Cracking the Code: Teaching Piano Students the Art of Musical Interpretation, with Practical Applications for All Levels

Abstract

The ability to interpret a musical score and deliver an expressive performance is highly prized, both by teachers and students. However, there are relatively few resources which directly address the teaching of musical interpretation. While it is possible for teachers to coach a musical performance from students by dictating or demonstrating the particulars of a piece, such methods are limited in efficacy because they tend to hinder independent learning. The aim of this paper is to define a methodology by which piano teachers can make the intricacies of musical interpretation accessible to students of all levels, not only advanced students or those gifted with innate ability. This study focuses on helping students to discover and enhance expressive elements in the composer’s score. Each main chapter is organized around a different “pillar” of musical interpretation: imagery, rhythm, geometry and context. Much of the proposed methodology draws from key theories in the field of developmental psychology, including Gestalt learning theory, Jerome S. Bruner’s theory of the spiral curriculum and the Socratic (dialogic) approach. Chapters are structured to reflect a progressive learning sequence in which abstract concepts are first introduced to beginners in a relatable way. As students mature and gain experience, concepts become increasingly more sophisticated and detailed. Each chapter includes a case study of how a teacher might guide an advanced student towards making independent interpretive decisions. I use examples from standard teaching repertoire, with a focus on late intermediate to early advanced pieces.