Two-part Class on the Nocturnes of Chopin, Trevor Stephenson instructor

Two-part Class on Chopin’s Nocturnes
Trevor Stephenson, instructor — 1850 English Parlor Grand Piano
Thursdays November 11 and 18, 2021 from 6-7:15 pm
Home studio of Trevor Stephenson: 5729 Forsythia Place, Madison WI 53705
Reading knowledge of music suggested
In-person attendance, class size limited to 15: $50 for the course. Masks & vaccination required for in-person attendance.
     (in-person attendees will also receive the link to the class videos, valid for 30 days)
Virtual attendance (on-line video posted 24 hours after each class, valid 30 days): $40/course
 Nov. 20, 11-11:30 am Zoom wrap-up q/a session for virtual attendees

We’ll look at eight of the Nocturnes spanning Chopin’s career as a composer. Two days before each class, in-person and virtual students will receive via email a pdf of the scores for that week; the scores will be marked with my fingerings and in the class we can talk about approaches to fingering in Chopin’s music. Topics in the class:

• Chopin’s personality as a performer and teacher. His approach to composition.
• Chopin’s cultivation of the da capo aria form (A-B-A) in the Nocturnes
• How the pianos and the temperaments (tunings) of Chopin’s era help the player cultivate the phrasing, voicing, and pacing that is helpful in the Nocturnes
• How the Nocturne emerged as a genre in the early 19th century, and why was it emblematic of the Romantic sensibility
• Chopin’s compositional models: Bach, Mozart, Bellini and early 19th-c. operatic style
• Tempo flexibility and inflexibility–and the zones in between–in performing Chopin
• Chopin’s pedal markings and his general approach to pedaling

To register for the class, please email trevor@trevorstephenson.com