UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
Date:______
I, ______, hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: in:
It is entitled:
This work and its defense approved by:
Chair: ______
A Comparison of Akira Miyoshi’s Miyoshi Piano Method with Nancy and Randall Faber’s Piano Adventures Based on Royal American Conservatory Examination (RACE)
A doctoral document submitted to the
Division of Graduate Studies and Research of the University of Cincinnati
in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS
in the Keyboard Studies Division of the College-Conservatory of Music
by
Takako Hayase
20 August 2006
B.M., University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, 1998
M.M., University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music, 2000
Project Advisor: Robert Zierolf Ph.D.
ABSTRACT
Akira Miyoshi’s Miyoshi Piano Method was introduced to me by Dr. Bonnie Wade during her visit to the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati. Just as I was not aware of the existence of this method at the time, Miyoshi’s method is not currently well known in the United States. However, Miyoshi was the president of the Preparatory School of Toho
Gakuen in my childhood, and I was required to play his compositions for juries; therefore, I am familiar with the valuable features in Miyoshi’s compositions. I will document and describe his pedagogical approach in Miyoshi Piano Method and introduce it as a worthy rival to the well- known method in the United States, Piano Adventures by Nancy and Randall Faber. This document concludes with the results of the comparison by analyzing strengths and weakness of both methods. Currently, a Japanese method, the Suzuki Method, is widely accepted as one of the most popular piano method in the United States. I hope to introduce another Japanese method, the Miyoshi Piano Method, to American readers.
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Copyright © 2006 by Takako Hayase All rights reserved
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Acknowledgements
I owe great amount of gratitude to professors who have helped me to make this project
possible: to Dr. Robert Zierolf, for his time, dedication, contribution of musical, theoretical, and
historical knowledge, and suggestions on polishing this project; to Dr. Bonnie Wade, who had spoken to me and shared her knowledge in Japanese music, composers, and their cultural influence on Western music and introduced Akira Miyoshi’s Miyoshi Piano Method to me; and to Dr. Michelle Conda, who originally suggested this research based on grading scales of the
Royal American Conservatory Examination (RACE). I also owe a debt of gratitude to my long– time piano professors, Elizabeth and Eugene Pridonoff, for their musical guidance, love, and support to help my understanding of piano performance and the important topics and elements of piano pedagogy which I needed to conduct this research.
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Table of Contents
Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………………….1
PART ONE
I. Biographies……………………………….…………...………………………………………...3
II. History of piano methods in Japan…..……………...………………………………………….5
A. Available methods……………………………...……...……………………………….5
B. Westernization and Beyer’s method…………...….…..…………………………….....8
C. History of French and American methods…………….……………………………...11
D. Miyoshi’s and Fabers’ methods………………..……………………………………..12
III. Philosophical Underpinning…………………………..……………………………………..14
A. Miyoshi Piano Method……………………….…………………………………….…14
B. Fabers’ Piano Adventures………………….……………………………………...….17
C. Audience for each method………..………….…………………………………..……19
D. Visual presentation….…………………….………………………………………….19
IV. Musical Styles………………………………………………………………………………..21
A. Baroque…………………...….……………….………………………………………21
B. Classical………………….…...…………………………………………….………...23
C. Romantic…….…………..…….………………………………………….…………..24
D. Twentieth-Century…………..….……….…………………………………...…...…..25
1. Miyoshi………………………………………………………………………..25
2. Fabers………………………………………………………………………….26
E. Other..……………………...…………….……………………………………………27
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1. Nontraditional repertoire………………..……………………………………..27
2. Accompanying repertoire..…………..………………………………………...27
V. Reading Approach…………………………………………………………………………….30
A. Pitches………………….………………………………………………….………….31
B. Rhythm………..……..………………..……….…………………………….………..33
VI. Musicianship……………..………………………………………………………….……….35
A. Key selections..……...………………………………………………………………..35
B. Musicality………………...…………..…………………………………….…………35
C. Historical approach…………………….…………………………………….……….37
D. Theoretical approach………………….….……………………...……………….…...37
E. Supplemental material……………………………………………………….………..39
PART TWO
I. Rate of progress... ……………………………………………….……………………………40
II. RACE…………………………………………………………………..……………………..42
III. Comparison: two methods with RACE grading system……………………………………..45
A. Prior to RACE Preparatory A…….……………………………………….………….45
B. Preparatory A……………………………...………………………………………….54
C. Preparatory B…………………..…………………………..………………………….59
D. Grade 1……………………………………………………..……..…….…………….66
E. Grade 2 ……………………...………………………………….…………………….72
F. Grade 3…………………………………………………………….…………………..79
G. Grade 4…………………………...……………………………………….…………..83
H. Grades 5-8………………………...………………………………………..…………86
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I. Grades 9-10…...…………………………………………………………………….…91
J. Completion of the method…………………………………………………………….93
PART THREE: Conclusion
I. Advantages and disadvantage of the two methods…………………………………….….….94
A. Repertoire choice.…...…..……...…………….………………….…….……...……...94
B. Theory ……………….…....…………………………………………….………..…..95
II. Choosing a method ………….……….…………………………………….………....………96
Bibliography…………………………….…………………………………………………….....98
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List of Musical Examples
Example 1. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7. p. 135, mm. 1-4 22
Example 2. Piano Adventures, Primer, p. 12 23
Example 3. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 73, mm. 3-5 25
Example 4. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 35, mm. 1-4 25
Schumann, Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13 m. 1 25
Example 5a. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6 p. 49, mm. 13-16 26
Example 5b Vandall, Modal Expressions, p. 2, mm. 1-3 26
Example 6. Piano Adventures, Level 5, p. 50, mm. 1-3 27
Example 7. Piano Adventures, Primer, p. 15 31
Example 8. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 2. p. 30, mm. 1-5 32
Example 9a. Piano Adventures, Primer, p. 21 33
Example 9b. Piano Adventures, Primer, p. 23 33
Example 10. Piano Adventure, Primer, p. 32, mm. 1-3 34
Example 11. Piano Adventures, Primer, p. 58, m. 1 34
Example 12a. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 30, mm. 5-8 39
Example 12b. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 48, mm. 1-4 39
Example 13. RACE, Piano Syllabus 2004, p. 91 44
Example 14. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 1, p. 52 47
Example 15. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 2, p. 42, mm. 1-2 53
Example 16. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 3, p. 36, mm. 1-4 56
Example 17a. Lichner, “A Short Story,” mm. 7, 24-26 56
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Example 17b. Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 1, mm. 15-16 57
Example 18. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 3, p. 30, mm. 1-8 57
Example 19. Piano Adventures, Level 2B, p. 6, mm. 1-3 61
Example 20a. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 4, p. 32, Exercises 1-3 62
Example 20b. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 8, p. 82 62
Example 21. Piano Adventures, vol. 2B, p. 33, mm. 13-14 65
Example 22. Piano Adventures, Level 2B, p. 11, mm. 1-2 65
Example 23. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 4, p. 64 66
Example 24a. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 68, mm. 1-3 68
Example 24b.Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 104, mm. 5-8 68
Example 24c. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 115, mm. 1-4 68
Example 25a. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 32, mm. 1-3 69
Example 25b. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 64, mm. 1-4 69
Example 25c. Mozart, Minuet in F, mm. 1-4 70
Example 26. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 39, mm. 1-4 71
Example 27. Mozart Minuet in F, mm. 1-4 72
Example 28. Clementi, Sonatina in C, second movement, mm. 4-6 72
Example 29. Piano Adventure, vol. 3B, p. 26, mm. 3-4 73
Piano Adventure, vol. 3B, p. 28, mm. 1-3 73
Example 30 Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 31 73
Example 31. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 112, mm. 1-3 74
Example 32. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 36, mm. 1-4 74
Example 33a. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 136, mm. 1-3 75
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Example 33b. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 136, mm. 8-11 75
Example 34. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 96, mm. 1-8 75
Example 35. Piano Adventure, Level 3B, p. 30, mm. 1-3 76
Example 36a. Bartok, Sorrow, mm. 5-8 79
Example 36b. Piano Adventures, Level 5, p. 24, mm. 1-3 79
Example 37. Piano Adventures, Level 5, p. 15, mm. 7-8 80
Example 38. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 63, mm. 1-4 82
Example 39. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 34, mm. 1-4 83
Example 40. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 21, Exercises 3-5 84
Example 41. B-major scale 84
Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 34, mm. 1-4 84
Example 42. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 60, mm. 3-4 87
Example 43. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 114, mm. 1-2 87
Example 44. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 19 88
Example 45. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 83, mm. 1-3 88
Example 46. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 34, mm. 1-3 89
Example 47. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 73, mm. 3-5 89
Example 48. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 72, mm. 1-8 89
Example 49. Miyoshi Piano Method,, vol.7, p. 75, mm. 3-5 89
Example 50. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 58 90
Example 51. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 16 90
Example 52. Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 8, p. 81, mm. 13-20 93
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INTRODUCTION
Akira Miyoshi’s Miyoshi Piano Method was published in 1997 in Japan.
Although it is not currently well known in the United States, I am familiar with the
valuable features in Miyoshi’s compositions from my childhood, and I intend to
introduce his method as a worthy rival to the well-known Piano Adventures by Nancy
and Randall Faber in the United States. Throughout this document I hope to raise the
viability of Miyoshi’s method to piano students and their teachers.
In modern Japanese society, musicians are placing their musical talent and skills in competition on the international level through performances and compositions. There
are two different ways to choose to compete–with their native music and with Western
styles. Miyoshi is an example of the second type. He chooses to compose his music in the
Western manner and is currently receiving high recognition for his compositions and his
pianism. However, while this renowned composer’s advanced piano works like Sonata
and a prelude titled Chaines are known in the United States, his method books, Miyoshi
Piano Method, seem to be unknown among American students and teachers. In fact,
major American music catalogues such as Burt and Company Music Supply, Stanton’s
Music, and Hutchins and Rea do not list the Miyoshi Piano Method.1 In this document I
will describe his pedagogical approach by investigating Miyoshi Piano Method, which is
composed of eight volumes, and comparing it with the eight-volume Piano Adventures
by Nancy and Randall Faber, currently the best-selling method series in the United States.
One of the three largest music stores in the United States, Stanton’s Sheet Music
in Columbus, Ohio, reported that in the past year Fabers’ method outsold the previous
1Royal American Conservatory Examination. < http://www.burtnco.com/cgi-bin/agent.exe> October 17, 2004.
1
number one seller, Alfred’s Piano Library. In fact, Fabers’ sold 1323 copies compared to
Alfred’s 937 copies in 2003-4.2
After researching the available piano methods in both the United States and Japan,
I have noticed that Fabers’ Piano Adventures is not currently available in Japan, nor is
Miyoshi Piano Method available in the United States. Because these two methods are each well accepted in their countries due to the quality of content, it is worth doing a comparative analysis.
2 Stanton’s Music, interview by author, 23 October 2005, Stanton’s Music, Columbus.
2
PART ONE
I. Biographies
Akira Miyoshi was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1933. He began piano lessons in early
childhood and in 1951 entered the University of Tokyo as a French literature major, the
most academically prestigious school in Japan. In 1955 he was awarded a grant to attend
the Paris Conservatory. Upon graduation he became a professor at the Tokyo National
Conservatory for one year, 1963. Then he taught at the Toho Conservatory of Music from
1964 to 1995 and was its president from 1974 to 1995. The majority of his compositions
are for brass, orchestra, opera, and piano. Renowned pieces for piano in Japan are from
the collections Oto no mori (Musical Prairie), Hibiki no mori (Sounding Prairie), and Umi
no Nikkichou (Diary of the Ocean). These pieces are all for elementary to early
intermediate-level students. In addition, he recently published Miyoshi Piano Method
after revising it for twenty years.
Just as Miyoshi is well known in Japan, Nancy and Randall Faber are known in
the United States as pianists and composers, and they have published their own piano
method series titled Piano Adventures. Fabers’ other output includes over 200
publications. One of the best known is PreTime to BigTime Piano Supplementary Library.
Both Fabers are highly involved in piano pedagogy and appear at many music conventions as a couple, such as the National Conference of MTNA (Music Teacher’s
National Association) in the United States and Korean Piano Adventures Teacher
Convention in Korea.3 Nancy Faber received a prize from the 1994 National Flute
Association's Professional Chamber Music Competition for her compositions Tennessee
3
3
Suite for Piano and String Quartet, and Voices from Between Worlds for flute quartet.4
She studied piano in the Eastman School and Michigan State University, and composition with Joan Tower, William Albright, and Nicholas Maw.
Randall Faber gives lectures on topics related to piano pedagogy at many conventions throughout the United States and Canada. He taught at Bard College and for the National Piano Teachers' Institute at Southern Methodist University. He earned three of his degrees from the University of Michigan, and an additional doctoral degree in education and human development from Vanderbilt University.5
4
5
4
II. History of piano methods in Japan
A. Available Sources
Before undertaking a comparison analysis of the two methods, I will introduce the history of how the Japanese adopted various Western piano methods and briefly mention several methods currently popular in Japan. Compared to the availability of other instruments’ method books, it seems that there are more choices for piano in Japan. In fact, one of the largest Japanese music publishers, Ongakuno Tomosha, conducted research on frequently used piano methods in Japan and found out that there were at least
230 methods series available.6
During their research Ongakuno Tomosha realized that most methods commonly focus on four areas. The first is to come up with musical presentations to introduce positive elements of the instrument to students. The second is selection of the fixed do solfege system as standard. The third is inclusion of theory, and the last area is ensemble activities.
To meet the first objective, each publisher tries to include the most entertaining presentation. They arrange the best combination of color and font for visual images to introduce fun tunes to interest students in playing the piano.
The second objective the fixed do solfege system, was first adopted by the preparatory department at the Toho Music School in 1956, and since then Japan has continued using it as the standard system instead of the music alphabet. Teachers believe that singing can be managed easier with solfege. Developing singing technique may seem to be unrelated to learning the piano; however, by studying singing students discover the existence of phrases, which will help them develop musical sensitivity. After students
6Masashi Okabe, Motto Shiritai Piano no Kyouhon. (Tokyo: Ongakuno Tomosha, 2001), 10.
5
learn the value and beauty of singing they will also be able to reproduce vocal qualities in
their playing. Therefore, studying singing is definitely an important first step, and solfege is definitely a useful system in Japanese study. Instead of just humming or spelling out notes like F-sharp in a short time (if one is singing with music alphabets), because solfege only has one syllable to a pitch it is easier to sing. Repeated practice in solfege can also help to produce students with perfect pitch. As they repeatedly sing one syllable to each note, they may gradually link the syllable and the pitch and automatically memorize each pitch. Since most Japanese kindergartens and other institutions teach solfege in Japan today, almost every child is able to sing with solfege, and method textbooks that use the music alphabets in Japanese editions can rarely be found. As an example, Alfred’s Basic
Piano Course is available in Japan, but the system of music alphabet is converted to solfege in the Japanese edition.
