and Ends
Many students seem to have great difficulty in simply playing the right notes. In this essay, Peter examines the means necessary to arrive at the end, which in this case, is accuracy of playing. PDF
10 Commandments of Piano Playing
A tongue-in-cheek, very serious set of commandments… um… rules… er… suggestions about effective practicing. A useful set of guidelines for the student to reach piano “heaven”. To put the student in the appropriate playful mood for practicing, Peter recommends reading the 10 Commandments out loud in a Sylvester the Cat voice. (from Bugs Bunny – he is a big fan…). PDF
The Many Hats of the Piano Teacher
Piano teachers are called on to be many things, other than just teachers, although this is true of any good teacher. In this little essay, IPeter writes about the many different hats a teacher must wear, from psychologist to policeman to musician. PDF
How Does a Piano Make a Sound?
This little essay is actually the script for a segment I did for a radio show called MusicWise on CKUA in 2005. Listeners would submit questions, and they would be answered by professional musicians such as myself. If you still believe that to play louder on a piano, you must push the keys down harder, please read this! PDF
Musicians and Alexander Technique
Peter is a pianist with a repetitive strain injury. But! he is one of the fortunate ones to have recovered, and Alexander Technique was one of the critical factors in his recovery. For more information, read the essay and/or visit the Alexander Technique website. His teacher, Trevor Allan Davies, has a website that you also may wish to visit. PDF
Articles Published by Clavier Companion
Articles written by Peter Jancewicz and published by Clavier Magazine, now called Clavier Companion are listed below. Please contact them for information on getting any back issues.
- When Boredom Sounds the Alarm, Vol. 40 # 3, March 2001
- Teaching Students to Play Legato and Staccato Phrases, Vol. 40 # 5, May/June 2001
- The Magic of a Clear Melody Vol. 40 # 9, November 2001
- Breathing Life Into the Score – the Magic of Changing Notes to Music Vol. 41 # 3, March 2002
- The Energy of Good Rhythm Adds Sparkle to Piano Pieces, Vol. 42 # 3, March 2003
- Take Only Small Steps, Vol. 44 # 4, April 2005
- Performance Injuries: Ignoring the Warning Signs Vol. 44 # 7, September 2005 (cowritten with Susan Hlasny)
- A Letter to my Students – Doing Well at Competitions Vol. 45 # 3, March 2006
- Add Some Humor Vol. 46 #5, May 2007 Culture of Caution Vol.1 #4, July/August 2009
