In order for concert pianist Nurry Lee to master a new composition to ‘concert performance level’ there are some essential elements to consider. In this conversation, we explore those elements and learn more about them.
For the purpose of this exercise, Nurry selected Domenico Scarlatti’s Sonata in D Major K119.
Nurry provides us with an insight into the initial stages that enable her to familiarise herself with the entire piece. She informs about how she focuses on ‘Landmarks’, which are key elements of the composition and these are crucial when it comes to her memorising the entire piece. The composition contains major chord structures and a lot of these are used as her landmarks.
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Furthermore, she then walks us through the left and right-hand scale runs, arpeggios and broken chords. However, learning this piece requires a high level of focus as this composition contains many ‘trills’, ‘jumps’ and ‘repetitions’.
She enables us to explore some examples of technique in the video and in order to gain an understanding of voicing and texture within the composition, she deconstructs certain passages.
On the whole, Nurry informs us that she requires as much as 6 weeks of practice on a daily basis, lasting around one hour per day to reach the required ‘concert performance’ standard. This means that she has the ability to play the composition note perfect, without the music score, time after time.
At the end of the video, Nurry then gives us a performance of Scarlatti’s Sonata, enabling us to see the quality of her performances.
This video is part of a series of ‘conversations with Nurry’. In the series, we explore what is involved in being a concert pianist and the intricacies that play a pivotal role in playing to ‘concert performance’ standard.