The third topic, music theory, is usually included in today’s methods. Using
Beyer’s method as an example, previous methods primarily taught technique and not theory.7 However, many of today’s methods include music theory lessons in the
workbook setting from the beginning stage. Most of them begin providing theory
activities in drawing exercises or melodic and rhythmic dictation exercises in the activity
format for students to practice with adults. One of the first drawing exercises includes
drawing quarter notes, treble clef, and bass clef. By the time students reach the
intermediate level they are asked to spell triads and scales on the five-line staff.
The last topic is ensemble activities. The accompaniment parts for teachers are
usually inserted under solo repertoire in the student’s lesson book. The accompaniments
7Ferdinand Beyer, Elementary Introduction Book for the Pianoforte. (New York: G. Schirmer, 1967).
6
provide three main purposes. First is to provide a fun environment for lessons and practice sessions. Second, the accompaniment parts change students’ monophonic tunes into polyphonic or homophonic ones and let them grow accustomed to these textures at an early stage. Third, because pianists rarely participate in ensemble activities, they prepare students to gain collaborative skills.
Of the over 230 method series available in Japan, most are Western products.
Currently, products of the United States, Germany, and France are popular. Alfred’s,
Thompson’s, Bastian’s, and Barnum’s methods from the United States are often used.
Das ommerejören by Beata Ziegler and Elementary Instruction Book for the Pianoforte
by Ferdinand Beyer of Germany, and Methode Rose by Ernest van de Velde of France are
also commonly used in Japan.
There are a few domestic piano methods available: Kodomono Uchuu (The Planet
of Children, 1988) by Akira Yuyama, Piano Land (1991) by Kyoko Mikihara, and Piano
Dream (1993) by Nobuaki Tamaru in addition to Miyoshi’s Miyoshi Piano Method
(1997). All of these methods were published fairly recently. Until these domestic methods were published, the Japanese used the Western methods from the time of
Westernization that occurred in the Meiji Era (1868 to 1912) and since.8
Of all the Western methods mentioned above, Beyer’s is best known because it
has the longest history in Japan. Beyer carries a small reputation as a composer, but his
method was successfully accepted and became popular in Japan. Today, regardless of
whether they are small children or adults who have taken piano lessons, wanted to take
piano lessons at one point, or have never been interested in piano, almost everyone has
heard of Beyer.
8 Masaru Kawada, Atarashiishakai. (Tokyo: Tokyo Shoseki, 1989), 157.
7
B. Westernization and Beyer’s method
This Beyer method has existed in Japan since around 1880, the time of the Meiji period. Since the Meiji restoration in 1868, Japan has shown enormous growth in imitation of Western culture. Before the time of the Meiji, Japan was ruled by political rulers including Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Edo period (1603-
1867). Since foreign trading became extremely active in the Muromachi period (1392-
1573) these rulers worried about the dominance of Westernization in Japan, and they started abolishing it since the beginning of the Edo period in 1603. At this time, traditional theatrical genres such as Noh and Kabuki were highly valued, but Western instruments and music were prohibited by the government. Japan had also closed their ports to foreign contact from 1603 until the black ship arrival of Matthew Perry in 1854.
After Perry and missionary crews succeeded in receiving permission from the Imperial
Party to re-enter Japan, they began reintroducing Western cultures and products (that resulted in the fall of nearly 300 years of the nationalist Edo period).
Upon accepting Westernization, the new ruler of the Meiji, the Imperial Party, showed interest in collecting Western objects and subjects, and suddenly ordered exclusive Westernization for the nation in 1868.9 In fact, public schools began teaching
Western music, replacing traditional music and harmony. Because of this, most of the
songs that children learn today during public school education contain either Western traditional tunes or Japanese compositions composed in Western harmony after the Edo period. Traditional Japanese notation is replaced by the five-line staff, and scales that frequently appear in Buddhist chants are replaced by Western major and minor scales. In fact, the current first-grade music textbook in public schools introduces solfege and
9 Masahide Ofuji, New History. (Tokyo: Tokyo Shoho Press, 1989), 206.
8
Western instruments in one of their first chapters, but traditional scales are not mentioned until the ninth grade. Even then these scales along with a few Japanese instruments and musical genres are mentioned only in the appendix of the textbook. In addition, the old
reading system that was replaced by the five-line staff notation is not taught at all, and
most Japanese people are unable to read them without special instruction. These facts clearly show how strongly Westernization has affected the musical society of Japan since
the Meiji era.
Under this Meiji restoration 1872 became an influential year in music for school
educators and other musicians, because it was the year that the Japanese Ministry of
Education suddenly began encouraging public schools to teach Western music.10 1878
also became an influential year because it caused another sudden change in the
educational curriculum. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs created a special education
department highly encouraging students to study Western music. This department was led
by a government official, Shuji Izawa. He was selected as a leader due to his experience
in the United States studying Western music with a Boston music teacher, Luther
Whiting Mason. Upon his return, Izawa invited Mason to Japan and asked him to assist in
reforming music schools and their programs. This reform also resulted in the beginning
of piano music in Japan.
Mason taught piano to the Japanese using Beyer’s method. Around the same time
as Mason’s arrival, many parts of the United States were segregated by various ethnicities.
Because Mason had come from Boston, where many German immigrants were settling,
he was familiar with the Beyer method from Germany and brought it to Japan. In 1880,
Mason also brought ten organs and played twenty books of Beyer’s compositions other
10 Harich-Scheider, Eta, A History of Japanese Music. (London: Oxford Press, 1973), 540.
9
than his works in the method. Around this time Westernization had already been successfully adopted in many parts of the country. Even the Imperial Party had begun incorporating much of the Western repertoires for their private concerts.11 Because they
highly favored Western music, they also imported a concert grand piano for the first time.
Thereafter, more pianos were gradually imported, and people began pursuing studies in
piano and used Beyer’s method as the primary source.
In addition to using Beyer’s method, different methods were also introduced to
the Japanese by other foreigners. In fact, after Mason’s visit a German music teacher,
Anna Leahy, was invited to Japan, and she introduced other German methods by various composers. Popularity of the piano peaked in Germany in the nineteenth century, and many different methods were available there at that time. The Japanese experienced several of them, but only Beyer’s seems to have been kept as their main study source.
The reason may lie in the fact that his method consists of various subjects all combined in one textbook including technique exercises, rhythm exercises, and various styles of compositions.
In 1890, ten years after the Japanese began studying his method, Beyer’s compositions had reached the point that they could appear on a concert program of Tokyo
Ongaku Gakkou (one of the top national music institutions in Japan at that time). Beyer’s compositions continued to appear even after the end of the Meiji period. In fact, another prestigious music school, Musashino Ongakkou, began including Beyer’s repertoire from the method in their requirement for their entrance exam. This was 23 years after the fall of the Edo.
Currently, this Beyer method is still actively used by Japanese students and
11 Harich-Scheider, 542.
10
teachers. Publishers are continuously producing different editions of it to attract consumers. The original materials are divided into different numbers of volumes, and the contents are guided by iconic figures including Mickey Mouse, Hello Kitty, or Rika doll
(similar to the Barbie doll in the United States) for girls and aerospace animations for
boys to create the most entertaining atmosphere. Each publisher tries to earn the
attraction of students and sell more than others.
C. History of French and American methods
While the positive reputation of Beyer continued, several other Western methods
followed Beyer’s lead, and some were successfully adopted by the Japanese. The French
method Methode Rose by Ernest van de Velde was introduced to Japan by the editor
Kazuko Yasukawa, who spent her childhood in France in the second half of the 1920s to
the first half of the 1930s. This method was well accepted by French piano students at the
time because it contained many folk tunes that French children learned in daily living.
Upon Yasukawa’s return to Japan in 1939, she found out that only Beyer’s method and
Czerny’s Thirty Exercises were available for piano students. She soon noticed that these
books were too difficult for children age three or four, and realized the necessity in
publishing something suitable for the young students before studying Beyer’s or Czerny’s
works. Therefore, she first published the Japanese version of Methode Rose. Additionally
she edited two other etude collections titled ABC of Piano and Piano Practice l’Agilite by
Le Couppey. Yasukawa believed that after studying all three, students were ready to
proceed to Czerny’s Thirty Exercises.12 Because Methode Rose contains many
transcriptions of French folk songs and children’s songs, they are mostly in 3/4 and 6/8 as
12 Kazuko Yasukawa, Introduction of L’Agilite. ( Tokyo: Taiyousha, 1982), 3.
11
well as 2/4 and 4/4 meters. Most of the compositions require equal participation from both hands, and this fact distinguishes this method from Beyer’s, which uses many pieces containing active right-hand parts and less active parts (long sustaining notes) for the left hand.13
The American series by John Thompson was published in 1936. It was introduced
to Japan by a Japanese editor, Masayasu Ohshima, in 1972 and became popular. Ohshima
originally encountered Thompson’s method in 1960 when he moved to the United States
to study music. At this time Thompson’s method was the standard in the United States.
When Ohshima finally brought it to Japan, Beyer’s method and Methode Rose had
already taken the majority of the students’ interests. Therefore, the only way to earn
people’s interest in Thompson’s method was to introduce it through continuous seminars
and workshops. After ten years of hard work giving seminars and workshops, it finally
received recognition from Japanese consumers.14
D. Miyoshi’s and Fabers’ methods
Currently, Miyoshi’s method is one of the top sellers in Japan, as Fabers’ is in the
United States. However, as Ohshima had experienced difficulty in introducing
Thompson’s as a new product, because both Miyoshi’s and Fabers’ are still fairly new to
consumers they are still actively introducing their products in local workshops and
seminars. For teachers who are not able to attend these seminars, each method also issues
journals that contain many articles by experienced teachers or the summary of each
workshop and seminar. This information is stored on Miyoshi Net (an association for
13 Ibid., 58.
14 Okabe, 32.
12
piano teachers interested in Miyoshi Piano Method) for Miyoshi’s method and The Piano
Adventures’ Teacher for Fabers’ method. Both methods also list effective guidelines for teachers in students’ lesson books, which can be also used by students and their parents.
Therefore, anyone who is new to these two methods can receive helpful instruction and feel comfortable proceeding with them.
13
III. Philosophical Underpinning
A. Miyoshi Piano Method
I have previously explained the musical changes in the nationalism period of Edo and the Westernization period of Meiji. Even after the demise of these periods, they influenced Japan to have the two extreme opinions and are extremely divided and seem to never find a way to merge. However, Miyoshi explains the important features of both sides in his method, and he encourages students to merge them in their music-making.
Piano studies were originally brought by Westerners, and Japan relied heavily on
Western methods almost exclusively. However, Miyoshi’s new method is known to be the source that will change the method by which Japanese students learn Western music.
One goal is to change students from being duplicators of Western music to being innovators. In fact, Miyoshi clearly states this expectation in his sixth volume. As he talks about the brief history of Japanese adoption of Western music, Miyoshi introduces the available Western instruments and musical genres such as chamber music, symphony, opera, pop, and rock. Then he clearly states that these genres have only come to Japan from other countries within the last a few centuries, and he questions students about the existence of Japanese traditional music. Because the Japanese were expected to adjust to fast adoption of Western music and are increasing its presence still, traditional music has been showing smaller growth. It has even reached the point where today’s children have some knowledge in Western instruments, but their knowledge of traditional Japanese music is extremely limited. Miyoshi says that as the Japanese are able to adopt Western food to Japanese taste, music can be modified in the same way. Each culture should have
14
its own style to adopt the same object regardless of the original source. Students are encouraged “not to copy European styles but find your (student’s) own way to create music.”15
I have stressed the concern of students not being able to state the distinguishing
characters of the Western music and traditional Japanese music. One more important
factor that relates to the latter is that most students do not realize that Japanese traditional
music has also originally come from foreign countries. Many do not know that majority
of Japanese music originated from China and Korea. They do not know this because the
music of these Asian countries was adopted in the fourth century, and the Japanese had
enough time to let these Asian musics blend with their culture and change musical styles
with their modified tonalities and rhythms. Today’s music is the result of the slow
transformation over several centuries from Asian music to a particular Japanese style.
Miyoshi uses this fact as an example to encourage today’s musicians to be able to absorb
Western music in the same way that the Japanese successfully absorbed Asian music and
produced the Japanese style in the past. Unfortunately, because their history with Western
music is relatively recent, there are performers and composers who are still at the stage of
duplicating Western compositions. While Miyoshi encourages students to consider exploring the way to transform Western music, his method provides the fundamental
drills to prepare pianism that students will need.
Throughout the eight volumes, Miyoshi introduces a variety of techniques in the
340 exercises. These exercises give fundamental knowledge if note-reading, rhythm
comprehension, and technical skills. There are also helpful tips that can be applied to
advanced repertoire upon graduation from the method. While students gain technical
15 Akira Miyoshi, Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6 (Tokyo: Kwai Press, 1998), 66.
15
strengths, Miyoshi also teaches tone production from the beginning level. Students are
asked to notice that each finger has a different strength and are asked to even out the
sound no matter which finger is playing. Sound can be easily produced by pressing keys,
but students must be sensitive to how to touch the keys to produce the appropriate tone
quality and volume for each passage. Various exercises on tone production will be
mentioned under musicianship in Unit VI of Part One.
Comparing the piano with other instruments, Miyoshi realizes that most
instruments allow players to produce their own tone either by blowing air through the
instrument or by being closer to it and feeling its vibration (example: violin). However, because piano playing does not require any breathing or opportunity to feel the vibration, breathing and body involvement tend to lack in the music-making process. Breathing helps musical phrase-making, and other physical involvement or movements help to improve musical and technical expression. However, instead of being aware of these
important features, it seems that today’s musicians prefer note-perfect performances.
Note-perfect playing can limit music from sounding free and expressive because
performers must be careful when pressing each key and their expressions are stopped from being transformed to the fingers. It is probably until a half-century ago that musical expression was valued more than note-perfect performance. For example, most of Alfred
Cortot’s historical recordings from the 1950s contain full expression with many missed notes. Some current students may be surprised by the number of mistakes, and because of that they may not notice its musical quality. Miyoshi’s method seems to cover the importance of both elements and tries to produce students with both abilities.
To value both the importance of musical expression and note-perfect performance,
Miyoshi instructs students from two different directions. They must be guided to have
16
accurate technique, but they must also have the ability to produce a fine-quality tone and study singing and phrase-making for musical expression. He gives an enormous amount of technical exercises, but inserts exercise pieces that contain instructions in breathing and exploring the movement of body, fingers, arms, and shoulders as well. The breathing exercises instruct students to breathe out for the duration of the sustained notes or melody to experience the structure of phrases. This breathing exercise brings the performer and piano together, and reduces the physical and emotional distance between them.
