A Master class is essentially a lesson in interpretation and polish from a great pianist. The student already has a mastery of the technical skills required to play the piano proficiently. He has the opportunity to be guided by a formidable pianist toward a finished and convincing performance of a work for piano.
For the listener, these classes offer insights into the thinking of the masters that leads to their interpretations, as well as a more profound understanding of the music itself. This can help explain why one loves a piece played a particular way, why one does not, and might even lead to a change of heart and a discovery of a new and wonderful interpretation to which the listener was previously not receptive.
We are fortunate that a number of the greatest pianists of the last century have preserved their classes on film. The links below will take you to some of these. Some of the classes provide very detailed instruction. Some less so, but are nonetheless wonderful windows into the minds of historically significant pianists of great artistic merit.
If you are not very familiar with a work that is the subject of a class, do take the time to listen to it a few times. You should be able to find it on this web site, and it will add to your enjoyment and appreciation.
Click on the live links below to attend master classes by these great pianists:
And click on Concert Tickets to explore upcoming concerts and the availability of concert tickets in your area. If you live in Rochester, for example, just type "classical concerts in Rochester" in the search box and voila!
