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Annette Fazzari
For some reason, it seems to me that unlike other instruments, pianos aren't that common in Star Trek. I remember Voyager's Holographic Doctor playing a jazz piece (I think) on a piano in a holodeck, and Seven learning to play piano from him; I also remember that recently, in a Star Trek: DISCO episode, Adira played a melody on a piano. Are there any other times that a piano was played or even seen in an episode?Could there possibly be a reason why pianos aren't so common in Star Trek? Or is it that they appear more often than I thought?
I have previously written independent reviews of two series extras in which I had no involvement, Piano Star Theory and Piano Star Duets, but have yet to introduce the core series.
These three books, published in 2016, were compiled and edited by David Blackwell and Aisling Greally. A fourth book added in 2018, Piano Star Grade 1, completes the core set of progressive and varied repertoire books. For this, Karen Marshall replaced Greally in editorial duties.
Series editor David Blackwell also wrote an additional collection called Piano Star Five-Finger Tunes, an enjoyable and ingenious resource that can be used to transition from a method book primer straight into the Piano Star series. This book consolidates important hand positions beyond the Middle C position, fills some pedagogic gaps, and is well worth a look.
All these books benefit from the eye-catching and often humorous full-colour illustrations of Tim Budgen; using the books, I have found that his artistic gifts add considerably to the engagement of learners.
My involvement as a composer in this project developed in the context of my long and fruitful friendship with the ABRSM exam board, which began when I helped to create their keyboard Music Medals scheme and further developed when I was appointed to their panel of CT-ABRSM mentors.
When approached about contributing to Piano Star, the opportunity to revisit the special world of educational music immediately appealed. In the coming months, I composed two duets and two solos for inclusion:
The pupil mostly plays with one hand at a time, and the piece has a particular learning focus on playing staccato. It is important for young beginners to learn that poking the piano or bouncing off the keybed produce a harsh sound; too often, staccato is presented with unhelpful imagery.
Here is another duet, following the same format and layout as Secret Mission. But now, the pupil is playing with both hands together, a simple LH pattern recurring through most of the piece. Both hands remain in a five-note position until nearly the end; the LH moves for the final two bars.
The main melody moves from the RH to the LH at the halfway point, providing a good opportunity to work on effective voicing between hands. The legato chords which follow present their own challenge, and I always encourage players to slow down considerably for the last three bars, the protagonist becoming completely absorbed in their dreamworld.
Using the Piano Star books with the children I teach, I have found them more engaging than most method book material, but would caution against simply playing every piece in turn. I think it is important to play several pieces to the learner and invite them to choose their own favourites to learn.
Where are you at present?
I am in San Antonio, after a long trip from Italy, where I live in the city called Altamura in the Bari Province. I am very fortunate to play a lot and have had the chance to travel all over the world with music. I recently performed in Italy, but also in Vilnius, Lithuania.
How were you introduced to the piano and classical music?
My parents are musicians, so music was introduced to me as a natural thing, as something that was part of everyday life. So, I experienced it and also fell in love with it.
What appealed to you about this invitation from the Symphony of the Hills?
Due to the problems related to the pandemic, I did not have the opportunity to come to the U.S. for a while. The planned 2020 concerts were either canceled or postponed. So, getting this chance to return to the States after three years, made me really happy.
You have won a large number of piano competitions around the world. Is that the best way for a young pianist to gain exposure? Tells us a bit about some of those competitions. Which ones are your favorites?
Piano competitions are now part of the common artistic path of musicians, but they are clearly not the only way forward. Still, the organizations behind prestigious piano competitions work hard to offer many concert opportunities to the winners and they continue to promote the winners even after the competition. This is why competitions, when well organized, represent a great opportunity for us, musicians.
Have you tried your hand at composing? Would you like to become a composer, in addition to being a performer, and maybe bring elements of other musical genres into your compositions?