B. Fabers’ Piano Adventures
Fabers’ method is based on three main topics: often using exercises to let students discover new topics and gain long-term memory; choosing the best timing in giving new materials; and inserting the best choices of repertoire.
First, the Fabers continue to insert creative discovery activities throughout the series. They prefer that students experience the new topic of each unit through appropriate activities. For example, most methods insert only written explanations to teach that the keyboard has high and low registers, but the Fabers first ask students to play a piece that travels from one register to another and let them discover the different pitches that each register contains. Many discovery pieces are in the lesson book, but additional activities are also in the theory book.
Second, the Fabers carefully seek the best timing to introduce new material. The
Fabers believe that “too many people view music as merely an extra-curricular activity, not a noble subject that develops both skill and character through self-discipline and
17
working artistically with others.”16 In 1993 they published Piano Adventures to change
this attitude held by students who were using other method series. They stress that current
students do not need to be taught the way older generations were. Because the timing of learning new repertoire is also an important issue in order to make a fine method, they
combine a variety of compositions between discipline and fun activities in an appropriate
mixture and timeframe. Fabers’ method offers a variety of kinds of music in perfect
timing from the earliest stage. The new topic or goal to master is stated clearly for each
unit.
Small numbers of new topics are introduced in each unit in a step-by-step approach at a moderate speed. At the end of each unit these small amounts of new information are compiled into a review piece, so that students have a chance to review all the material that they should know up to that point by playing the review piece before they go on to the next unit. Upon moving on, all materials from the previous units are included along with new materials for the next new unit so that students can be in constant touch with both the old and new material and progress economically.17 Specific
examples of this philosophy are stated under the chapter on Aesthetics.
Third, the Fabers include various types of repertoire that strives to produce
pianists who are able to play many different types of music. Instead of learning only classical music, if students play different types of music from the beginning they may discover their strength in certain areas and proceed to further study. While some students are certain to have an interest in studying classical music, others may need to explore different genres to find their area of interest.
16 Suzanne Gay, “The Partnership at the Piano of Nancy and Randall Faber.” Interviewed by Suzanne Gay. Clavier, (January 2003): 7.
17 Nancy and Randall Faber, Piano Adventures, Primer. (Fort Lauderdale: FJH Music, 1993), 1.
18
Most of the Fabers’ pieces contain lyrics. Therefore, students can take advantage of this and play with or without the lyrics. Being able to sing and play simultaneously is
definitely challenging, but most students seem to enjoy singing along with their playing,
so it is worth learning.
C. Audience for each method
Both Miyoshi’s and Fabers’ methods are currently used by young children; neither specifies the ideal age. However, it seems that although children with general (literature) reading skills may proceed with both methods, children without reading skills may only precede with Miyoshi’s because his first volume focuses primarily on physical activities with visual instructions and does not require reading skills.
D. Visual Presentation
Every author of a method book tries to attract students with visual presentation, particularly finding the most effective way to insert entertaining pictures and large-size notes and letters. Successful aesthetics gather students’ interest and often result in naturally developing techniques, improving reading, and musicianship. Both Miyoshi and the Fabers show fine presentation.
It is interesting to find that visual images are absent from Miyoshi’s method.
Instead, he inserts color photographs of a student to model the correct hand shapes and physical postures, and to show various exercises. All pictures are large, and each includes clear statements of what is to be learned. This way students can comprehend the material through visual and aural learning. The absence of photographs may be questioned as possibly resulting in less interest from small children; however, it seems that this has not
19
been an issue with current users. The article from the Lesson Report on Miyoshi Net mentions that when one teacher uses Miyoshi Piano Method for a group of three- and
four-year-olds, they seem to be very excited by photographs of a young girl
demonstrating correct postures. They seem to be motivated by imitating every step in the
picture and slowly become accustomed to showing the same postures.18 All volumes have
similar design and layout of the notations and pictures, although only the first four volumes use colors, and the size of the notes and letters are slightly reduced at higher levels.
Fabers’ method, on the other hand, contains visual images in all levels. In the primary level they are inserted on the horizontal page layout along with large-size notes and letters. Each page includes colorful animation such as a kittens, princesses, and robots, containing a balanced amount of images thought to appeal to both boys and girls.
Visual images help students associate with each piece with the programmatic meanings, and they will have an easier time expressing their music.
Most visuals resemble the character of the piece. For example, if it is a minuet there is a picture of a prince and princess dancing. By looking at the picture students can link this image with the minuet and create programmatic expression. In addition, each piece contains lyrics that they can sing while they play. Just as visual images help students to add musical expressions, lyrics help students in the same way. As students graduate from each book, the size of letters and use of colors is reduced, but all volumes continue to have visuals and maintain the fun atmosphere.
18 Miyoshi, Miyoshi Net 13, 6-8.
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VI. Musical Styles
Although these two methods contain completely different repertoire (in Miyoshi’s,
composed only by him; Fabers’ by various composers), they both contain works that
represent the styles of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and twentieth century, and both provide skills necessary to play a variety of musical genres including ethnic repertoire.
In Miyoshi’s method, though composed by Miyoshi himself, the repertoire is written in the contrapuntal style of Bach’s two-part inventions; theme and variation of the
Classical Era; etude-like, chromatic virtuoso and character pieces of the Romantic era; and modern articulation and harmony. In addition finger exercises, accompanying, and sight-reading studies are included in Miyoshi’s. Similarly, Fabers’ method also includes repertoires of the four musical eras. There are standard works including Bach’s preludes and Classical composers’ sonatinas, reductions of famous Classical and Romantic symphony themes, and American blues. Occasionally there are various countries’ folk or traditional tunes inserted, “Sakura” of Japan being an example. However, additional subjects like sight-reading and accompanying activities in Miyoshi’s are not in Fabers’.
A. Baroque
One of the notable features of Miyoshi’s method is that students develop equal strength and flexibility in the two hands simultaneously. Much elementary repertoire includes melodies for the right hand and accompaniment for the left. However, Miyoshi’s method provides a different approach to carefully train both hands at the same time by assigning the equal amount of exercise load to both hands. If the right hand has the leading voice in one composition, the next composition has the left-hand lead. Also, if the
21
right hand is given a four-measure passage, the identical or similar passage is immediately repeated by the left hand in the next four measures. In the beginning stage these identical parts take turns one by one, but as soon as students are accustomed to this these two parts appear in canonic style. Repeated practice causes simultaneous development and students are able to successfully manage polyphonic music by showing
equal flexibility of hands.
While many polyphonic training pieces for two hands are inserted, there are also
single-hand polyphonic exercises for each hand. Miyoshi takes single-hand exercises
seriously and educates students to listen carefully to produce fine melodic shapes
regardless of whether the exercises are written for single or multiple voices. One example
of this can be viewed in Example 1.
Example 1 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7. p. 135)
Students are asked to play quarter notes with frequent fingering changes while they
sustain the tied notes. Mastering this exercise will prepare flexibility to manage polyphonic or contrapuntal pieces that have two or more voices. It is not until the seventh volume that Miyoshi mentions form and structure of Baroque pieces, but this earlier training prepares the necessary techniques to play polyphonic music.
For the elementary level, Miyoshi carefully incorporates the same number of right- and left-hand dominated pieces; the Fabers have a similar layout. The first four pieces in the primer level of their method are for one hand, but the unity of hands is
22
required from the fifth piece on. In these, although most start with the right hand, the left immediately follows and plays an exact or similar passage for the same length of time
(see Example 2).
Example 2 ( Fabers’ Piano Adventures, Primer, p. 12)
This type of exercise is an example of compositions that function as early preparation for students to manage polyphonic works in later stages, developing the same skills in both
hands. Miyoshi gradually changes these monophonic parts to the canonic texture as
students advance to higher levels (the Fabers do not insert any canonic compositions).
Fabers’ method starts to insert Baroque compositions in the fourth volume; however, they
are right-hand dominated pieces like the Prelude in C major from the Well-Tempered
Clavier Book I and none of the inventions or other contrapuntal works are introduced.
B. Classical
Both teach representative forms of Classical works: theme and variations and sonatina or sonata form. The Fabers include theme and variations and sonatinas, and explain their standard structure; Miyoshi does not insert any compositions in these genres
but includes explanation of the structure of sonata form in the appendix of the sixth
volume in more detail than the Fabers do. In Fabers, because their repertoire levels do not
advance to the sonata in the final level, several introductory sonatinas by well-known
composers including Clementi are inserted. Upon introducing sonatinas, binary and
ternary forms are also explained. Other than sonatinas, there are other pieces from the
Classical period including a reduction of Burlesca by Mozart and a theme from
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Beethoven’s ninth symphony.
C. Romantic
Character, descriptive, and virtuoso pieces represent Romantic compositions. In
Fabers’ method descriptive pieces including “The Sick Doll” by Tchaikovsky, Cradle
Song by Feliks Rybicki, and Robert Schumann’s “The Wild Horseman” are included. At
higher levels standard genres including waltz, mazurka, ballade, barcarolle, impromptu,
and scherzo gradually appear. In addition to these descriptive pieces there are some with
more specific titles such as Faschingsschwank aus Wien by Schumann and “Cansonetta
del Salvator” from Années de pèlerinage by Liszt.
In Miyoshi’s method most of the compositions in the Romantic style appear as exercise pieces, but they have descriptive subtitles. For example, the exercise for teaching the repeated fingering of 1-2-1 has the sub-title “Round Trip.” Another piece with an ascending and descending melodic pattern has a descriptive title, “Climbing Mountain.”
With these students will be able to link the notes in the piece and images that they picture from the descriptive subtitle. These titles are helpful to students, because when they find a personal connection with the piece they find it easier to add expression. Although
Miyoshi’s method contains a very small repertoire suitable for performance, the exercises
with subtitles can do double duty as etude and as performable repertoire. Students are
able to improve both technical skills and musical expression from a single work.
Each etude by Miyoshi contains a specific goal in mastering technical difficulty.
In the seventh volume extreme chromaticism begins to appear, and it can develop and
prepare useful technique for managing compositions by Chopin and Liszt (see Example
3).
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Example 3 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 73)
Each etude contains exercises for not only fast-note passages, but a lot of leaps (see
Example 4). This example has passages similar to Robert Schumann’s Symphonic Etude.
It is another example of Miyoshi providing technical training so that students can apply
the material to compositions outside the method.
Example 4 (Miyoshi) Miyoshi Piano Method (Schumann) Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13 vol. 6. p. 35
Much of the repertoire in Fabers’ method exhibits a lot of descriptive and
programmatic pieces to feature the Romantic style. They also rely heavily on sustained
pedal use. In fact, even the Baroque compositions have edited pedaling. In addition,
much biographical information on Romantic composers is introduced along with
arrangements of their opera tunes and symphony reductions.
D. Twentieth-Century
1. Miyoshi
Royal American Conservatory Examination (RACE)’s repertoire list for the
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twentieth century includes compositions by various composers starting from Bartok,
Kabalevsky, and Prokofiev to those from the last fifty years including living composers such as Robert Vandall and Robert Muczynski. Because the majority of compositions in this method are polyphonic and homophonic, we may instantly think that the repertoire is heavily focused on a Baroque style. However, the polyphonic exercise can also be useful for twentieth-century works such as Bartok’s Mikrokosmos. Mikrokosmos is composed of six volumes. The first contains canons at the unison in Dorian and Phrygian modes. The
second volume includes unison canons in Lydian and Mixolydian modes, and the third
volume includes canons in thirds and the sixths. The rest of the volumes continue to
increase the interval by a step. In Miyoshi’s method some compositions other than
contrapuntal polyphonic works include extreme use of octaves, hemiola, and percussive
articulations. The planing passages often found in Vandall’s compositions also appear, as
seen in Example 5a and b.
Example 5a (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6 Example 5b (Vandall, Modal Expressions p. 49) p. 2)
2. Faber
The Fabers mostly include tonal music of the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods. There is a small amount from the twentieth century, many in the style of blues
and ragtime. The closest composition to style of the twentieth century (consisting of the
percussive articulations, syncopations, and frequent meter changes) appears in “Rhythm
Flight” from Level 5 (see Example 6).
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Example 6 (Piano Adventures, Level 5, p. 50)
E. Others
1. Non-traditional repertoire
In addition to repertoire of the four musical periods, both Miyoshi and the Fabers
include vernacular music, particularly works that represent their own or other ethnic cultures. Fabers’ repertoire choices are diverse. The variety of ethnic music such as a
Mexican dance tune and Japanese traditional tunes such as “Sakura” are included in addition to American songs such as “America the Beautiful” and other compositions by
American composers (for example, Louis Armstrong). Just as the Fabers value domestic compositions, Miyoshi inserts a chapter introducing the brief history of Japanese music and the domestic solfege syllables Ha(C) Ni(D) Ho(E) He(F) To(G) Ee(A) Ro(B) Ha(C).
2. Accompanying repertoire
Accompaniments to students’ parts are included in both methods and provide
more benefits: 1) students will gain collaborative performing skills; 2) the
accompaniment creates an entertaining environment in the lesson; 3) the accompaniment
musically leads students’ music; 4) the accompaniment changes the monophonic tune to
homophonic.
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Because Miyoshi understands the importance of accompanying he includes relevant activities beginning with the second volume. In addition to the accompaniment materials for teachers, through the training of the accompanying exercise Miyoshi hopes to produce students who can serve both as soloists and as collaborative artists. Miyoshi seems to have a specific concern about today’s pianists’ attitudes toward accompanying.
In fact, he states that when he judged a competition he felt very disappointed that pianists did not show enough dedication in providing accompaniment for soloists.19 The serious
attitude toward accompanying is lacking among many solo pianists, and it often reflects
the pianists’ attitudes toward the competition.
There are two different opportunities for students to be associated with the studies
of accompanying. One is for them to experience accompanying their teacher, and the
other is to receive the accompaniment to their solo pieces from the teacher. The first
prepares students to play in an ensemble setting, and the second provides the training for
students to be aware of the concept of other textures even when their beginning pieces are
monophonic. One of the notable features of Miyoshi’s accompaniments appears in the
fact that the accompaniment travels from one register to another. In fact, because the
notes in the accompaniment shift very quickly from a low ledger-line bass to a high
ledger line in the treble register from time to time, teachers must stand behind students to
be able to reach both high and low registers at the same time.
On the other hand, in Fabers’ there are teacher’s accompaniments for each work,
but accompanying studies for students are absent. Students can build their ensemble skills
by playing with their teachers until the accompaniments are eliminated in Level 3B.
While Fabers’ students do not receive the equivalent of accompanying studies, because
19 Miyoshi, Miyoshi Net 13, 1.
28
Fabers’ compositions have lyrics students may exercise singing and playing to develop ensemble skills.
