Week 4: Improvise Like Debussy & Ravel
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- Classical Improviser
Welcome to the third week of "Imagination on the Piano: Improvising Classically with George Ko"!
This is the thread for posting the submissions and assignments for the fourth week. Watch the fourth Livestream to learn more about the Week Three Assignments!
Debussy, Ravel, Chopin. We love these composers because they play with color. Color is what creates all those shimmering and luscious textures that transform the piano from a percussion instrument into a magical soundscape. This week we鈥檒l discover how we can improvise and play with color.
Week Four Assignment
Record yourself improvising using the color techniques we went over in the live stream. Try using the F-E-D chord progression we talked about in the first session. Upload, and share with the community.
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Here's my submission: https://vimeo.com/725036779
Mvmt 2 has a bit more of some of the stylistic elements from this 4 week course-
- Classical Improviser
trevor Woah did not expect a music video! This is so cool. Love the pattern you picked, very Philip Glass esque! Like how you changed your left hand in the second movement, very nice colors and mood. I think the one thing I would suggest and just to see if you can expand the momentum using that compression and expression we talked about it in the week 4 video. Aside from that, this was so pleasing to hear! I felt super relaxed after a busy day here in NYC. Thanks so much for sharing!
- Classical Improviser
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Thank you George for your inspirational session on improvising. Your clarity is beautiful. You are so encouraging about broadening our horizons! I loved that you finished your 4th session with 'it's about technique'. It is for that reason that I did not submit any videos. It's about me not you... but I'll be back and so will you, hopefully! I'm working on it, very diligently. Really loved your teaching! See you back on TB!
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- Classical Improviser
Roy James-Pike thanks so much Roy! And please do feel free to DM on Instagram whenever you want to share. Have fun improvising, and wish you all the best!
- Classical Improviser
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Just uploaded my composition for the week 4 assignment. It may sound deviated to the topic again. Thought can still get some constructive input. Thanks in advance.
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Here's another version of the improvised for the 4th week. Feel free to listen.
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- Classical Improviser
CK Great improv! I love how you really created a pre-meditated structure with expansion and grew the improv! The only thing I would say is to work on color and textures. See if you can imitate the different palettes Debussy and Ravel have in their music. Play with pedalling, more sparse notes in opposing registers, blend harmonies that related to each other, etc. Have fun!
- Classical Improviser
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