The Japanese translation of Professor Boris Berman’s book Notes from the Pianist’s Bench has been released by Ongaku no Tomo in Tokyo. The book has already been published in Chinese (traditional characters) and Korean.

Notes from the Pianist’s Bench, selected by Choice as an Outstanding Academic Title upon its publication in 2001, draws on Berman’s vast experience as a Russian-trained concert pianist and highly respected educator to explore issues of piano technique and music interpretation. Combining explanations and advice with anecdotes about his students, colleagues, and former teachers, Berman also provides many insights into the psychological aspects of musical performance and the teaching of music.

The book examines such practical matters in piano playing as sound and touch, technique, pedaling, and articulation. He gives tips on choosing editions, selecting the best fingering, memorizing, and making the most efficient use of practice time. He gives equal emphasis to issues of interpretation, discussing ways to decipher the inner content of a piece of music. And he offers suggestions about how to prepare emotionally for a performance, how to confront stage anxiety, and how to adapt teaching approaches to the individual students. Informative and entertaining, this book will be welcomed by piano students, teachers, and anyone else interested in the art of piano playing. (more…)