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V. Reading Approach
The two methods take very different ways to teach note reading. When students begin to learn to read music, most methods follow several common steps to identify notes, fingerings, and rhythms. Before beginning to read notes and fingerings, students should be fluent in naming the musical alphabet. When they start learning note reading, they first learn to locate each letter on the keyboard. Then they learn to read notes. In the staff- reading lesson they first learn to memorize a few landmarks. Usually, the G line in the treble register, the F line in the bass register, and middle C in the center of the grand staff are the most commonly chosen landmarks. By using these landmarks students can follow the musical alphabet to identify the rest of the notes.
As they practice note reading, a few fixed-hand positions like the C position
(placing the thumb of the right hand on middle C and the fifth finger of the left hand on the bass C) and the middle C position (placing both thumbs on middle C) are introduced.
In addition, other hand positions such as G, D, and F are typically chosen as popular method books like Alfred’s and Thompson’s do. Fixed positions make it easy for students to play each piece, because as long as they stay in a certain position they can play all the notes of the tunes. Reading finger numbers and playing within the fixed positions are much easier than trying to recognize notes on the staff and travel from note to note.
However, relying too much on the use of fixed positions may cause students to avoid reading. Instead they rely on finger numbers. In addition, because fixed positions always let the same fingers play the same notes, it occasionally causes students to get accustomed to memorizing certain fingers to use only for certain notes (i.e., second finger is always for D). Therefore, fixed positions are helpful in assisting beginners become
30
accustomed to playing the piano, but they must be careful not to over-use this fixed- position method. Because both Miyoshi’s and the Fabers’ methods were published fairly recently (Miyoshi’s in 1997 and Fabers’ 1993), they seem to have been able to compile the right amount of fixed-position examples and eliminate the risk of these problems.
A. Pitches
Most of the methods teach note-reading first in vertical spaces as the preliminary
teaching stage, and students read the vertically spaced notes that have only finger
numbers (see Example 7).
Example 7 (Piano Adventures, Primer, p. 15)
They are placed at different heights to indicate different pitches. However, instead of following this common procedure, Miyoshi immediately introduces middle C on the staff in the first lesson. He slowly expands the territory of the playing area from middle C. The first piece consists of all Cs, and the second piece consists of only Ds for the right hand and Bs for the left. Then the next piece contains only Es for the right hand and As for the left. Instead of teaching the notes in ascending order from middle C, Miyoshi prefers to increase the knowledge of notes by expanding in both directions higher and lower from middle C. Instead of teaching the landmarks, Miyoshi lets students play pieces that only consist of these six notes for the rest of the second volume.
As students improve note-reading ability, Miyoshi includes various finger-training pieces for these six fingers. He compiles challenging exercises by including various
31
combinations of step and skip intervals. One example of these interval changes can be viewed in Example 8.20
Example 8 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 2. p. 30)
At this point, the length of the piece is eight to sixteen or more measures. In these limited lengths Miyoshi includes effective elements to improve students’ reading ability. Frequent changes of these intervals will demand that students be alert and develop fast and accurate reading ability. Miyoshi’s exercises typically contain irregularity in fingerings, intervals, and patterns.
In the third volume Miyoshi introduces the rest of the notes, and students begin using all five fingers for the first time. He does not always give the same fingerings for the same notes. Therefore, students might place their hands in a different position for each piece.
In contrast to Miyoshi’s immediate instruction on teaching staff reading, the
Fabers take more gradual procedures to build reading ability. First students learn to memorize finger numbers. Then, gradually, half notes and whole notes are added for this type of exercise. After students get accustomed to reading these, the Fabers introduce seven letters and their fixed positions on the keyboard. Upon reaching this level most methods do not let students have a chance to play all seven notes until they master playing in both the C and G positions (which can take up to one volume). However, the Fabers let students play all of them in the first pieces (see Example 9a and 9b) while notes are still indicated in the heightened format.
20 Nancy and Randall Faber. Piano Adventures, 4. (Fort Lauderdale: FJH Music, 1993), 55.
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Example 9a Example 9b (Piano Adventures, Primer, p. 21) (Piano Adventures, Primer, p. 23)
After spending the whole unit with these vertically spaced notes and locating musical alphabets on the keys by coordinating the correct fingering, students finally proceed to the five-line staff. First middle C is introduced. Then, instead of expanding the note range around middle C as Miyoshi does, the Fabers introduce two additional landmark notes, G and F, and spend the whole unit with C, G, and F. It is not until the next unit that they teach the rest of the notes between middle C and G. Eventually these gradual increases allow students to be able to play pieces that use notes in the range of the bass C2 (second lowest C on the piano) to the treble G5 (one octave higher from the middle C on the piano) in the first volume.
B. Rhythm
The Fabers take a step-by-step approach in introducing rhythms; Miyoshi does
not. Just as he immediately inserts middle C when teaching note-reading, Miyoshi inserts
quarter and half notes into compositions from the beginning without explaining the
meaning and difference in them. A summary of rhythm can be found at the end of the
book in the second volume.
The use of fixed hand positions can cause the risk of reducing reading ability, so
the Fabers blend both fixed and non-fixed from the early stages. Because fixed position
provides students an easier was to get accustomed to playing the piano, they start their
33
instruction with fixed hand positions; however, the Fabers instruct students to move away from using it. For example, in “Learning Middle C” in Example 10, students are asked to
switch fingerings to play the same middle C three times, and they practice changing the
hand position.
Example 10 (Piano Adventure, Primer, p. 32)
Because every piece begins with a different finger, students will need to learn to pay
attention to both notes and fingering. Fabers’ method inserts a blank section under each
fingering so that students can supply the note for the first fingering of the piece (see
Example 11). This way students will gain constant practice in paying attention to both
fingering and notes and will be accustomed to thinking of the first fingering and the note
through repeated practice. This should become a habit.
Example 11 (Piano Adventures, Primer, p. 58)
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VI. Musicianship
A. Key Selections
It is important to choose a method that contains compositions in various keys because keys can greatly affect mood. Students need to receive much training in adjusting to certain moods or feelings for each piece.
Different methods contain different ratios of major to minor keys. Miyoshi carefully inserts an equal number of them in each volume. Every time he introduces a new key, he immediately introduces its relative minor. On the other hand, the Fabers introduce only major keys in the first three books up to Level 2. They do not introduce minor-key chords until Level 3B, and relative major and minor scales until Level 4.
B. Musicality
To produce students with fine musicianship, each method should teach students to be able to hear the sound first, then to transform the mental sound to actual sound production. In order to transform they should also understand various types of tones so that they will be able to distinguish the use of different qualities for different expression.
Fine musicianship skills should also include the ability to follow the expression markings on the score, to interpret them accurately, and play them with various tone qualities.
Additional music history and theory knowledge are also helpful for performance refinement.
Teaching to read expression markings is as important as note and finger reading.
Therefore, both Miyoshi and the Fabers indicate musical expressions in their native languages for the first three volumes. Then, from the fourth volume they begin using professional terminology. Dynamic markings that appeared as “louder” or “gradually
35
less” now appear crescendo and decrescendo. The same approach is applied to tempo markings. As they both gradually increase their use of professional terminologies, those
terms are compiled in the glossary and appear at the end of each volume.
Throughout the method Miyoshi contributes enormous effort to instructing the
importance of tone making. Miyoshi constantly teaches students to be sensitive in
listening to sound quality. In one of the first lessons in the first volume, Miyoshi
frequently asks students to play one passage in various ways of touching the keys–patting,
pushing, and hitting. Then he lets students discover that different touches create different
sounds. In the third volume he also asks students to play the same passage with different
fingerings and asks why they think different fingerings produce different sounds. After
students discover that some fingers are weaker than others, Miyoshi asks students to play
all the notes to sound the same no matter which fingerings or passages they are playing.
Every issue of Miyoshi Net magazine seems to stress this importance of tone making.
One of the examples is from the report from Miyoshi’s masterclass. He said to a boy,
“please send your special care to the piano.”21 Miyoshi instructs students to hear the
sound they want first, and then try to match the actual sound to the one they heard
mentally. This is a continuous battle for pianists at all levels, and unlike other methods
Miyoshi begins giving this training to students from an early stage. Playing a note is
relatively easy business, but equalizing the note value or producing the appropriate tone
quality for each passage is a hard job that pianists at all levels must master. The Fabers do
not provide instructions on tone making. Instead they insert a few sentences for each
repertoire throughout the series, giving information on music history, theory (particularly
21 Miyoshi, Miyoshi Net 13, 11.
36
musical forms), ways of practicing, or suggested images that students should have for particular selections.
As each author tries to improve students’ musical expression, students will need to have knowledge of music theory and history. Miyoshi often includes chapters that have blended instruction of these two subjects. For example, in the sixth volume, as the chapter discusses the existence of cadences, Miyoshi begins explaining that cadences originally came from Western music, and then he inserts a section introducing historical information on Western music and the piano.
C. Historical Approach
As each method introduces various styles of repertoire, it is important to teach the history of keyboard instruments, composers, and their stylistic differences. The Fabers emphasize this by providing brief biographical information on J.S. Bach, Elgar, Grieg,
Louis Armstrong, and the representative style of each composition in the method.
Because Miyoshi’s method does not contain other composers’ works, it does not provide any biographical information onthem. Instead of introducing composers Miyoshi talks about various topics including the history of the piano, the varying advantage of playing the piano instead of harpsichord or organ, current issues of contemporary musicians, and
adopting both classical (Western) music and Japanese-style music in their study.
D. Theoretical Approach
Compared to the enormous amount of theory materials that the Fabers include in
their workbooks, Miyoshi includes just a small amount. Therefore, Fabers’ students learn
theory with hands-on experience, whereas Miyoshi’s learn it through description that
37
accompanies each piece and do not have enough chance to learn and practice theory in writing exercises. On the other hand, the Fabers’ theory books contain many discovery activities that involve a lot of exercise writing for students to comprehend each new element in an entertaining environment in lessons or at home. For example, in the chapter on learning pitch students are asked to think about the different pitches that birds, horses, and gorillas make. This activity may seem not to be related to music, but animal sounds can be linked to the sounds of each register of the piano. They can discover that just as each animal produces a different pitch, the piano also produces different pitches in various registers.
Miyoshi’s method does not have a separate theory book, and he provides very few activities in lesson books for students to write in compared to Fabers’ theory book. There are exercises like drawing a few sharps while they learn sharps or to define and write in the key of each piece when they proceed to the fourth volume. Compared to Fabers’, only small portions of theory are inserted into the main book, but Miyoshi teaches this subject in great detail and describes the structure of scales, triads, and musical forms including sonata, binary, and ternary along with the important cadences and modulations that are included in these forms. In addition to introducing theory in repertoire, he provides small portions of additional explanation or tables to teach the concept of intervals, triads with
Roman numerals, and major and minor scales.
Although there are no separate theory books, some of Miyoshi’s works are composed for the purpose of theory training. For example, useful passages to gain skills in transposition are included in the fifth volume (see Example 12a and b). Miyoshi includes repetitive and sequential passages in the exercises. Those passages are gradually transposed to different keys or to a different hand position and contain features similar to
38
Hanon’s exercises. The method does not contain transposition exercises in any chapters, but students will receive introductory knowledge of transposition from them.
Example 12a Example 12b (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 30) (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 48)
E. Supplemental material
Supplemental textbooks are available for both methods. Fabers’ method also
provides additional collections called Children’s Songs, Christmas, Classics, Hymns,
More Popular, Ragtime & Marches, and Rock ‘n Roll. Miyoshi’s method also suggests
two supplemental repertoire books, Oto no Mori and Hibiki no Mori.
Miyoshi Piano Method does not have MIDI accompaniment discs available for
students to play the main repertoire; however, CDs of repertoire are available for
Miyoshi’s method. For Fabers’, optional orchestrated accompaniments that go along their
Lesson Books are available on CD. The accompaniments are played in both the practice and performance tempo for each work. In addition to the CD, MIDI orchestrations are
also available with the sounds of various ensembles such as orchestra, jazz band,
marching band, and rock combo.22
22
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PART TWO
I. Progressive Speed
Each skill level of the Fabers’ method has four separate books in the categories lesson, theory, performance, and technique and artistry. Although studying from four different books may overwhelm students with assignments and be costly, when students use all four selections they will be studying a balanced curriculum for each unit.
Miyoshi’s method uses only one textbook for each level. Because Miyoshi incorporates all four categories into one textbook, each category is limited; therefore, his primary focus is to develop technique and strengthen fingers rather than provide the necessary emphasis on performance and theory. However, the Fabers include theory books for students to engage different types of learning processes in hearing, seeing, writing, sight singing, and other activities. By writing the answers to the questions in the Fabers’ theory book, students’ visual learning is stimulated so that they memorize and retain theory information easily. However, it is difficult for Miyoshi’s students to recall the material learned because it is discussed briefly, but review exercises are not included. In Miyoshi’s, only a small amount of theory is provided but the technical-studies aspect is much more advanced. The challenging fingerings and passages in the Miyoshi method provides tools to produce virtuoso players.
In this chapter I will conduct an analysis comparing the two methods. The
progressive speed in the two methods will be compared based on the same leveling
system.
There are a few different leveling systems available in the United States offered by
Jane Magrath in The Pianist's Guide to Standard Teaching and Performance Literature;
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the Illinois Piano Teacher’s Association; the Royal Conservatory of Music Examinations
(RCME) of Canada; and the Royal American Conservatory Examinations (RACE). I selected the RACE system to conduct my research because twenty-four state organizations are involved in this system in the United States.23 After two state
organizations, MTNA Ohio (OMTA) and the music teacher’s association in
Massachusetts (MMTA) became the first states to adopt the system, twenty-two other
state joined and the program is currently still expanding. Therefore, RACE seems to be the most commonly adopted system nationwide. Every subject that either Miyoshi or the
Fabers introduce is also found in RACE.
23
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II. RACE
Royal American Conservatory Examination (RACE) is a certificate program that encourages students to challenge and achieve their personal goals in a non-competitive manner. Students can set their own paces and disciplines in mastering each level. Upon doing so RACE provides certificates, awards, and occasionally scholarships. Because examinations are given to students throughout the United States, students with RACE certificates can be recognized nationally by many professional organizations and schools even at the university level.
RACE was created based on Royal Conservatory of Music Examination (RCME) in 2003. Both RACE and RCME are certificate programs that originate from the same school, the British Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), which is recognized as one of the most renowned music schools in the world. RCM first established RCME in Canada in 1886, then it was used for guidelines to establish RACE in the United States in 2003.24
RCME and RACE contain almost identical requirements; however, RACE includes two additional introductory levels, Primary A and B. These additions made the program open to younger or beginner students. The syllabus of RCME’s first grade exam includes compositions from the Fabers’ Level 3A, but RACE can be given to students who are at
Level 2A. This certificate program also provides advantages to teachers. By following the
RACE requirement they do not need to create their own curriculum to provide well- balanced instruction for their students.
