Prepared Piano Guidelines

[Joel Jones]

On 3/2/04 1:42 PM, "jminor" <jminor@uiuc.edu> wrote:

> I would interested in seeing published guidelines for prepared pianos at
> other institutions. I recently had a grad student in composition ask me
> what he could and could not do with prepared piano for a composition he was
> commissioned to write.
> I had a number of suggestions but began to wonder if I had been concise
> enough.
> 
> John Minor
> University of Illinois
> 
> _______________________________________________
> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
John, 

This subject of extended techniques or prepared piano may be in the
archives. I think I remember having a number of emails on extended
techniques a year or so ago .  If you have a list of suggestions you gave
your grad student, perhaps we could give you some help.
 
    Otherwise I could suggest you contact Todd Welbourne at UW-Madison
School of Music.  Todd Welbourne <tgwelbou@facstaff.wisc.edu>  We produced a
video pointing out how to mark strings, insert screws, and other hazards
that various composers  write in their scores.  This was required viewing
for anyone doing extended techniques at UW.

    Above all it must be stressed that extended techniques call for extra
practice and preparation.  They are not blow-off pieces.  Right now I can't
name the piece, but William Kraft came to campus several years ago and
coached a grad student for 4 hours outside my shop on one of his pieces.
This was after the student had studied the score and listened to the
cassette with sounds he wanted the performer to produce.

    If you can give us a report on the results.

Joel
-- 
Joel A. Jones  RPT
Piano Technicians Guild
Assistant Institute Director
June 29 - July 3, Nashville, TN
http://www.ptg.org/conv.htm
jajones2@facstaff.wisc.edu
608/833-1488