I have prepared a show with a famous Italian DJ, a friend of mine. The project blends electronic music with piano music. Unfortunately, this project has not yet been presented to the public. However, I can say with certainty, that I love to experiment just as I love listening to all musical genres, when well done.
Have you premiered any brand-new pieces by contemporary composers? If so, which?
I have played a lot of contemporary music but I have never performed a world premiere. If the right occasion presents itself, I will gladly do it.
Piano Star is a music game designed to help players learn how to play the piano. The game features a virtual piano keyboard that players can use to play songs by tapping the keys. The game also provides tutorials and interactive lessons to help players improve their piano skills.
In terms of safety for kids, Piano Star is generally considered a safe game to play. The game does not have any chat features, so there is no risk of exposure to inappropriate content or communication with strangers. The game is also free from any in-app purchases or advertisements that could be potentially harmful to young players.
Piano Star is an educational game that can be very engaging and enjoyable, and it is not typically considered an addicting game. However, as with any game or activity, it is possible for a child to become excessively focused on the game and spend too much time playing. Parents should monitor their child's use of the game and set limits on the amount of time they are allowed to play.
In conclusion, Piano Star is a safe game for kids to play. It does not have any chat features and is free from in-app purchases and advertisements that could be harmful to young players. The game is designed to be educational and engaging, and it is not typically considered an addicting game. However, parents should monitor their child's use of the game to ensure that it is not being played excessively and is not negatively impacting their mental or physical health.
During the Lessons episode of Star Trek TNG season 6, Picard falls in love with Nella Darin. About half-way through she takes him to a Jeffries tube which is the most acoustically perfect place on the ship, and after unrolling her portable piano she begins to play a famous classical piano piece of music to demonstrate the acoustical properties.
BTW, your avatar has grown on me. I now have it animated again and it reminds me a bit of myself when I meet some nice lady on the common during the middle of the night...... only there's too many clothes going on in your AV.
"Oh my God," he exclaimed as his trio brought his energetic and demanding tune "Unlimited" to a close. Then he called out his bandmates, drummer Miguel Russell and his mother D'Erania Stampley who was busy switching from saxophone to keyboards to the upright bass.
A multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist, D'Erania has also been nominated for multiple Grammy awards. Jahari obviously wasn't exaggerating with his compliments, but it's the 24-year-old pianist who's been in the jazz world's spotlight recently.
Jahari won the prestigious Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz piano competition last year and in December was named the "Chicagoans of the Year in Jazz" by the Chicago Tribune. Most exciting, though, was the release of his debut album Still Listening.
Joining host Abe Beeson in a post-performance interview were four students of the KNKX School of Jazz: Stephen Filippov, a pianist at Decatur High School; Miles Wieland, a pianist from Bainbridge High School; and two students from Lynnwood High School, saxophonist Tryston Gronning and trumpeter Jaeden Rubio.
The students talked with Jahari about what inspired him to switch from drums to creating music on piano, which cultures outside of American jazz influence his music, and the most important universal lesson he could share about learning music.
"I think it's important to learn how to master your technique in a way that allows you to be comfortable," Jahari advised. "You don't want to injure yourself playing, you want to prolong your playing."
Jahari's playing in this exclusive performance was passionate, dynamic and filled with the youthful energy of the pianist and his favorite drummer. Russell's explosive electronic-beat-meets-progressive-jazz-rock style had the studio audience and his bandleader rising to their feet with excitement.
Enjoy this striking, flowing set of music from Jahari Stampley's trio and the charming conversation he shared with our School of Jazz friends. Thanks to Dimitriou's Jazz Alley for helping to make this session possible.
Star levels are found within our courses and will help you to practice the skills you just learned from the previous lessons and songs. Star levels use songs from our library, and guess what? You can earn up to 3 stars for each song you play. ?
At the top of each star level, you'll see a fraction (e.g. 0/6). The first number shows how many stars you earned while playing any of the songs from this star level, and the second number is the number of stars we recommend that you earn before continuing.
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