RACE divides grading into twelve levels plus two additional diploma courses,
Performer’s ARCT and Teacher’s ARCT (certification as an Associate of the Royal
Conservatory of Music). Once they have completed all twelve previous levels, students
24
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can audition for the diploma courses. The requirements for each level are listed precisely on the RACE syllabus: technique, ear training, sight-reading, and repertoire from the
Baroque, Classical, Romantic, twentieth century, and ethnic music from different cultures.
At ARCT levels the grading requirements become tremendously difficult, and each evaluation is graded in the concert setting. RACE not only requires polished performance but also the ability to show individuality. Because the content of this level is very demanding, RACE encourages students to take a minimum of two years for preparation prior to auditioning for the ARCT examination. Repertoire for this level is frequently played by college piano majors and includes large keyboard works by Bach, Beethoven,
Brahms, Chopin, Liszt, and twentieth-century composers including Alan Rawsthorne,
Robert Muczynski, and George Rochberg (see Example 13). Currently, more than 17,000 teachers and over 100,000 students are involved in either RACE or RCME.25
Students may audition for teacher’s ARCT after passing the performer’s ARCT
exam. The teacher’s ARCT certificate sanctions the student’s excellent performing ability
and knowledge of theory and history, and recognizes that one is well qualified to serve as
an instructor. Requirements include five compositions chosen from Grade 9-10, scale
skills, ear tests, and written tests requiring several essays on pedagogy-related questions,
theory, and history tests.
25 Royal American Conservatory Examination, 3.
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Example 13 (RACE, Piano Syllabus 2004, p. 91)
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III. Comparison: two methods with the RACE grading system
In this chapter, the rate of progress of Miyoshi’s and Fabers’ methods will be
compared by referring to RACE’s grading system. First, I will compare the content of the
introductory level without referring to the RACE system. Once Miyoshi’s and Fabers’
introductory materials reach the equivalent level of the first grade of RACE, I will begin
comparing the two methods by referring to RACE’s grading system. The three areas of focus for this comparison analysis are: the difficulty in interpreting repertoire including reading level and musicianship; technique gained from scales, chords, arpeggios, and exercise pieces; knowledge of music history and theory including melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic dictation, and sight-reading.
A. Prior to RACE Preparatory A
Prior to reaching the Preparatory A level, both methods teach students to be fluent in note reading, to comprehend basic rhythms like quarter, half, dotted-half, and whole notes, and play pieces of twelve to sixteen measures. Both methods cover these subjects in their first two volumes.
It is common for many methods to teach the correct sitting posture, hand shapes,
and finger numbers in the first few pages. From there students begin to play on the piano
and slowly develop finger strength and reading ability with simple rhythms based on quarter, half, and whole notes. In fact, the Fabers’ method follows this approach.
Miyoshi’s method immediately shows its distinguishing element by inserting unusual
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activities prior to teaching general playing. Instead of immediately taking students to the piano, Miyoshi takes the time to familiarize them with physical exercises. He begins the lesson by having students stand up and release body tension by breathing and counting.
Miyoshi teaches students to lift their shoulders high while they inhale and drop their shoulders as they release the air. Throughout this exercise Miyoshi expects students to maintain relaxed arms, hands, and shoulders. In the next breathing exercise he teaches students to explore abdominal breathing. Upon mastering the abdominal breathing exercise, Miyoshi blends counting with it. The purpose of this exercise is to discover a
relaxed body condition and to teach the fundamental skill of phrase making. These
exercises help students to discover a relaxed physical awareness and can prevent injuries, as advanced repertoires require more physical involvement.
After mastering these exercises Miyoshi invites students to the piano. The relaxed
arms that they discover from the physical exercises must be kept at this time, and he
continues to introduce several more warm-up exercises for hands and body. Because he
spends a great amount of time teaching physical condition, it is not until the second volume where he allows students to play short tunes that most other methods, like the
Fabers’, introduce in the first lesson. Flexible wrists and curved fingers are taught with step-by-step procedures in inserted pictures. There are many teachers able to teach the correct notes and rhythms but not able to teach correct postures and hand shapes to the
students. Because these pictures show every physical motion precisely, imitating every
motion of these pictures can prevent the risk of developing incorrect posture. The pictures
teach mainly wrist motions, correct arm position, and finger shapes.
The curving-finger rule is usually mentioned at the beginning of the first book in many methods. However, most of the method books do not stress the importance of this
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after the introductory chapter. Considering the fact that curving fingers can be extremely
difficult to get accustomed to for beginners, Miyoshi spends a great amount of time
giving instructions on establishing correct finger shapes. For example, it is common to
mention to students that they must curve the first and second fingers just like other
fingers, but most teachers have probably never explained or thought about a gulf-like
shape in the arch that the two fingers make inside when they curve fingers that Miyoshi
explains in Example 14.
Example 14 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 1, p. 52)
After teaching physical exercises and correct posture, Miyoshi continues to train
students in a new area, teaching to produce sensitive tones through many different
activities. For example, one of the obvious discovering activities appears in the first volume. This activity has the nickname “Gorilla,” named by Shoko Kusuhara, one of the active teacher trainers for the Miyoshi Piano Method. In this gorilla exercise students are repeatedly asked to drop their arms and hands carelessly on the keyboard and make a loud sound. Because the sound will be very loud and rough, children can imagine that they are being a large gorilla playing the piano. The purpose of this activity is to discover
the relaxed arm even when playing loud, but not to be tight in the arms and shoulders.
They are also told to keep relaxed arms and never to force keys. Throughout this exercise students discover that they can produce a big sound even when arms are relaxed.
If students drop their arms by their sides and observe the shape of their relaxed hand, they will realize that each finger is curved in the arch shape. It can be a very
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confusing matter for students to understand that they must curve fingers but their arm must be relaxed. In fact, I recall being very confused in my childhood. I was able to hold the shape of an arch if I held my arms and hands tight, but when I released the tension in the arms I was not able to keep my fingers curved. My teacher simply explained to me that I must hold a spoon without any tension so I should be able to do the same in piano, but this explanation did not help me to have both firm hands and relaxed arms. This entertaining Gorilla Exercise is unique, where students can discover both relaxed arms and firm fingers.
After finding the correct condition of the arms and hands in the Gorilla Exercise, students are led to discover the differences in harsh tone and beautiful tone. Instead of telling students to play gently and producing good tones, they are asked to play the same passages many different ways. Students are encouraged to think through and come up with several different ways to play the passage. They can be played in various ways by changing touches. Throughout this exercise they realize a different sound comes out of the piano, depending on the way that they touch the keys,. Anyone can memorize the finger numbers, manage correct subdivision of the rhythm, and learn different dynamic levels, but to have sensitive listening skills and be able to produce a good sound is often ignored in instruction for young children.
It may seem that the progressive speed of Miyoshi’s method may be slow and students may feel frustrated to spend a lot of time on the physical exercises in the first volume, but it is important to understand that these exercises are so valuable that even professional pianists can repeat them for daily practice sessions. Miyoshi explains that
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the basic concept in this method was built upon his belief that whether one is a professional or an amateur, students should be treated in the same serious manner.26
In both methods the first playing lesson teaches finger numbers, correct hand position, and finger shapes. They also teach the layout of the keyboard, the left side containing low registers and the right side containing higher registers. Miyoshi explains this information only through a written statement, but the Fabers let students discover them through playing the repertoire. The first four pieces in Fabers’ method are written for black keys. Each of them asks to find only the two black-key or the three black-key groups over the several registers. Because all black keys look alike to small children, finding these correct two and three black-key groups are challenging. Students are expected to play them fluently with the correct hand position, finger shapes, and fingerings. As they play several different registers, they will discover that each register produces different pitches in octaves. The Fabers include this activity, but Miyoshi’s pieces let each hand stay in a one-octave range, so students do not get to discover the pitch differences that Fabers’ students do.
In Fabers’ method, after understanding the layout of the keyboard and differences in pitches, students learn rhythms such as quarter, half, and whole notes. Because they cannot read notes on the staff lines at this point, all notes are labeled with letters. With this limited knowledge they are able to play easy tunes like “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
26 Akira Miyoshi, Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 1 (Tokyo: Kawai Press, 1998), 3.
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and “Old McDonald Had a Farm.” As they begin to play these easy tunes, notes that are labeled with letters begin to appear in different heights on the page. They realize that as the pitch goes higher, the notes are placed higher on the staves. Through these heightened note readings, they begin to play all seven white keys.
Upon Fabers’ students graduating from heightened reading, the landmark method is introduced as part of the introduction to staff reading. The Fabers teach three main landmarks on the grand staff middle C (C4), middle G (G4), and bass clef F (F3). After
students have enough practice recognizing these landmarks, the Fabers gradually
introduce the rest of the notes starting from the right-hand area. Miyoshi uses none of
these gradual-step approaches, but immediately shows notes on the actual five-line staff,
and students are expected to memorize them.
The Fabers and Miyoshi successfully solved the problem of previous methods
relying heavily on the use of the fixed positions and inserting repertoire consisting of
unbalanced participation of the two hands. Although the use of fixed positions causes
problems, the Fabers use them until introducing heightened note reading. In the primary
level, except for one piece, “Best Friend,” which chooses the middle E position, all the
other compositions are structured in the way that as long as they place their hand in the
middle C position (by placing their thumb on C4), they are able to play by having no
trouble finding the notes. The Fabers use fixed positions because they make the playing
easy for these introductory-level students. As I have explained, the importance of
emphasizing the positive element of piano studies to students is demonstrated by how the
Fabers attract students by including easy activities (which do not require hand position
changes) in the first volume to make students have a positive impression of piano studies.
Then once students graduate from the first volume, they decrease the use of the fixed-
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position method and begin moving away from it. In fact, in the first unit in Level 1, four out of nine pieces are in the non-fixed position. Some students may find it uncomfortable to change fingerings or to move out of the fixed position, but the Fabers insert these changes into fun pieces like “Mexican Jumping Beans” and let students have enough practice in getting accustomed to this change.
In “Mexican Jumping Beans” students are asked to play a pentascale passage in two ways. 1) One is to play the piece with the regular middle-C-position fingering; the other is to play the entire piece with only the third finger. 2) The second way is unusual and unique; many of my students enjoy it, and they become familiar with moving away from using fixed positions. Another piece that provides similar training and successfully moves out of fixed position is “The Haunted Mouse.” Throughout the piece students stay in the middle C position, but at the end they must play the lowest note of the piano, a note that even professional pianists rarely play. Because of the following reasons students do not realize the difficulty in moving out of fixed position: play the low note, the sound being very low, so it is the note that students have always been curious about; and the activity is entertaining. As students proceed to further units in this volume, the Fabers extend the traveling range of each hand by teaching more notes in different registers.
There are indications like “Move to Middle C position” toward the end of the book, and they show that some students still need to look for keys according to the hand position, but the Fabers definitely include fewer exercises of fixed positions at this level.
In Miyoshi’s method, because all the pieces in the first volume are inserted for the purpose of physical exercise, studies of the music alphabet and note-reading do not begin until the second volume. When Miyoshi teaches note reading he immediately inserts middle C. Then he introduces only two more notes for each hand (A and B for the left
51
hand and D and E for the right). Therefore, the traveling distance for each hand is limited to the five notes of the middle C position.
Because Miyoshi’s students are only taught to play these five notes between the two hands in the second volume, his melodies must contain a variety of combinations of seconds or thirds in broken intervals or two-note chordal accompaniment to make the melodies interesting. On the other hand, compared to Miyoshi’s method, pieces in
Fabers’ Level 1 teach more intervals including fourths and fifths as well as basic structures of triads and the concept of sharps and flats. In addition, at this point Fabers’ students are also able to play C and G pentascales and their tonic triads in root position.
Just as Miyoshi introduces middle C without any explanation, he also introduces quarter and half notes in the same way. The only instruction that Miyoshi gives regarding the concept of each rhythm is presented in his brief summarized charts and in the appendix at the end of the book. Assuming that most students may not have had any sort of additional music instruction in their school or other preparation to this point, it is suggested that teachers give extra guidance for the basic concepts of this subject.
At the completion of Fabers’ primer level and Miyoshi’s second volume, students will be able to play works of both duple and triple meters consisting of step and skip intervals. Their melodies also consist of quarter, half, and whole notes, and equivalent rests. Both methods also contain descriptive or programmatic titles for each composition to develop musical expression.
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Each method contains notable elements that the other method does not have. The
Fabers include pieces that have introductions. For example, in “Yankee Doodle” a four- measure introduction is added before the main theme and functions as a practice that students can later apply to advanced repertoire such as Beethoven’s sonata, Op. 78 in F- sharp Major and Chopin’s Nocturne in C-sharp Minor (Op. posthumous). In Miyoshi’s solo works, as students advance in their reading skills more technical exercises are introduced to raise pianism. One example is the “glue” technique that Miyoshi develops in the early stage. This terminology, “glue,” was originally introduced to me by Rita
Hauck in 2001; Rita is a certified teacher trainer of the Suzuki method in Cincinnati,
Ohio. As seen in Example 14, the repeated notes for the right hand require physical lifting, and it makes most students want to lift the left hand with the right hand though the
passage for the left hand must be played legato.
Example 15 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 2, p. 42)
To avoid this problem, the glue technique must be taught. It can teach students to imagine
that their left-hand fingertips are glued the key, so that the right hand is free to jump
while the left hand plays legato. For the first time experiencing the glue method, it is the
best to go over it slowly, note by note.
Because Miyoshi’s method allows only the three fingers of each hand to play in
the first two volumes, students and teachers can provide a great amount of attention to
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establishing correct form and repeated practice in reading notes. However, considering the fact that the fourth and the fifth fingers are naturally the weakest, one may question if the training of these weak fingers should be delayed for the entire volume.
B. Level Preparatory A
The equivalent content of RACE’s Preparatory A requirement is introduced
approximately in the third book of both methods, Miyoshi’s third volume and the Fabers’
Level 2A. At this level students must be able to play compositions in 3/4 and 4/4 meters
in a minimum of twelve measures. In addition, students must demonstrate pentascales
and the tonic triad in root position for C, F, and G major, and A minor from each hand
separately, and comprehension of eighth, quarter, half, and whole-note rhythms. This
knowledge can be shown through performance of pieces, rhythmic and melodic dictation,
and testing of sight-reading.
