Background & Offerings

Below I'll provide a few important aspects that such lessons may focus on.

Typically, a collaborative piano curriculum would focus on successfully quick-learning the most frequently encountered collaborative repertoire (as appropriately leveled for the student's technical grade and specific interests), intelligently editing unpianistic concerto reductions and passages unplayable for hand size reasons, learning how to imitate various instrument groups on the piano for concerto/opera reductions, and balancing effectively and musically with the other musicians with whom the student would be playing, keeping in mind the involved instruments, voice types, room arrangements, performance practice, etc. Other topics that factor into the curriculum could be the basics of vocal coaching, playing basso continuo, and arranging.

Students who already play frequently in collaborative situations can elect to be coached on their current collaborative repertoire, without regular repertoire selection input from me. I'm also happy to coach students and groups who are not themselves pianists or working with one.

Students who are singers may elect vocal coaching: please note, however, that this is not the same as "voice lessons"! A coach addresses musical issues like pitch, rhythm, diction, and style/interpretation and usually works alongside a primary voice teacher who addresses technical and vocal production issues. Most successful classical singers have both a teacher and a coach - and often more than one coach, depending on the types of repertoire they're doing.

Coaching and collaborative piano lesson rates are the same as my other lesson rates, outlined on the Tuition & Info page, with some exceptions in specific circumstances. The main exception is rehearsals/coachings in your home, as opposed to a campus location or my home, which are subject to significant surcharges. For a package involving a certain number of rehearsals/coachings and a performance, I will customize a flat rate based on the repertoire, rehearsal needs, and lead time.
For more info on my performance happenings and links to purchase my arrangements for collaborative pianists, visit my artist site at www.ndipaolo.musicaneo.com

You may view my complete collaborative and chamber music repertoire list here: www.tinyurl.com/nicole-rep . This by no means restricts what I'm willing to play, but it will give you a good idea of where my experience is focused.