The Taubman Approach and Arpeggios
The tools to play even, smooth arpeggios is a skill every pianist should have. Barbara Banacos will walk participants through key components needed for beautiful arpeggios.
Pedagogy Clinic: How to incorporate elements of the Taubman Approach into your teaching
With so much to teach to students, it can be difficult to know how to incorporate elements of technique and what skills to prioritize. Barbara Banacos will share strategies on teaching the Taubman Approach with a focus on beginner and intermediate-level students. She will also work one-on-one with students of workshop attendees.
Introduction + Getting to Know the Taubman Approach
The Taubman Approach has positively influenced countless pianists worldwide. Join Elizabeth Grace as she discusses the foundational elements of this amazing problem-solving approach to piano playing. Through musical examples, she will demonstrate accessible strategies to implement key principles and open the door to playing with freedom.
Octaves without Obstacles
Playing octaves with ease is an essential skill for every pianist, but unwanted and unnecessary obstacles can often arise. In this lecture, Elizabeth Grace will discuss practical guidelines to playing octaves with freedom. She will also address the vital stepping stones to teaching octaves to students of all ages and levels. Join us and say goodbye to awkward octaves!
Optimizing Learning and Practice – Part 1: Working Memory and Procedural Memory
Learning to play the piano is very good for the brain because we use so many parts of the brain at different stages of learning the piano and at different stages of learning each piece. Gaining a better understanding of 2 main types of memory: working memory (holding things in mind with focus) and procedural memory (“muscle memory”) can help us know how and when to harness the strengths of each type, from learning to play one note, to performing on the Carnegie stage.
Optimizing Taubman Learning and Practice – Part 2: The master checklists for technical and musical solutions
Many students struggle with efficient learning knowing what to do next, especially in the middle stages of learning each piece. Technical checklists that are passage and context-specific can shorten the length of time between problems and their solutions. Brenna will cover checklists in contexts such as passagework, octaves, leaps, alternating single notes and intervals, among others.
Advanced Choreography: Patterns
We all have a strong instinct to detect and recognize patterns. This can be beneficial in piano playing, as music is full of patterns and repetition, but often we have to use different techniques to play similar passages. Darren Wirth will show how the Taubman Approach can be used to analyze and solve these types of pattern passages and aid us in quicker learning and memorization.
Afternoon Masterclass
Brenna Berman and Elizabeth Grace work with students in a masterclass.
Technique Clinic with Brenna Berman
Brenna Berman works with students in a technique clinic.
Technique Clinic with Elizabeth Grace
Elizabeth Grace works with students in a technique clinic.
EAM performers • 5/25/22
Brenna Berman, Effortless Artistry Music Executive Director
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 solo.
EAM performers • 7/1/22
Darren Wirth, Effortless Artistry Music Pianist
Schumann Piano Concerto in A Minor, 1st movement
EAM performers • 7/5/22
Ron Stabinsky, Solos, June 29, 2016
Ron Stabinsky, solo piano improvisations, June 29, 2016, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Wilkes-Barre, PA
EAM performers • 7/29/22
Darren Wirth plays Debussy
Pagodes Jardins sous la pluie Piano Texas International Academy & Festival
EAM performers • 7/22/22
Barbara Banacos performs Danzas Argentinas Op. 2, No. 3, “Danza del gaucho matrero” by Ginastera
www.barbarabanacos.com Check out Barbara Banacos Piano Studio
EAM lecture clips • 7/31/22
Enhancing Intuition – Taubman Approach grouping Chopin Ballade No. 1
Brenna Berman shows how changing grouping away from our default to grouping into the beat helps the ease of this passage in Chopin Ballade 1.
EAM lecture clips • 7/13/22
5 fingers basics
Short clip from Brenna Berman’s “Enhancing Intuition” lecture given to Denver Area Music Teachers Association, 2022.
EAM lecture clips • 7/31/22
Enhancing Intuition – using Taubman Approach In and Out in Bach D Minor Invention
Brenna Berman shows how in and out motions improve the Bach 2-part Invention in D minor from what we tend to do automatically.
EAM lecture clips • 7/31/22
Enhancing Intuition – Using Taubman In and Out in Mozart Concerto in D Minor, K 466
Brenna Berman shows how we won’t automatically be prepared for a thumb on a black key, and that we can improve a passage if we prepare for a thumb on a black key with gradual in movements.
EAM lecture clips • 7/31/22
Enhancing Intuition- Grouping in Schubert Impromptu
Brenna Berman shows how we can use the Taubman grouping to replace default grouping by the beat to improve ease and clarity in Schubert Impromptu Opus 90, No. 2
EAM lecture clips • 7/31/22
Enhancing Intuition – Taubman Approach grouping in Chopin Scherzo No. 2 – “grouping”
Brenna Berman demonstrates how proper grouping can make this passage from Scherzo No. 2 By Chopin
2026 March Teacher Training 2
2024 October Teacher Training 1
2025 EAM Colorado Taubman Approach Workshop