Technique Masterclasses on Wendy’s Music

If you are a piano teacher that feels you are completely knowledgeable and competent in teaching piano technique, you are a rare breed!

The truth is, many piano teachers were never trained in good technique and feel quite insecure about their abilities to teach technique in a way that enables their students to mature into advanced literature! So if you feel a little insecure about teaching technique, you are not alone.

Fred Karpoff is a teacher and musician who has devoted his life to teaching three-dimensional piano technique to students and teachers. I remember the first time I heard Fred speak (probably 15 years ago) and I was aghast at how much better I understood how to teach technique after hearing him describe how the body works and how we can use this to our advantage when playing. He now teaches these techniques through his Entrada Piano Technique website.

So it thrills me to know that Fred has selected a few of my pieces as a technique masterclass. He has done this for years with classical literature (both advanced and pedagogical) and now is exploring more current composers, and is especially passionate about living women composers!

How Does Entrada Work?

Entrada Piano Technique is a great way for teachers to get online professional development in this often-neglected area. It’s so challenging to get further training on technique without paying a lot in travel and training expenses. And Fred’s low cost subscription (and 14 day free trial) can help you get the training you want. You can see more about how it works in the interview with Fred below.

Watch Fred’s Masterclass on Technique for Cascading

Here’s Fred’s master class on the early intermediate solo Cascading.

I did a little mini interview with Fred, asking him questions I knew you’d have. So here are his answers:

Does Fred teach technique for little hands?

Do you teach technique for advanced students?

Absolutely! Every concept in Entrada supports advanced technique. Our Skills library dives into topics like arpeggios, trills, tremolos, octaves, repeated chords, and scales from fundamental to virtuoso levels. Also, even the most advanced student may benefit from revisiting the basics, as it’s common for bad habits to develop early and always worthwhile to reexamine how we can play with ever-better coordination. This is exactly what led to my own career-threatening injury 30 years ago. Now, my mission is to help others avoid those risks by playing with great coordination so they can play freely and authentically.

Can a teacher or a student improve their technique on their own through this? 

Yes! Teachers and students alike report outstanding results from incorporating Entrada principles into their playing and teaching, to confidently solve any pianistic problem they encounter. In addition, teachers can incorporate Entrada into their studio, and students can reinforce what they’ve learned between lessons. Whether learning solo or using Entrada as part of a larger professional development strategy, our principles are designed to improve technique and lead to more healthful, expressive playing. 

What kinds of techniques do you teach? 

All kinds! Everything we encounter when we play the music we love. That includes early-but-essential elements like optimal posture and two-note slurs and continues with the basic three-dimensional form, sound quality, pedaling, arpeggios, trills, tremolos, scales, octaves, etc. We even have an entire library of videos created based on our users’ specific technical questions and problem areas. 

Watch a Snippet of another Masterclass:

This is a snippet of his masterclass for Prairie Creek Sunrise: