Author Archives: James Boyk

21st Century Piano

Not long ago, I had occasion to make

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments closed

Keyboard Teaches Hand

If you have trouble playing one-hand

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments closed

Bet You Can’t Listen to Just One!

We used to go early when George Lucktenberg was playing harpsichord. The playing was delightful; we went early to hear the tuning. Pianos should be tuned as close to concert time as possible; but harpsichords must be tuned just before the performance. It was the way Lucktenberg tuned that gave us the giggles.

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments closed

An Audience of Two

I was bored listening to talks at the Las Vegas

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments closed

Mixed Message

At 16, I played the last two movements

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments closed

Piano Probabilities

Seymour Benzer was a great scientist, “whose biography,” said a colleague, “Caltech shines up

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments closed

D. 960

At age 8: In my teacher’s studio were grainy, gray-ish busts of composers, all with the same

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments closed

Recording by Ear, part 5: Reassurance

Whether in studio or concert-hall, recording involves an engineer and audio equipment; and it’s reassuring to know that we needn’t be intimidated by them, for as musicians we already

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments closed

Recording by Ear, part 4: Intimate Communication

The Performance Loop Some of my best friends make superb recordings in the studio. My hat’s off to them! In a way, I’m lucky to be unable

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments closed

Recording by Ear, part 3: Studio vs. Concert Hall

Performance Olympics I’ve been asked for recording advice by fellow musicians ranging from gifted 12-year-olds to young professionals to performers in mid-career. I no sooner mention

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments closed