Introducing: Improvisation and Meditation
A Spiritual Path to Music & Life
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Welcome, and thank you for visiting my online course for all aspiring instrumentalists and vocalists. The challenge to mastering an art like improvisation is that it requires a resolve and effort that only a disciplined mind and passionate heart can achieve. Becoming a skilled improviser requires focus and concentration, quick thinking, and creativity - all working together in each moment. The average person finds it challenging enough to do just one of those things and is rightfully amazed at the ease and naturalness of a good musician’s seemingly “special” ability. But do you ever question how you can acquire or improve the quality of mind and calm disposition necessary to accomplish this yourself?
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This fun and self-paced 18-lesson online music course and companion eBook puts together a comprehensive and thorough understanding of music theory and techniques as applied to instrumental or vocal improvisation. By viewing, studying, and applying each lesson in gradual succession, you will learn to improvise with chords and scales in any key and perform the music of Jazz, Blues, Pop, R&B, Rock, Contemporary Gospel, and several other genres. In parallel with the music content provided is a series of lessons all its own on the purpose and practice of two fundamental forms of meditation: Quieting the Mind vs Observing the Mind. Each of these forms has particular relevance for the practice versus performance of music improvisation for which later instruction will be given. Neither a complete understanding of music theory nor any meditative bliss is achieved without discipline and patience. And time. The manner of learning intended for this course is self-paced and is meant to be referred to repeatedly for the sake of building a foundation for understanding the later lessons. With time and practice, your goals ARE achievable.
If you have a strong desire and commitment to becoming proficient in the art of improvisation, this course is for YOU. And if you register now, you can view the first two lessons free with no obligation. There’s no credit card required, and your email will only be used to contact you to invite your review. The music and meditation subjects taught in these classes are wide-ranging and comprehensive. This course is designed to help you get the most out of your potential to learn and progress, and even exceed your own expectations. This is the power of mindfulness when added to any pursuit, and I invite you to start now! The price for my course is just $290. That’s the cost of just a few regular music lessons. You’ll also receive the entire course in a comprehensive PDF format that documents all the presented material from the beginning to the end of each class.
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About Grand Piano Studio
Grand Piano Studio is a learning environment built to unleash and inspire your inner musician. Whether guiding beginners, advanced students, or seasoned professionals, Grand Piano Studio's methodology is based on the equal integration of three parts: Reading Music, Improvisation, and Music Theory. Beginners young and older will be able to play beautiful music after their very first lesson! All Grand Piano Studio students learn these three components in tandem with one another. Some people call improvisation "playing by ear.” Learning how to improvise is just as important as learning how to read music and understanding basic music theory concepts. All three are necessary in order to grow into a complete musician. Great classical composers and performers over past ages were great improvisers as well as great sight-readers. Improvisation is rarely taught today either privately or in conservatories, along with traditional classical piano studies. It has become a lost art.
Music theory is the “architecture” of music and lies at the heart of improvisation and music composition. Though music theory is complex, The Grand Piano Studio can teach even the youngest children basic theoretical concepts that they can immediately use and begin joyfully to experience playing beautiful piano music. Older children and adults who may already have studied piano can continue to become better readers and performers and learn how to improvise in contemporary styles such as jazz, blues, pop, R & B, and Hip Hop. Advanced students and professionals alike grow musically at Grand Piano Studio.
The Method
Whether guiding beginners, advanced students, or seasoned professionals,
Grand Piano Studio's methodology is based on the equal integration of three parts:
Music Theory
Reading Music
Improvisation
Reading Music
Learning to read music is the entryway into the amazing world of performing the greats of music literature, from classical to jazz and everything in between. Your marvelous journey begins with getting to know the notes on the five lines and four spaces of the treble and bass clefs.
Music Theory
Music theory is the glue that bonds together the music you read and improvise. To master both, you must know how music is constructed; that's where music theory comes in. music composition and music improvisation is applied music theory. It reveals what I call the deep mysteries of music!
Improvisation
Musical improvisation is the immediate, spontaneous creation of music. All well-known composers have been great improvisors; it is essential to learn the art of improvisation to become a complete, well-rounded musician.
Meet Robert Lepley
Robert Lepley is the founder of Grand Piano Studio. He has been teaching and playing the piano professionally for over fifty years. Mr. Lepley is also a composer; his works include the beautiful choral album “Visions Within” featuring Meryl Streep and the New York Voices, and the double-album jazz recording, "MacDougal St., NYC". As a music educator, Mr. Lepley’s unique concept of teaching students to improvise while they are learning to read music enables even his youngest students to experience the joy of making music quickly as well as to learn to read music proficiently. Whether teaching young beginners, advanced students, or seasoned professionals, Mr. Lepley is a patient and gentle teacher who is loved and appreciated by his students.