RACE’s repertoire list includes compositions from Fabers’ Level 2A; therefore,
2A students are definitely eligible to meet the RACE’s Preparatory A level in the
repertoire section. On the other hand, compared to Fabers’ Miyoshi’s students study less
material at this level. For example, RACE requires students to demonstrate sharps, flats,
and eighth notes that Miyoshi students do not know at this point. However, because his
repertoire requires advanced technique that neither RACE nor the Fabers require at this
point, the performing level can still be placed at the equivalent level of RACE.
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One example of the advanced technique that Miyoshi teaches at this level is
polyphonic playing. RACE does not require contrapuntal works at this level. In fact, in
one of the required RACE pieces, “Rock Around the Clock,” the entire music is
monophonic and does not include a change of fixed position. On the other hand, Miyoshi
begins to insert two independent lines in canonic passages. This practice functions as
preparation for Baroque compositions. Just as many of Bach’s fugues that consist of an
open fifth at the beginning of the subject, many of Miyoshi’s subjects also begin with this
interval, which is a new one since only the second and third (both major and minor) are
taught in the previous level.
In Fabers’ method all compositions are written in longer duration of up to
twenty-eight measures for this level. Because only the pentascales are introduced to
students in this level, and students do not know the finger-crossing technique that the
octave scale requires, most melodies in the Fabers’ works stay in the five-note range.
Other new features for this level include the use of eighth notes.
In Fabers’ Level 2A, pentascales on C, D, G, and A major and their parallel minors
are introduced. Students also learn finger-crossing in the last piece of this level.
Compared to RACE, the only item that the Fabers fail to include in this level is the ability
to play the F-major pentascale.
In Miyoshi’s method students are previously taught to play only pentascales, but octave scales are introduced through repertoire at this level. However, because students
55
are accustomed to using the five-finger position at this point, students must play all seven notes by shifting a hand position. Not every method includes teaching of this hand- shifting technique, but it is important to introduce it because it functions as the
preliminary stage of learning finger-crossings. In hand-shifting exercises, when they play a C-major scale, instead of tucking the thumb under other fingers to prepare to play the next note with the thumb they must move the whole hand to take the thumb to the next note. Miyoshi makes this exercise more effective in Example 16 by blending it with canonic passages. The two hands contain different parts and show no patterns, but students are asked to control the two separate activities simultaneously. The hand-shifting practice is not composed for thumb shifting in this exercise but for finger-shifting of 5 to
2 as seen in measure 3.
Example 16 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 3, p. 36)
These exercises are introduced primarily as preparation to studying finger-crossing, but
this technique itself can also be useful in actual repertoire. It appears in various
compositions, starting with the intermediate repertoire of Heinrich Lichner’s “A Short
Story” (see Example 17a) to the advanced repertoire of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.1
Example 17a Lichner, “A Short Story”
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Example 17b Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 1
Miyoshi teaches hand-shifting technique to prepare students to play scales, whereas the
Fabers focus only on pentascales. Most of the notes in their melodies also stay in the five- finger position. The only time they move slightly out of this position is when they move fingers by a half step (i.e., changing F to F-sharp). The first finger-crossing passage is introduced in the last piece of the book, but Fabers’ approach does not apply this technique to scales until Level 2B.
Students in the Miyoshi method receive training in controlling all fingers to produce even tones, and exercises like Example 18 are given to improve this technique.
Example 18 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 3, p. 30)
For instance, in Example 18, regardless of which hands or fingers they use, students are required to control their fingers to produce an identical sound. Then Miyoshi asks students to play C, B, A, and G with each hand one at a time, then asks if they realize any differences in the tone or physical and finger strength between the hands. Students soon realize the difficulty in evening out all fingers. This type of exercise trains students’
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listening skills and prepares them to be able to smooth out melodic lines, which can be
useful for polyphonic genres.
The Fabers include transposition exercises in the music theory category, as
students are asked to transpose a piece from C to G major. Transposition exercises are not
included in the Miyoshi method, but general terms (ritardando, rallentando, fermata) and
four dynamic levels (f, mf, mp, and p) are taught for the first time.
There are two major weaknesses that I observed in these methods for this level.
The first lies in Fabers’ key choices for their compositions. Although students learn major
and minor pentascales at the end of Level 2A, their pieces are mainly written in major
keys. In fact, only four compositions out of 31 are written in A minor in the entire
volume. Because the choice of keys has one of the strongest impacts to create the mood
(expression) for each piece, students definitely need to practice playing both major- and
minor-key compositions.
The second problem appears in the technical instruction that both methods provide. New articulations, slur and staccato, are introduced. However, other than inserting these articulations in their compositions, both Miyoshi and the Fabers seem to lack giving enough detailed instruction for precise physical motions. Although Miyoshi is very precise in teaching every movement for each hand in previous volumes, when he introduces staccato for the first time in this volume, he does not provide detailed instruction for physical movements. When I attended a teacher training session for the
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Suzuki Method, I once heard that Dr. Suzuki would tell students to come up with ten different staccatos. Because staccato can be played in many different ways by differing touches like wrist staccato, finger staccato, and arm staccato, students will need to receive more precise instruction on what type of staccato they should be practicing. Similarly, the
Fabers include a small paragraph before each composition to hint at certain topics that they want students to be aware of. These paragraphs include sentences like “This piece uses only fingers 1 and 3”27 or “A phrase is a musical idea. Draw in phrase marks in the piece below.”28 However, neither of them includes specific instructions on physical
movement.
c. Level Preparatory B
In RACE Preparatory B, students must perform three pieces of contrasting styles: one having the dominant part for the left hand; another having the dominant part by the right hand; and a third selection of their choice. Students must also demonstrate technical skills in performing pentascales on D, E, and A major, D and E minor hands separately, and one-octave scales on D, F, G, and A natural minor hands separately. Only C major is asked to be played by both hands in contrary motion. Tonic triads required at the previous
level must be presented in root position, first inversion, and arpeggios in this level.
27 Nancy and Randall Faber, Piano Adventures Level 2A (Fort Lauderdale: FJH Music, 1993), 21.
28 Ibid.,16.
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Three pieces from Fabers’ Level 2B are included in the RACE repertoire list, and they confirm that Faber’s Level 2B can be considered the equivalent level of Preparatory
B of RACE. In technique only, the A-minor scale requirement of RACE is missing in
Fabers’ method. By comparing the progressive speed of the two methods, Miyoshi’s shows a slower rate than does Fabers’. In fact, the sharps and eighth notes introduced in the previous level for Fabers’ technique are finally introduced at this level in Miyoshi’s method. The five-note scale on F-major and A-minor scales and arpeggios that RACE requires are not taught at this level by Miyoshi. There are elements that Fabers’ have that are not in Miyoshi. However, because of the repertoire, difficulties consisting of extreme leaps and contrapuntal compositions provide extra technical strength and substantiate that
Miyoshi’s fourth volume is the equivalent level to Preparatory B of RACE.
Students in Fabers’ Level 2B develop further skills in note reading and technique.
Ledger-line reading is introduced for the first time, and the reading range is extended from two to four octaves. After introducing ledger-line reading, almost every piece in the rest of the volume includes at least one ledger-line note. Instead of having it in the middle of the piece, most have it at the end because it is easier for students to have enough time to read the notes and look for them on the keyboard. On the other hand, the repertoire that
RACE requires at this level does not always include ledger-line notes. In fact, two of the required pieces in RACE, “Go Tell Aunt Rhody” and “Good-Bye to Winter” from the
Suzuki Piano School series, do not contain any ledger-line notes. Therefore, Fabers’ students have more advanced knowledge than the average qualified Preparatory B students of RACE at this point.
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In addition, the sixth is introduced in Fabers’ method. Because five-finger positions allow students to easily find any interval up to the fifth, stretching hands to find the sixth becomes a challenge. The Fabers insert pieces that alternate sixths with fourths
and fifths. They seem also to pair staccatos and slurs quite frequently for students to be
able to distinguish them. The use of the damper pedal is also introduced, and many of the
pieces from unit 6 allow them to practice using the pedal.
Compared to Fabers’ selections, Miyoshi’s compositions are of shorter duration
and printed in larger sizes more like Fabers’ primary level. However, the actual content
includes advanced materials such as polyphonic training that students can apply to
Baroque compositions and accompanying other students. All compositions are written in
C and G major and their relative minors at this point.
The Fabers begin introducing arpeggios and scales for the first time in Level 2B.
Several two-octave major key arpeggios are introduced. Usually, the two-octave
arpeggios are played by one hand, but in Fabers’ a two-octave arpeggio requires two
hands as seen on Example 19.
Example 19 (Piano Adventures, Level 2B, p. 6)
Although the previous level introduces finger-crossing between the right-hand fingers 1
(playing C) and 2 (playing B-flat), the C-major scale teaches the first lesson where students learn to cross the thumb under the rest of their fingers for scale playing. As soon
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as the C-major scale is taught, the Fabers encourage memorization of the fingering. They also provide specific metronome markings and articulations. When students learn to play hands together, they may use the additional practice of C-major contrary motion as a prestage, which is inserted in the supplemental book of technique. Just as the Fabers teach the first scale in this level, Miyoshi also introduces passages that are similar to the
C-major scale. When he introduces finger-crossing technique he also blends the old technique of hand-shifting to make a gradual transition. There are exercises for single hand and for both hands for this technical exercise. Miyoshi inserts large numbers of single-hand etudes consisting of various combinations of scales, notes, and rhythms to also train scale-playing ability. Miyoshi’s exercises consist of challenging passages because they have the purpose of building certain techniques. Instead of inserting full scales, only the parts of the scale are coupled with various rhythmic exercises (see
Example 20a and 20b).
Example 20a (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 4, p. 32)
Miyoshi also inserts challenging fingering exercises like Example 20b.
Example 20b (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 8, p. 82)
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Students expand their vocabulary in Miyoshi’s fourth volume. For example, they learn terms crescendo, decrescendo, cantabile, and con spirito, and tempo markings
Moderato, Andantino, and Andante. He also inserts the same number of major and minor key pieces back to back, so that all compositions are written not only in the various keys but also in various meters. By the end of the fourth volume students will obtain advanced skills in identifying keys. They are all written either in major keys C and G or minor keys
A and E.
Fabers’ method inserts fewer terms than does Miyoshi’s, but their students explore compositions of various types like waltzes, marches, ethnic tunes, accompanying pieces, and reductions of symphonies. Traditional pieces such as “America” and other types of music such as blues seem to be included as the standard curriculum of current piano pedagogy like RACE. Even though jazz and blues are not written in traditional classical style, these genres can be used for teaching children because they still use traditional fingerings and chord progressions.
Musical forms binary and ternary are introduced to Fabers’ students. At this point students are not aware of the tonality difference that each section holds, but because of the obvious rhythmic and thematic differences they are able to realize other differences between the sections. The dominant seventh chord that they study in Level 1 only contained two notes (i.e., the dominant seventh of C major has only notes F and G).
However, in Level 2 the dominant chords include the third note (i.e., B, F, and G).
Students also begin playing the chord progression I-V7-I and become familiar with the
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sound of the V7 resolving to the tonic. As they also learn to play the progression I-IV-I-
V7-I they find these harmonic progressions in their pieces. At this point advanced
students may add the optional harmonic analysis practice for each piece and identify
musical forms.
In Miyoshi’s method, upon introducing the first sharp he includes a writing
exercise in the lesson book, asking students to draw a few F-sharps in both treble and
bass registers. In addition, students practice identifying the key for each composition, and
they are asked to write in the key as they determine the tonality.
Although I have mentioned positive features of Fabers’ method, there seem to be
two main problems. The first lies in the choice of fingerings. They insert simplified
fingerings that are not necessarily the traditional or most economical choices. For
example, when the new ledger-line Cs are introduced on the first page, students are asked
to play ascending Cs by using one same finger for all notes. When the two- and four-
octave arpeggios are introduced, the Fabers ask students to alternate the two hands
(although traditionally they are played by one hand), and suggest the fingering 1, 3, and 5
on each chord. These fingerings are even marked in the technique book.29 Students and
their teachers need to be aware that these fingerings are not commonly used. In addition,
the Fabers also give the same fingerings, 1, 3, and 5, very often to any triad, especially
when they appear consecutively as in Example 21.
29 Nancy and Randall Faber, Piano Adventures: Technique 2B (Fort Lauderdale: FJH Music, 1993), 33.
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Example 21 (Piano Adventures, vol. 2B, p. 33)
The second problem is that Fabers’ repertoire contains too many repetitive passages. For example, “Boxcar Rumble” (Example 22) contains only two chords. If students can read one measure of each, no further reading is required in the rest of the piece.
Example 22 (Piano Adventures, Level 2B, p. 11)
The Alberti bass of the Classical style seems to be one of the subjects absent in
Miyoshi’s method. Students of other methods receive appropriate studies for keeping balance between the right-hand melody and the left-hand Alberti bass, but Miyoshi’s students will not have the chance to study this topic. The closest exercise for this type of study appears only in compositions that let the left-hand have the chordal accompaniment with the right-hand melody. However, they do not contain the same difficulty that the
Alberti bass provides, because the chordal accompaniment requires very little activity of the hand and arm, and it makes it easy for the left hand to play softer.
I have mentioned the quality of exercises that Miyoshi inserts in his method.
However, because Miyoshi’s exercises can contain extremely complicated fingering choice, students also need to be aware that not all fingers that they use in each exercise are recommended to be used in their pieces. For example, in Example 23a most people would probably choose to use the third finger on the B in m. 3 and the second and third
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fingers for the last two notes (mm.7 and 8) since the tune is written in C major, and the
C-major scale-like passage is the base of this composition. However Miyoshi teaches them to use the fourth finger both times. These fingering choices are reasonable according to G-major fingering but not common for this particular case. Students will
need to realize that there are valuable exercise fingerings, but are not necessarily the
combinations that people commonly use.
Example 23 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 4, p. 64)
D. Grade 1
By the time students reach Grade 1 of RACE they are able to perform
intermediate pieces such as Bach’s Minuet in G, BWV 822 and Mozart’s Minuet in F major, K 2. The list of required repertoire excludes pieces that are in piano methods. In fact, the Fabers’ pieces are included in the previous levels of Preparatory A and B but are no longer included in the Grade 1 level. Preparing three pieces at this level is required.
Students must choose one piece from the Baroque or Classical periods, one Romantic or twentieth-century work, and one from the category of Inventions that includes works by contemporary composers. There are no specific regulations for the Romantic and twentieth-century compositions, but the Baroque and Classical categories require compositions to have melodies in the left hand. At this point students are asked to play one-octave scales in all keys with both hands in addition to pentascales in C, G, and D
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major, and A and E minor using each hand separately. In the previous level students are asked to play scales of quarter-note duration, but they are now asked to play in eighth- note subdivisions at a slightly faster tempo (in the previous level, it was quarter note=60 but Grade 1 is 69).
