Invitation to attend Princeton
June 14, 2013
Edna's blog / edna.golandsky@golandskyinstitute.org
January 20, 2013
We are very excited about celebrating our 10th Golandsky Institute Summer Symposium at Princeton this year, with special and inspiring programs.
July 25, 2012
Click here to read the recent article about the Golandsky Institute Summer Symposium.
July 18, 2012
David Patrick Stearns, Inquirer Classical Music Critic
PRINCETON, N.J. — Glancing at the lineup for the Golandsky Institute’s annual International Piano Festival here, one might initially assume that it’s yet another laudable program to put young classical artists on a solid career path, starting on the right (or correct) foot. Why, then, is one of the festival’s most important recitals by the well-into-middle-age pianist Ilya Itin?
The Golandsky Institute actually has a much broader reach, to pianists young, old, professional and otherwise, to acquire a piano technique with minimum danger of injury and to play without pain, no doubt the indirect legacy of pianists such as Gary Graffman and Leon Fleischer who, at the height of their considerable careers, lost the use of their right hands.
Itin, who placed well in the prestigious Leeds Competition and has a good career in Europe and the Far East, is apparently the institute’s poster person. The idea is the physical freedom that allows pianists to be all that they can be. Music education veterans say that many such institutes exist with similar missions.
Evaluating the Golandsky Institute’s effectiveness is well beyond the scope of an armchair observer. At Itin’s recital Friday in Richardson Auditorium here, one can only say what one heard (a pianist with easy command of every aspect of his instrument) and what one saw with a good view of the keyboard (which was practically nothing). He seemed hardly to move at all.
That’s significant for those of us who witnessed the flamboyant rise of Lang Lang from the Curtis Institute, who represents the opposite of physical economy — and is seen, all too often, with worrisome Band-Aids on his hands. For Itin, lack of physical movement did not translate into a lack of expressive range in the least. Were that the case, one would certainly hear it in his formidable concert program including Chopin’s Preludes Op. 28 and Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit.
Chopin’s 24 intentionally fragmentary preludes are like shards that hail from different worlds, almost like a series of archaeological objects. Whatever one might think of how Itin characterized the preludes individually, he gave each one its own coloristic tint, while also giving keen attention to the way they’re sequenced with an intelligent tempo scheme. So there was unity — amid maximum diversity.
The greater feat, though, as in Ravel, who often inspires modern pianists to render feats of scene painting. Itin’s approach was the opposite of that, emphasizing what the notes say (as opposed to how they sound). The music could have seem dry from a descriptive standpoint. Yet the final movement’s depiction of the mythical, demonic Scarbo — who usually seems fairly harmless with scene-painting pianists — was malevolent bordering on terrifying. Undoubtedly, Itin is a major pianist, with an ease about him that makes you want to listen to him for hours.
May 17, 2012
Read about the exciting line-up of performances at this year’s Golandsky Institute Summer Symposium and Piano Festival 2012.
The majority of these amazing pianists have benefited hugely from studying the Taubman Approach.
Don’t miss this fantastic week at Princeton University, this year from July 7-15.
May 15, 2012
Read what previous participants of the Summer Symposia at Princeton had to say about the richness of the program, and what they gained, both professionally and personally from the experience.
Hopefully you can join us and share the wonderful learning environment at Princeton this year. July 7-15.
March 19, 2012
This year I’m going to diversify my presentations. I will still do masterclasses the same way that I did before, give problem-solving sessions in front of the whole group, but have decided that it’s time to devote some special attention to three particular groups.
I will be giving a private session to each of these groups: performing pianists, those in the Golandsky Institute Professional Training program, and participants who are coming to Princeton for the first time. That will give me a chance to spend quality time with each group, get to know you, and address your particular questions and needs.
I am very much looking forward to meeting and working together with you. I hope to see you at Princeton this July. Just remember that the discount for earlybird registration expires on April 15th. However, registrations at the normal price will continue after this date.
March 6, 2012
What makes the Golandsky Institute Symposium and Festival at Princeton University unique from any other symposium or festival in the world, is that pianists walk in the first day with unanswered questions that to them seem insurmountable. Eight days later, they leave with some key solutions to their problems, and the knowledge that there is a wealth of concrete information available.They also realize through speaking to others at the Symposium who have gotten help that learning the Taubman Approach has led to them to achieve unimaginable results at the instrument.
These are the activities available in the program:
– Private lessons, where each person’s problems are diagnosed and new strategies implemented. Many participants feel a change straight away.
– First-time participants are allocated an experienced practice assistant, who works with them regularly throughout the week to reinforce what was learned at lessons.
– Lectures about basic elements of the technique by expert Golandsky Institute faculty.
– Interactive technique clinics to have practical experience of implementing ideas discussed in technique lectures, and the opportunity to have questions answered.
– Lectures on applying the Taubman Approach to key works in the repertoire.
– While there are performance opportunities available, there is no pressure to perform. The emphasis is on your learning, tailored to meet your specific needs.
– Masterclasses featuring high-level pianists performing advanced works.
– This Symposium is geared to teachers, students of any age, as well as performers. As such, we also have special classes on how to apply this technique to teaching beginner, intermediate and advanced students.
– Despite the busy schedule, there is practice time written into the schedule.
– World class guest presenters, lecturing on subjects such as Debussy, Bach, and pedaling.
– See Edna Golandsky work with students on stage in short segments, witnessing how some issues can be solved in a short time.
– Being in the midst of this group dynamic in an open-minded and supportive atmosphere, you may feel for the first time that you are not alone, and there are many people who are or have been in the same situation. It gives hope, through meeting people who previously had serious issues, and are now not only problem free, but thriving. – You may also feel for the first time that in fact nothing is wrong with you, but rather with the way you do certain things in the piano. You find out these problems are not in your head, but in your hands.
– Coming to the Golandsky Institute does not mean that you have to “subscribe” to the Taubman Approach. It only means that you may see solutions and benefits to your own playing and teaching that you didn’t see before. It’s able to put you altogether on a new track.
– As a bonus, registration includes access to the Piano Festival which runs simultaneously, with inspiring concerts in the evenings.
– Experience the warm, positive atmosphere without competitiveness. There is a generosity of spirit, giving, benefiting others, and a deep sense of satisfaction. AND LOTS OF FUN!
Read more at http://www.golandskyinstitute.org/summersymposium/symposium_overview1!