The Scaramuzza technique: a fresher perspective

WKMT Tutor’s experience in learning the Scaramuzza technique

One of the most difficult challenges…

For every musician is to change their technique once they have acquired certain mastery on the instrument. The challenges are many and they appear from many aspects of the playing, but the most demanding at the beginning is the one that has to do with the muscle memory. This can be our best friend or worst enemy, as all the movements get so ingrained in the hands of the performer that requires a high level of commitment to change it, but with patience and dedication, the results are always positive.

The experience presented by Georgios Kommatas…

A new piano teacher at WKMT has two angles: one is to adapt himself to the new system developed at the studio, and the second one, and more relevant, is to become a piano student of the Scaramuzza technique given at the studio.

This approach to the technique has four steps…

The first one entails the complete relaxation of the student “The fingers must carry the weight of the whole arm’ is the instruction, ‘nothing else must be tense’”

The second step of the Scaramuzza Technique is a correct Hand Position on the piano. The advantages of a proper Hand Position can be observed straightaway. The fingers can play with precision all the dynamics and articulations demanded. 

The third step is related to musical notation: When we read a music score, the notes show us two dimensions:

pitch and duration. 

Scaramuzza has added a third dimension in the score: Hand Movements. Finger, Forearm, Hand, Rotation and Wrist Movements are the five options, which correspond to the other two dimensions. 

The last step has more to do with the acceptance of having to delay pieces that might have more pianistic level but are not the correct ones to use for approaching this technique from scratch and to trust your piano tutor and his guidance.

How can this help me?…

Have you ever heard about the benefits of learning a piano technique? There is a huge list of benefits for all those students learning the piano using a technique from scratch. Georgios intends to analyse the hardest parts, as well as some of the benefits. Browsing the Scaramuzza’s Movements Blog, you could get to know all the different movements you could use, and how this technique could help you improve your performing skills, as well as relaxing your body in the process. Yes, you have read well, relaxation is the main goal of this technique.

Go and click on the link aforementioned to read the full article especially written by one of our members, and start learning the technique. In case you haven’t yet.