The Piano Express

This is a gorgeous transcription of a piece written by the great German composer Johann Sebastian Bach. It was transcribed by the Bohemian pianist and composer August Stradal, and is performed here by the Icelandic pianist Vikingur Ólafsson. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/h3-rNMhIyuQ?si=Q2tGjBszHHYkLP2b

In honor of the Olympics, here is a version of the Olympic Fanfare by John Williams (yes THAT John Williams) played on an electronic organ. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/8I3EoHACvls?si=cR_PU_8_fsb-RNvj

For this Finale Friday, we're listening to the famous film composer Philip Glass and his Etude No. 6, performed by Yuja Wang. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/ksc5tNc-KXc?si=xCzbHJ7grkLlssFb

Chopin's Etudes are considered to be some of the greatest piano pieces ever written. They are also extremely difficult. Leopold Godowsky apparently didn't get the difficulty memo, and he arranged all of them into even more complex compositions that only the bravest pianists dare to tackle. The first video is the Chopin original. The second is with Godowsky's alterations.

https://youtu.be/nMM6h9Yf348?si=kR32IrVnxQP11Z87

https://youtu.be/SYFzhnxe3EU?si=6SywoQKWvj2JWh5q

Here's an upbeat piece to start the weekend. This is the Gigue from Bach's French Suite in G Major. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/_LEWoTDoLNI?si=KlfOjPcI44hPQLVK

Hey all Finale Friday fans. Let's play a game of chicken!!! Actually not really, but here's a piece about a chicken called Le Poule. It's a very 'fowl' piece but I think you'll enjoy it!

https://youtu.be/xcXY7dyK7eQ?si=77BiCWkeKd7kysiT

Here is the fiendishly difficult ending of Prokofiev's 3rd Piano Concerto, dispatched with ease by a young Martha Argerich. Enjoy this Finale Friday!

https://youtu.be/pSHr9WCZDy0?si=HZZuGDch3SHvLzlN

Happy Finale Friday everyone! The composer Tchaikovsky, along with writing the Nutcracker, also wrote a set of piano pieces dedicated to every month of the year. Here we have 'May.' I hope you enjoy this piece and also the rest of the month!

https://youtu.be/MwG-VQKk4vU?si=XTWvwZQ05Ok7-IPw

Hi everyone! Here’s a little Finale Friday Prelude to kick off your weekend. It’s George Gershwin’s Prelude No. 3 to be precise. Gershwin is most famous for his Rhapsody in Blue, and also for a number of songs including Summertime, The Man I Love, Someone to Watch Over Me, and I’ve Got Rhythm. Enjoy this rhythmic Prelude!

https://bit.ly/Gershwin-Prelude-03-Finale-YouTube

It was so nice to catching with our former student Kaia Greene this past weekend. She began learning piano with us at age 6. Now she is holding our community spellbound with her performance as Elsa in Rockridge HS's Frozen the Musical. Next year she is headed off to Berklee School of Music! Best of luck Kaia! You've come a long way! (photos used by permission)

Some 'Friday Finales' are so good, they're worth waiting until Sunday for, like this one for example :) Today's finale is the ending of the devilish Mephisto Waltz. Inspired by Faust and composed by Liszt, this version, played by the legendary Vladimir Horowitz, contains a few extra notes by Italian composer Ferrucio Busoni and Horowitz himself. Enjoy!
https://bit.ly/Horowitz-Mephisto-Finale-YouTube

For this Finale Friday we're going to get a little bit nostalgic. This is also not just a finale, but an entire piece. It is titled 'Faded Letter' and is by William Gillock, a well known composer of intermediate level piano music. Although the music is not as difficult as some of the other pieces we have posted, it's still quite moving. There is a sense of longing, and possibly even loss, but it does have a peaceful ending. Listen with headphones for the best quality. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/5B0fqyTXwaM?si=O-tIVhVGf5cYUOIj

This Finale Friday we have the ending of the first movement of Anton Rubinstein's Piano Concerto No. 4. Anton who? While not as popular today, Anton Rubinstein was one of the great pianists of the 19th century. He would often give a recital lasting 3 or more hours, following it up with another 3+ hours of encores. Enjoy!

https://bit.ly/Anton-Rubinstein-Finale-YouTube

Check out this intense finale on this edition of Finale Friday. Samuel Barber wrote one of the great American piano sonatas and this is the ending of the fourth movement, a ferocious finger twisting fugue. Enjoy!

https://bit.ly/Samuel-Barber-Finale-YouTube

At The Piano Express, we believe in the power of music to inspire and uplift. We encourage our students and families to watch this performance and tell us what you think! 🎹✨

Happy Finale Friday! This week we have the Busoni piano transcription of Bach's Chaconne, originally written for solo violin. This is considered by many to be one of the greatest musical compositions ever written. Enjoy!
https://bit.ly/Bach-Busoni-Finale-YouTube

Music and Your Brain: Unlocking The Benefits!

