The first time I took part in the ensemble, in 2014,
it was a phenomenal experience, and we really had a lot of fun.
We worked hard with Laura, because
it wasn't just us doing that,
she was experimenting with that format
and I think it was a great experience because we learned a lot,
we learned how to work in an ensemble.
They played the Waltz of the Flowers from The Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky
and it was something spectacular what came out
as sound, as experience,
it was like hearing the orchestra but coming out of a piano.
It's great, one has to live it, observe it,
feel it and enjoy it.
The work of piano ensembles that
Laura Silva is carrying out is a marvelous idea,
we already had a first experience, which is
very important for young piano students,
because it helps them the opportunity
to develop certain abilities, to listen to each other,
to stay in rhythm, etc.
The earlier these abilities start to develop, the better,
and this is a very entertaining way of doing all that.
Yes, because they are all pianists and
and it's a lot of fun that everybody is in the same room
playing, and sometimes they start playing other things,
it's a lot of fun.
So, we're all friends
The truth is that as we saw this year,
in comparison with last year,
this is a much bigger project,
now there are recordings,
this time we will be in the Teresa Carreño Theater,
so I think these ensembles have a bright future,
because it will give a lot to piano students,
and it will bring much more renown to the school.
The piano ensemble is
a work that is made from the instrument, from the piano
but on a group level. In this project,
the parts each of the students plays on the piano
are different. They represent
different instruments of the orchestra,
which are organized especially
for them according to their level of difficulty.
This is symphonic music adapted
to this kind of format.
Added to that is percussion,
which in the case of the big works,
such as Berlioz or Bizet, even Falla,
we are using the original percussion written by the composer.
But for early works, the baroque pieces,
I am adding the percussion based
on the rhythmic needs of the ensemble.
This is an innovative project
because until now, the pianist has always been
a lonely musician.
We're not used to working with someone beside us,
at the most there are two people, four-hand piano,
but these ensembles are made with two pianos,
one has to listen to four people,
eight hands.
I've had the opportunity to share with other pianists.
An experience that
typically is thought of as intimate, lonely,
such as playing the piano,
and we have been able to share, no just making music
but also the fact of
being a pianist, of making arrangements,
of having to deal with those details
one knows how to handle alone
but with another pianist it involves other things.
It has been a...
-Very enriching, gratifying
- Innovative experience.
One of the essential contributions of this project
has to do exactly with rhythm...
What are we doing?
We're synchronizing our own group rhythm.
...Playing with a stable rhythm,
feeling the same beat as other musicians.
The difficulty in these ensembles, last year
as well as this year, where the level of difficulty increased,
is the rhythmical side.
Knowing how to adjust to the studying method,
knowing how to count,
the length of each note. Each thing one does in the ensemble
applies for all the other pieces one will play
in the future, in the ensemble and alone.
When one is playing alone
you do everything straight out,
whereas in an ensemble you have to
wait for the other person to play their part,
then comes yours, then you stop again,
then you play what you're supposed to.
This experience helps us feel
what it is like to be in an orchestra,
what it's like to be conducted,
to listen to others,
to look at a conductor while you play.
The work of group piano has its benefits but
to experience them first hand has been delightful.
It doesn't just increase the motivation of the student with the instrument,
also the lesson times, because the student has to come more often to class,
the commitment to music, to the repertoire,
also the knowledge of rhythm is strengthened,
the ability to follow a conductor,
to understand what's going on
as global perspective of the work.
Learn how to listen to your colleagues,
what we call polyphonic hearing,
abilities like flexibility,
if we're playing faster, then I can also play as fast,
having the possibility of responding in the moment
to what's being done on a collective level.
Music happens in time, music is not static,
music needs our attention
in the precise moment in which it is happening,
which means it's present, continuous present at that.
For the work to be worthy,
the synchronization work we have done,
we need to be very connected,
among the ensemble and everybody, of course.
Then, what is one of the things we may be conscious about?
The breathing:
Let's breathe together as much as possible.
This goes far beyond musical education;
it has to do with our daily lives.
A pianist does not only play solo recitals,
doesn't only play concertos with orchestra,
but also plays chamber music with other ensembles,
accompanies other instrumentalists, singers
and plays in orchestral groups.
Playing in an ensemble is not only learning how to be together,
to balance dynamics,
to listen to others,
but also in daily life
one has to learn how to listen to others,
learn how to reach an agreement,
in other words, how to do teamwork,
because together one achieves
different things to when one searches for the same goal in an individual manner.
show all the possibilities of the musical profession
and to learn how to live and work as a team.
That is a very big contribution this program is bringing forward.
Talking of from a psychological point of view,
working as a group on the piano,
which is a self-sufficient instrument
is a big challenge, because it faces us to work as a team,
to develop our social skills,
to learn how to say things and learn how to ask for them.
That they also feel they have within them,
the power to change what we are doing.
That they embrace their artistic lives
one of them would be interested in composing their own piece,
or becomes interested in conducting, for example,
because that's another thing that's happening, natural leaders start coming up,
and how do you help create a leader from the beginning if he doesn't have a group to lead?
This is the place for that.
I love that we learn values such as listening to others,
that if someone else made a mistake we can help them,
or if my partner forgot a part you can cheer them up to go on.
The hardest thing about this kind of projects is
to first no be stressed about one passage not working for someone else,
understand that everybody has to be well synchronized,
and everybody has to be well assembled so it will sound well,
and be conscious of the fact that each musician is a whole
and you have to work as a team so the ensemble sounds good.
The ensembles have helped socialize,
make the students get to know each other,
so that they with their instruments
can function in a similar way to an orchestra,
they have to learn how to coordinate and listen to each other,
and the results have been wonderful.
It's like discovering something more,
it's not the same practicing the piano alone at home than
having a second piano and two more people in the room plus a partner next to you,
it's a completely different experience.
I would certainly invite a lot of people
to be a part of these things, pianist friends.
This is something really fulfilling,
because it's sharing.
I would invite any pianist to do it
because it's an incredible experience,
it's amazing, and to have it be under Laura's direction and conducting,
who integrates us all very well,
and the communication between all of us flows very well,
without a doubt I would invite anybody to be a part of this ensemble.
It seems to me this has a lot to be exploited.
There are many things that can be done with a piano ensemble,
many pieces that could be done, even with more pianos, more musicians
so we the pianists can integrate
and we can have a common message
that can be expressed through our beloved music
and our instrument, the piano.
This initiative is phenomenal,
I see it has a lot of potential for this format,
for pianists that are still learning, imagine, there are 9, 10 year old kids here,
and to have that training from so little of listening to others,
getting in rhythm, following a conductor, I think it's fantastic,
and it should be implemented
in the education of every pianist around the world,
and that's one of the things one can steer the project towards.
It's a luxury to be able to present such beautiful works
in this hall and to have the support of the orchestra is fabulous,
to have the percussion ensemble, it's beautiful.
I think it's an excellent work, I love it.
I can share her inspiration completely
because working at since early age with other colleagues, other children in this case,
making music together, understanding music the same way,
breathing at the same time, understanding experiences is very important for the students' upbringing.
I hope this project continues, that more hands will go through those pianos
because it really is a valuable contribution not only for the development of the piano in Venezuela,
I'm sure this project will cross borders.
This has been a gathering of children, school,
parents, teachers and especially Laura,
who has been the biggest guide for this beautiful project.
And to the school, a million thanks for the opportunity given to our children
of living marvelous
and enriching experiences such as this.
Translation: Alfredo Ovalles
Subtitles: Aurealistic Producciones
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