STEP & Competitions to Prepare for Music College Examinations

2016/09/27 | コメント(0)  | トラックバック(0)  | 
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PTNA Piano STEP can be used for various purposes, be it a pleasure or rehearsals for competitions or exams. January is the busiest season for STEP, as a number of young pianists are going to take music college entrance examinations

Naomi Kima, a freshman at the Tokyo College of Music, participated in STEP twice before the entrance exam last winter, and learned how to relax and enjoy music on stage. At that time, she had two problems. As the practicing time was limited due to the living environment, she had to go to the high school early in the morning to practice on a grand piano. Besides, she became nervous on the stage.  STEP encouraged her to overcome those weak points and her effort was fulfilled.

Naomi Ishii (the Representative of Kobe Central Station, the Chief Executive of Japan Bach Music Concours)  insists the importance of performing on stage, at the right moment and in a good quality. According to her, just practicing long hours is no more than a physical exercise, thus it is essential for piano teachers to suggest students how to find problems in their performances by themselves, and how to shape practice more effectively and strategically.  "STEP is not on competitive basis, as there are not pass/fail system. It is good opportunity for students to keep motivated by taking them at the right time, while preparing for entrance exams of universities/ colleges". 

Tomiko Atsuji (Kumamoto Yoka-Oto Station) takes advantage of STEP or competitions for examination rehearsals, as students are able to play the same pieces as exam repertoires. "I sometimes propose small concert for them by secretly gathering other younger students or their mothers, which helps them mentally and musically prepared anytime and anywhere. And I always keep in mind to divide the exercises and tasks in small portions so that students can deal with them in a short time, which also keep their incentives.

*This year, the Sonata Competition is launched. The preliminary round will be held in October-November, followed by the final round in December. This competition is exclusively designed for learning sonata forms, and special lecture & masterclass will be held in between the preliminary and the final rounds. The target age is 10-20 (Sonatine and Sonata divisions according to the age limit).


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