Did you know that listening to classical music isn't just a joy for your ears, but also a boost for your brain? From enhancing memory to reducing stress, the power of classical music reaches far beyond the concert hall.

Check out this article from Classic FM to learn more.

https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/benefits-listening-to-classical-music/

For this Finale Friday, travel to L'isle Joyeuse (The Joyous Island) with Debussy. You can almost hear the ocean waters swirling and waves crashing.

https://bit.ly/Debussy-Finale-Youtube

🎶🏀 If you’ve missed filling out your March Madness bracket or you’re itching to do another one, the Piano Express has you covered with our very own March Composer Madness bracket.
It's time to pit Beethoven against Bach and Chopin against Brahms! Let the musical showdown begin - who will be crowned the ultimate composer champion?

The Piano Express presents - Musical Connections!

Can you crack our latest challenge? We've cooked up a connection puzzle just for you! 🎹

Find The Musical Connections: Your goal is to find groups of four musically themed words that share a common connection. Each group will contain four words. Your task is to identify the connection between them.

Example Categories: "D, F #, A, C ” are part of the D7 chord.

Discover Solutions: Each puzzle has one correct solution. Watch out for words that fit multiple categories.

Easiest to Hardest: The answer key orders categories from easiest to hardest. www.thepianoexpress.com/puzzle-key

Drop your answers in the comments below and don't forget to tag your piano pals to join in the fun! Let's see who can master this musical puzzle!

Happy Finale Friday!

For this Finale Friday, check out quite possibly the greatest pianist of all time, Vladimir Horowitz, putting his own spin on the frantic ending of Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6.

bit.ly/Hungarian-Rhapsody-No-6-Finale-Youtube

Happy Finale Friday!

Check out the boisterous ending to Chopin’s monumental Sonata in B Minor. A fantastic ending to a fantastic sonata. 🎹🎵

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxYA0HUB7GALSxJ5gsV1KCuWaeObWUnH7g?si=9KTCd7Si-bm-tPVR

At The Piano Express, we believe in the power of music to inspire and uplift. We encourage our students and families to listen to this performance and tell us what you think! 🎹✨

The Piano Express Presents: Finale Friday!

This week's is a spectacular ending to Beethoven’s penultimate Sonata No. 31 Op.110 in A-Flat Major. 🎹🎵

http://bit.ly/FinaleFriday-01

This version is performed by the great French pianist Hélène Grimaud. If you have a chance, please do yourself a favor and listen to it in its entirety. Enjoy!

At The Piano Express, we believe in the power of music to inspire and uplift. We encourage our students and families to watch this performance and tell us what you think! 🎹✨

🎹 Join Us for an Exciting Piano Experience! 🎵

Are you looking for a fun and enriching activity for your child after school? Look no further! The Piano Express is excited to offer an engaging piano program that's perfect for beginners and budding musicians alike. 🌟

Scan the QR code on the flyer or visit bit.ly/Piano-Express-Scheduling to schedule your Free Open House Demonstration today!

Excited to share recent photos of our Piano Express, Sterling location! A big shoutout to Teacher Jared for adding some fantastic musical art to our space!

If you've visited our Sterling location, we'd love to hear about your experience. Feel free to share your thoughts with us:

Google Review: https://bit.ly/ThePianoExpress-Google

Yelp Review: https://bit.ly/ThePianoExpress-Yelp

Your feedback means the world to us! 🎹✨

On October 29th we had our first Halloween performance! Thank you to everyone who came! 🎃 We loved seeing all of your costumes, and hearing you play. We are hoping to do many more informal performance days like this in the future!

We are looking for talented music educators to join our team in Ashburn, VA. Our studios combine new technology with traditional methods to create an exceptional experience for both the student and teacher. Hours available are weekday afternoons/evenings, as well as Saturday mornings.

We are looking for vibrant, motivated piano teachers for our new studio in Sterling, VA! Hours available are weekday afternoons/evenings, as well as Saturday mornings. Pay is great and the work environment is amazing!