I will be referring to one of RACE’s required pieces, Mozart’s Minuet in F major,
to define the level of RACE. Then I will compare its content to compositions by Miyoshi
and the Fabers. It seems that Fabers’ 3A and Miyoshi’s fifth volume are the level of
RACE’s Grade 1. Minuet in F is in ternary form and consists of eighth, quarter, half, and
dotted-half notes. The finger-shifting and finger-crossing techniques are used frequently
because the traveling range of notes is expanded as left-hand notes occasionally leap to
an octave. In addition, students must be able to understand flats.
In this level Fabers’ method also begins to include traditional repertoires. In fact,
we begin to see familiar names such as Beethoven, Mozart, and Grieg. Their first
sonatina, by William Duncombe, an eighteenth-century composer, is included in this
volume. In addition to the sonatina of the Classical Era, the reductions of symphonies and
theater music, rag, and ethnic music such as Japanese folk tunes are included. They also
begin to insert small sections giving historical information on each work or composer.
Miyoshi starts the volume by explaining the concept of A-sharp and B-flat sharing
the same piano key. Then he increases chromaticism in compositions. The key is printed
above each composition so that students can be aware of it. Repertoire includes short,
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eight-measure pieces that ask for transposition to three keys, ensembles with teacher, melodic compositions that require long phrases (Example 24a), constant interval changes
(Example 24b), and studies of creating percussive articulations as in some contemporary pieces (Example 24c).
Example 24a (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 68)
Example 24b (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 104)
Example 24c (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 115)
Although there are compositions with syncopation or accents that may be helpful to learn works in rag styles, there are none that are composed in the harmony of domestic compositions like Japanese folk tunes that the Fabers include.
Miyoshi requires major scales to be played in two octaves for this level, but the
Fabers require only one octave for their level. In addition, while Miyoshi’s students study
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G and F major and their relative minors in all three forms, Faber’s students do not learn any minor scales. Instead, they teach the chromatic scales that Race does not require until
Grade 5.
Instead of studying musical form, Miyoshi’s students continue to study the relation between the tonality and the character and mood that each tonality produces.
They have previously practiced identifying the key aurally and now are asked to fill in the blank by writing expression and mood that each key sets. For example, in this level they also begin to play repertoire that includes extended registers of four octaves and catches up to the level that Fabers’ students master after studying Level 2A.
Miyoshi’s students seem to control the non-repetitive passages and large-interval leaps moderately well because of the exercises inserted for technical development.
Example 25a and b show that there are many exercises for training students to play wide leaps with difficult fingerings. These exercises should provide enough preparation for students to manage the repertoire of Grade 1 of RACE such as Mozart’s Minuet in F.
Example 25a (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 32)
Example 25b (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 64)
Example 25c Mozart, Minuet in F
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Although all compositions in his methods are written by Miyoshi, his repertoire is in various styles of the four musical periods. Miyoshi continues to insert training pieces for polyphonic compositions. Exercises like Example 26 teach polyphonic playing of the
Baroque repertoires.
Example 26 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 5, p. 39)
In addition, many exercises are homophonic in the Classical style. He also inserts
chromaticism frequently to represent the Romantic Era, and off-beat accents or
percussive playing to represent a twentieth-century style.
Miyoshi introduces modulations to major keys and their relative minors, and the
harmonic function of various cadences. After teaching students cadence progressions,
Miyoshi inserts a composition with six modulations and requires students to identify
those cadence points that confirm each one. The rest of the pieces in the volume also
contain at least one modulation in each composition. By the end of the fifth volume
students should be fluent playing or identifying C, G, D, and F major and their relative
minors.
In Faber’s students learn about ostinato bass, binary and ternary, the function of
coda (comprehend Da Capo al Coda), and one-octave arpeggios. The new interval of the
seventh is written out, introduced with the ostinato bass. On octave arpeggios on C, F,
and G major and D, E, and A minor are taught for each hand separately.
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Materials that RACE requires at this level are taught in the previous volume
(Level 3A) of Fabers’. However, because Fabers’ compositions tend to contain repetitive passages, their students will need to be aware that when they play repertoire by other composers they will need to pay attention to the score to adjust to sudden changes of notes and fingerings. The Minuet includes traditional fingering, but because Fabers’ students are accustomed to repetitive and simple fingerings it will be difficult for them to manage fingerings that change constantly. For example, in the opening passages of the
Minuet shown below, because the Fabers would tend to provide simple fingerings they would probably finger it as in Example 27.
Example 27 (Mozart Minuet in F)
Fabers’ students: 3511-3511-351?-?1
Traditional students: 3512-3512-3512-23
However, with this choice not only will they run out of fingers but also have a hard time playing pieces that contain constant changes like Example 27. By the time they reach the third motive they will run out of fingers.
I often am questioned by students about the necessity of these fingering changes.
Instead of having the same finger play a note repeatedly, by using multiple fingers the repeated notes will sound even in volume. It is a useful fingering technique that students will be able to apply to more advanced compositions such as the second movement of
Clementi’s C-major Sonatina (see Example 28).
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Example 28 (Clementi, Sonatina in C, second movement)
E. Grade 2
RACE’s Grade 2 materials are introduced in Fabers’ Level 3B and 4, and
Miyoshi’s sixth volume. In Grade 2 students are required to prepare three pieces of contrasting styles from categories Baroque and Classical, Romantic and Twentieth
Century, and Invention. Pieces like Aria in D minor by Bach and Ecossaise in F major,
WoO 86 by Beethoven represent the first category, and “Children at Play” from For
Children and “Little Dance in Canon Form” from Bartok’s Mikrokosmos represent the second category. Students are asked to show polyphonic playing skills in the last category,
Inventions, with genres like canon and fugato. In addition to this repertoire students must prepare a 30- to 60-second etude. The melodic dictation requires students to play back a five-note melody in C, F, or G and consisting of leaps of a third. The sight-reading melodies contain only quarter and eighth notes. Scale requirements are two-octave D, A, and F major, and the harmonic and melodic forms of A and D minor.
The Fabers start inserting traditional repertoire from the Baroque, suites and preludes Bach’s C-major Prelude. Classical genres sonatina, theme and variations, and
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Classical and Romantic arrangements such as “Bridal March” by Richard Wagner are also included in the collection. In the previous volume, the seventh is the largest interval, but the largest interval has been extended to the octave in this volume.
Compositions are much more chromatic and rhythmically complicated than in the previous volume (see Example 29).
Example 29 (Piano Adventure, vol. 3B, p. 26, 28)
Exercise pieces in Miyoshi’s method are still the center of the content in the volume.
When Miyoshi introduces a new rhythm such as triplets, he creates multiple variations of the same rhythm so that students have enough practice to become accustomed to it (see
Example 30).
Example 30 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 31)
At this point all Miyoshi’s pieces have descriptive titles, but they do not have any
explanation of the genre, form, or period. Most of them are one page long. Miyoshi also
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inserts duets that students can play with teachers. They are helpful exercises to teach students to be able to play sixteenth notes evenly and develop a sense of pulse to stay with the quarter notes in the teacher’s accompaniment (Example 31).
Example 31 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 112)
As technical ability has been developed to further levels in both methods, both
groups of students are able to demonstrate more major, minor, and chromatic scales.
Fabers’ students can demonstrate major and minor scales with one sharp or flat (A
harmonic and D-natural minor), and Miyoshi’s students can demonstrate those with three sharps or flats. In addition to these skills Miyoshi’s exercises continue providing a larger number of etudes than do Fabers’, and the content is much advanced. The widest leap is
the octave in Fabers’; Miyoshi includes larger intervals like the tenth, even the fourteenth.
Sometimes two different sets of leaps are inserted at the same time, and students are required to play one even before the other finishes (see Example 32).
Example 32 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 36)
There are exercises that require the same gravity from each finger to play every
note. It is highly challenging for young children; however, most exercises in the early
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volumes are manageable as in Japan where I observed five- and six-year-old students playing No. 134 of the sixth volume. This work was one of the required pieces for the
Miyoshi Piano Method Competition for Children held in Kariya City of Aichi Prefecture in Japan, December 2004. All contestants successfully managed the difficult finger- crossing 1-4.
Miyoshi also provides exercises that teach a variety of fingerings that are not as traditional as others. Example 33a and b in the seventh volume illustrate this category.
Example 33a (Miyoshi, vol. 7, p. 136)
Example 33b (Miyoshi, vol. 7, p. 136)
In addition, Miyoshi’s other exercises focus on building finger strength as shown in
Example 34.
Example 34 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 96)
The variety and combinations of fingerings provide useful choices that students
can apply to other repertoire that they are currently playing or will be working on upon
graduating the method.
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In Fabers’ method, because their compositions tend to be repetitive, students are accustomed to using the same fingers for consecutive triads. However, exercises like
Example 35 are introduced for students to move away from the finger style they are accustomed to.
Example 35 (Piano Adventure, Level 3B, p. 30)
Fabers’ method continues to expand students’ musical vocabulary with terms like
ostinato, sequence, motive, syncopation, and molto. These terms will enrich students’
awareness of the characters of pieces and increase expression. While the Fabers focus on
expanding knowledge of musical vocabulary, Miyoshi still writes out the terms in
Japanese. At this point only the tempo markings are in universal terms like Moderato,
Andante, and Allegro. Words like ostinato and sequence are not introduced in Miyoshi’s
method, but he focuses on theory and history more than do the Fabers.
While Fabers’ teaches only the basic triads I, IV, and V, Miyoshi introduces all
triads built on each scale degree of a C-major scale so that students learn seven different
diatonic triads at once. Because RACE does not require music theory or cadence playing
skills in this level, both Miyoshi’s and Fabers’ students are more advanced than the
students of RACE in these areas. In Fabers’ method, rather than putting their main focus
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on harmonic analysis they insert a large number of exercises that review melodic intervals and repertoire that includes binary, rounded binary, and ternary forms.
Because students already know the basic concepts of triads, Miyoshi inserts harmonic analysis activities and teaches how each chord that they already know appears in actual music. Miyoshi also inserts a discussion chapter, explaining the history of
Western keyboard music, Asian music, and the expectation that the society demands of
musicians (see more details on p. 18).
As more arranged music is inserted in the method, students must be aware of
whether the music is the original or the arranged version for each piece. In Fabers’ some popular pieces like Für Elise are arranged to easier versions so that students in this level can enjoy playing selections that they would not be able to play at their level. However, learning arranged versions can also be disadvantageous for students because they contain edited notes, articulation, and skipped or added sections. Some may think that they are original, and it often becomes necessary to learn the original version at later stages.
Learning the original versions may be more challenging, but because they have correct information it is more worthwhile to learn the original version or to wait until the student is ready to play the original.
An example of disadvantages of arrangements can be seen through Fabers’ version of Prelude in C, originally from the Well-Tempered Clavier. This version
contains edited articulations and pedaling. Students should learn how to bring out
motives and sequences in this type of music, but the method does not let students know
that the given articulations were only one way to interpret. The music also provides the
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historical information that represents the Baroque style and available instruments.
Without this information, if the Urtext version were given to students they would not be able to make their own judgments in selecting the playing style. However, in Miyoshi’s sixth volume students learn a brief history of piano music so that they may be able to make better judgments. Parts of the content in the sixth volume of Miyoshi will be carried through the next two evaluations of Grade 3 and 4 of RACE due to the overlap of the content.
F. Grade 3
Grade 3 in RACE continues to include works by major composers such as
Telemann, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, and Ginastera. In addition, the standard form of
Classical sonatina (by Beethoven, Biehl, and Clementi) and contemporary compositions by living composers like Norman Dello Joio and Yoshinao Nakada are listed. Grade 3 also asks students to prepare two etudes to demonstrate technical skills at the evaluation
(the previous level requires only one).
The sixth volume of Miyoshi and fifth volume of the Fabers (Level 5) seem to
include the equivalent material of RACE’s Grade 3. Repertoire like Sonatina Op. 36 No.
1 by Clementi and Arabesque from Burgmüller’s The Twenty-Five Easy Studies are
included in both Fabers’ and RACE. Reading skill that Miyoshi’s compositions require
for the sixth volume is much more advanced than this repertoire, but the topics he covers
(explained below) are equivalent to Grade 3.
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In addition to works by well-known composers, the Fabers include their own compositions in the volume. I have previously mentioned that Fabers’ compositions contain many repetitive passages. However, since Fabers’ students begin to play more repertoire of well-known composers in this level, students are no longer limited to the
repetitive passages that Fabers’ music contains. At the same time, Fabers’ content also
moves away slightly from repetitive elements. For instance, although rhythms are still
written in a repetitive style, they constantly change notes and make students read the
score more carefully. Similar features exist in one of RACE’s required works, Bartok’s
“Sorrow” from For Children (see Example 36a and b).
Example 36a (Bartok) Example 36b (Piano Adventures, Level 5, p. 24)
As the example shows, Fabers’ example contains constant fingering and note changes while rhythms stay somewhat simplified and repetitive. The major and minor seventh are also introduced for the first time in Fabers’ method. Much of the repertoire is also written for the left hand to play the melody.
As I have mentioned about the technical difficulties, Miyoshi’s exercises in the sixth volume are more complex, and the level of difficulty is much more than RACE requires for Grade 3. Most of the features of these difficult technical exercises are mentioned under Grade 2. Fabers’ students study the concept of tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords and learn to play I-IV-I-V-I. The problem in fingering choices (like
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Example 21) that the Fabers often include is slightly resolved by introducing these chord progressions since they give more traditional fingering for them. Traditional fingering for the two-octave arpeggio and finger substitution technique like Example 37 are also taught in this level.
Example 37 (Piano Adventures, Level 5, p. 15)
The Fabers also insert a section titled “Practice Technique for The Advancing
Pianist.” In this section they give a brief, four-step guideline for students to follow when
learning a new piece. The guideline includes practicing each hand separately; playing
them slowly; being careful in reading musical expression markings; always marking
places that are challenging.
In scale studies the three forms of minor are taught to Fabers’ students. In this level,
they study D, G, and C minor, and Miyoshi’s students study the same three scales plus F-
sharp, C-sharp, B, and F minor.
In this level Fabers’ theory activity includes identifying the V-I progression in
their pieces. They require students to be able to find this progression theoretically, but
they also want them to apply it to their music-making. They must be aware of the
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resolution and learn to play softer on the consonant chord (tonic) than the dissonant chord
(dominant). Harmonic analysis is required for some works, and students are required to identify them with Roman numerals including inversions.
A descriptive title is also given to each composition, and students can link titles and music to make them expressive. At this point the Miyoshi students are advanced technically, but theoretical knowledge like musical forms are not taught. On the other hand, most of Fabers’ music is with titles, and students have been taught binary and ternary forms since Grade 2 of RACE. Composition exercises are also included in the
Fabers’ method. Based on a pattern of given chord progressions, students are asked to compose and transpose their work into multiple keys.
As students approach the final stage of Fabers’ method, they are able to label major, minor, and perfect intervals. The method teaches them to count the number of half steps between the notes to identify the interval. The basic progression I-IV-I-V7-I must be memorized, and the circle of fifths is introduced. Students can study the layout of the key relations, increasing the number of sharps and flats. Relative majors and minors are often inserted as a pair so that students can be aware of their relation also.
In Miyoshi’s method, students will study a black-key scale (B-flat major) and the inversions of triads (I, IV, and V of C major). They also learn the name of the triad. I
(tonic), V (dominant), and V7 (dominant seventh). They are able to give harmonic analysis of chordal progressions as Example 38 shows.
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Example 38 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 63)
The key selection for the technique requirement for RACE and Fabers’ are identical; however, students should understand that upon completing all levels of Fabers’ they will only be able to play four minor scales in three forms (A, C, G, and D) and two black-key major scales, B-flat and E-flat.
RACE requires standard repertoires like Musette, Gavotte, Minuet, and Sonatina.
However, Miyoshi does not yet include compositions in the style of these genres. While
Miyoshi students gain technical skills and theoretical knowledge, they fall behind in gaining experience playing musical genres.
G. Grade 4
In Grade 4 sonatas begin to replace sonatinas in RACE. Early sonatas like Sonata in D minor, L7 by Domenico Scarlatti, and Sonata in F major Hob. XVI: 9 by Haydn are listed. In addition to sonatas, contrapuntal music of two or three voices such as Bartok’s
No. 28 from For Children and Bach’s English Suites are included.
New rhythms such as triplets and dotted quarter notes are included in sight- reading, and sixteenth notes are included in rhythmic dictation. The new scale requirements include E-flat major, B and G harmonic and melodic minor, and must be
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played hands together. The melodic playback questions also contain eighth notes in the melodies, which are composed in C, F, G, and D major. In addition to melodic dictation, there is harmonic dictation where students aurally identify various intervals and chords.
Because in the sixth volume Miyoshi carefully composed to insert compositions in various meters, there is music in the style of the strict Classical Era, tarantella and waltzes of the Romanic Period, and compositions with syncopations resembling the style of twentieth-century music. Syncopations teach students to be able to play rhythms accurately with the correct subdivision. In addition to introducing various meters, there are two focus points in this level: training students to be fluent at finger-crossing and making wider leaps as Example 39 shows. Miyoshi does not specify the tempo but marks
“active” for expression and dynamics like “soft” instead. It is probably based on
Miyoshi’s belief that each student should play differently based on their individual differences in feeling toward the music. Starting from the fourth volume Miyoshi includes the statement to teachers to value students’ individual interest (toward music) and personality, because musical feelings are a result of these factors.
Example 39 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 34)
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Instead of just introducing new rhythms, Miyoshi blends them with combinations of fingering and intervals that let students gain ability to flexibly produce the rhythms.
For example, sixteenth notes are introduced for the first time in the sixth volume in following exercises (see Example 40).
Example 40 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 21)
Example 40 (continue)
Many piano teachers require students to master scales because they believe that
scale skills are useful when students play repertoire. However, because entire scale
passages rarely appear in compositions, oftentimes scale practice ends up to be not as
useful as they hoped it to be. Miyoshi, on the other hand, inserts modified versions of
scales as seen in Example 41. At this point new scales E-flat and A-flat major and C-
sharp and F minor are introduced along with the order of flats.
Example 41
(B-major Scale) (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 34)
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Miyoshi seems to give emphasis to teaching music theory at this level. He not only introduces the seven diatonic chords of a scale but shows how they fit into actual compositions and function. When introducing triads their inversions are also introduced, and students are required to play them in quarter-note duration (the tempo is not specified).
There are two types of textbooks for piano studies, a literature book and a method book. Most of the compositions in Miyoshi Piano Method are based on Miyoshi’s specific pedagogical reasoning so that even though the inserted pieces can be used for performances; most of them function primarily as etudes. Because of this, they tend to be short, and every composition may not necessarily have a climactic point or extended development.
H. Grade 5-8
Miyoshi’s seventh volume contains materials equivalent to RACE’s Grades 5 through 8. Although many parts of the requirements are the continuation of previous levels, chromatic scales and more theoretical information are introduced to students in this level. By the time students reach Grade 8 in RACE they are responsible for preparing all white, black, and chromatic scales played by both hands. Baroque repertoire in Grade
5 requires only two-voice polyphony. Some pieces give the right hand the dominant part and the accompaniment to the left hand. However, from Grade 7 the first invention by J.S.
Bach is listed, and in Grade 8 all fifteen inventions are on the repertoire list. From the
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Classical Era, numerous sonatinas are included in the Grade 5 repertoire list. The gradual
appearance of Haydn’s divertimentos or Beethoven’s bagatelles slowly prepares students
to advance to the level of sonatas in Grade 8 (i.e., Beethoven’s Sonata in G minor, Op. 49, no. 1 and Mozart’s Sonata in C major, K545). In the Romantic Era the short descriptive pieces that students have been playing since the beginning level gradually include the standard genres. By the time students reach Grades 7 and 8 they begin to learn standard genres such as waltz, mazurka, and nocturne. Compositions of twentieth-century styles continue to appear including post-Romantic, impressionistic, blues, and works by living composers.
In the Miyoshi method a variety of selections in the four musical periods beginning with Baroque are combined. Miyoshi explains the structure of fugal writing and sonata form. Then chromatic virtuoso or percussive pieces that sometimes include hemiola passages represent Romantic and twentieth-century styles. In addition there are pieces similar in style to hymns/chorales. Because most Japanese are not culturally raised to practice Christianity, many of them are not aware of the standard style of these genres.
Therefore, Miyoshi inserts a brief explanation about church music and hymns. They are perfect genres to introduce cadences, sight-reading, and pedaling.
One of the strengths in Miyoshi’s instruction is technical guidance. However, his
music-making suggestions should be noticed in addition. For example, Example 42
teaches the importance in creating a longer line over melodies by having two hands share
a line.
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Example 42 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 60)
In addition, the motivic nature of the Baroque style is also taught through compositions that contain one obvious motive for both hands (see Example 43).
Example 43 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 114)
In the seventh volume students learn to play major and minor scales with five sharps and five flats. After introducing two-octave fingerings for these keys, various passages are compiled in multiple exercises. Because each exercise contains various leaps and rhythms, students must learn to coordinate finger-crossings and fingerings. After mastering these exercises students will find them useful to apply to other repertoire from outside of the method (see Example 44). Later in the volume, there are more
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Example 44 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 19)
exercises like Example 45. This exercise will not only develop scale-playing ability but also polyphonic training.
Example 45 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 83)
In addition to scale training, Miyoshi improves students’ performing skills from two different directions. First, he provides an enormous amount of finger exercises so that students can develop finger independency. In Example 46 Miyoshi teaches students to even out the tone value that each finger produces in broken chords. Second, he teaches the technique to play fast rhythms in both diatonic and chromatic passages. Most of the exercises are written for a single hand (see Example 47). Many include uncomfortable passages for finger development.
In addition to single-hand exercises Miyoshi inserts polyphonic compositions that require equal involvement from both hands. The first polyphonic works of four or even six voices are introduced in this volume. Although only the top voice has the dominant role, students must pay careful attention to the precise note-duration in each line. At this level the repertoire becomes highly chromatic. Even though this occurs after students
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master chromatic scales, Miyoshi suggests that they consider various fingerings for the smaller fragments of a chromatic scale rather than the one type suggested for the long example given. He further suggests basing fingering on the needs of the passage or the piece.
Example 46 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 34)
Example 47 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 73)
Miyoshi also teaches finger-sliding techniques (see Example 48). This is helpful for adding legato to polyphonic music. Additional practices for finger-sliding are inserted
(see Example 49).
Example 48 (Miyoshi vol. 7, p. 72) Example 49 (Miyoshi, vol.7, p. 75)
Exercise 142 (see Example 50) also contains all appropriate practice materials for teachers: equal-note playing; finger slides; finger legato; and producing equal volume in multiple voices.
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Example 50 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 6, p. 58)
Scales with up to five sharps and five flats and the logic of the circle of fifths are taught in this level. Students study key signatures and tonic triads for each key. As
Miyoshi introduces the first relative minor and major pair, he also points out the appealing fact of the two scales sharing the same fingering but starting on a different note
(see Example 51)
Example 51 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 7, p. 16)
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Even though students learn about sonata form and traditional fugue structure of the Baroque, they are not used in compositions at this level. Therefore, they do not have the opportunity to apply their knowledge to what they are playing.
I. Grade 9–10
The final, tenth volume contains the equivalent level of the last two grades of
RACE. The listed repertoire is often played at the college-entry level. Students are also
asked to prepare major and minor key scales through six sharps and six flats.
The final volume contains works that include review of materials discussed in previous volumes, and there are more exercises than pieces. Students improve their technical skills by playing scales, broken chords, and double thirds. The compositions are not necessarily longer, but as Miyoshi writes “from the nineteenth century, pianism became more difficult and virtuosic,” they are definitely more technical.
Sight-reading material is also inserted in this volume for the first time. Sight- reading requires daily practice, and it is not something that students learn and master in one chapter. Therefore, one may criticize the timing of inserting this material, arguing that waiting until the last volume of the method to teach sight-reading may not be the most effective way. On the other hand, because Miyoshi asks students to carefully read
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the musical content, sing it silently, and then transfer it to their imaginations by having the sound and picturing the mood mentally before they play, some may believe that it can only work with older students due to the detailed step-by-step instruction. The sight- reading pieces are also written in challenging tempo and meters. In addition to sight- reading exercises, Miyoshi also provides technical exercises of diminished seventh arpeggios, double thirds, and double sixths (see Example 52).
Example 52 (Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 8, p. 81)
In this final volume, Miyoshi’s students learn all intervals and triads including
augmented and diminished. This is the first time his method teaches the way to identify intervals, and differentiating triads such as major, minor, augmented, diminished, and perfect intervals is taught. Miyoshi also teaches the concept of enharmonic notes and talks about the reason to have only the total of three kinds of diminished chords.
Most of Miyoshi’s exercises do not contain enough dynamic or expression markings; therefore, students and their teachers need to be aware that they are encouraged to add their own. In addition to the lack of dynamic and expression notations, Miyoshi
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specifies that his objective is to produce fine pianists but does not specify whether his aim of the method is to also prepare students for college entrance exams. To prepare pianists for that level the method definitely needs to provide additional materials like the separate theory workbooks so that they will have the chance to practice skills.
J. Completion of the Method
Upon completing all volumes of the method, Miyoshi encourages students to continue to repeat the exercises they learned. He believes that by repeating the same exercises students will continue to improve their technique and may discover easier ways
to master each exercise. He also encourages students to focus on tone production in
addition to mechanical exercises.30
30 Miyoshi, Miyoshi Piano Method, vol. 8. (Tokyo: Kawai, 1998),132.
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PART THREE
Conclusion
I. Advantages and disadvantage of the two methods
A. Repertoire Choice
The early volumes of Miyoshi’s method are only exercises and lack programmatic or performance repertoire. Therefore, students and their teachers need to use supplemental pieces. In intermediate and advanced levels each volume contains both absolute and programmatic compositions; however, because everything is composed by
Miyoshi, students need to also be exposed to other composers’ works by adopting supplemental sources. Requirements from RACE’s Performer’s ARCT course state that students must study various styles and be able to show their distinctions in examinations.
They also state that “lack of stylistic awareness” will be taken as consideration for point deduction for the examination. Even though each of Miyoshi’s compositions is written in various styles, it is a disadvantage that Miyoshi’s students do not have a chance to explore commonly known composers until they graduate from the method.
Fabers’ method contains various repertoires in all four musical periods, but some appear in arranged versions. They contain either added articulations or reduced textures and passages. For example, Burgmüller’s “Arabesque” and Bach’s Prelude in C Major from the Well-Tempered Clavier Book I have added articulations and pedaling. These types of instructions may provide incorrect information to students.
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B. Theory
Miyoshi’s method does not contain harmonic and rhythmic dictation activities;
Fabers’ provides these activities in the separate theory books starting from the primary level. However, because Miyoshi does not provide theory materials, students may need to receive extra training in theory.
Although Miyoshi does not provide much theory emphasis, he has successfully chosen the most effective way to introduce scales. Because he immediately introduces major and minor key relations with the first major scale, students quickly gain this knowledge. However, because the Fabers introduce only major scales at first and minor scales two volumes later, their method does not teach key relations to students as effectively as the Miyoshi method does.
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II. Choosing a Method
The progressive speed of both methods based on RACE’s grading system shows distinctive differences. Even though both methods require students to study eight volumes, the completion of Fabers’ reaches to Grade 5 of RACE, and Miyoshi’s reaches
RACE Grade 10. However, within the first five volumes, Fabers’ advances faster
(Fabers’ fifth book is equivalent to Grade 5 of RACE, Miyoshi’s fifth book to Grade 3 of
RACE). Even though the progressive speed of Miyoshi’s is not as fast as Fabers’ in the early stage, it progresses rapidly after the fifth volume and eventually completes the twelve grades of RACE within eight volumes.
Piano teachers often question what method books to use to begin teaching or what materials to give to students after completing the various method series. In addition to a superior aesthetic presentation, ideally both teachers and students want to use the method that provides a quality curriculum. Teachers want to trust the method they select and believe that by staying with it their students will become fine pianists. By the time students leave a studio, both teachers and students do not want to feel that they have left off something to learn. For example, RACE provides reassurance in successfully preparing student to meet college entrance exam level if students master all levels of
RACE. Because graduates from Miyoshi’s method are able to play repertoires that are equivalent to college entrance exam level, if the student prefers to seek music seriously, whether they start with Fabers’ or Miyoshi’s they should eventually study and complete
Miyoshi’s method. It is possible for Fabers’ graduates to transfer to Miyoshi’s upon completing Fabers’. Graduates of Miyoshi’s method, who would like to proceed to further levels, will need to study from well-known composers’ works. The repertoire list
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for the Performer’s ARCT in RACE contains enough suggested pieces. The ARCT level requires students to perform technical repertoire of first-class composers like Bach,
Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, and Liszt. Because Miyoshi’s students do not receive any
training in studying these first-class composers’ works, they are highly encouraged to
explore much of them and to apply to the technical devices gained from the method.
As society has become more global, many methods like Bastian’s, Thompson’s,
and Alfred’s are available and are increasing in popularity in Japan. However, Fabers’ is
not currently used there. In a similar vein, while the Japanese Suzuki Method is
successfully accepted as one of the most popular methods in the United States, Miyoshi’s
is not used in the United States today. I hope both Miyoshi’s and Fabers’ methods will be
available in both countries and will contribute to the growth of future pianists.
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