Pianist-composer Barry Sindlinger will open 52 portholes to creative brilliance in his first free Seattle workshop for pianists. "52 Secrets of Sizzling Cadences" will plumb the depths of one of western music's most common chord progressions. Mr. Sindlinger is offering a $500 Scholarship to the attendee who can show these 52 techniques have been covered in any single book, workshop or class anywhere prior to the event. Registration is free at http://www.pianistspath.com .

The workshop is designed for the 99/100 pianists whose music "making" has suffered under the stifling grip of traditional teaching, but it will profit all pianists, from beginner to professional (even creatives). And it's free to any pianist who wants to enrich his creative depth.

Event: "52 Secrets of Sizzling Cadences"
Date/Time: Saturday, July 14 (9 a.m. - noon)
Location: Roy's Place (next door to Kennelly Keys Music, 4918 196th ST SW, Lynnwood)
Registration Required: Pianists may sign up at www.pianistspath.com (Seating is limited.)

Attendees will get 1) tools to turn a mundane cadence into persuasive performance; 2) a free booklet featuring the "52 Secrets" and 3) a chance to win one of Sindlinger's Top 5 Influences, a mystery book praised by Clavier Magazine and (film composer) Lalo Shifrin. Some of the "52 Secrets" covered:

7 compelling harmonic substitutions for this traditional cadence
How "Italian ice cream" adds mystery to this chord progression (but unwraps its origin)
Why every pianist should master this saucy "splat" offshoot -- from Bach to Bill (Evans)
How to turn "harmonic skeletons" into fleshed-out, hair-raising progressions
Exotic examples of this cadence from classical, sacred, and popular music!
How compleat mastery of technique turns "ho-hum" into persuasive performance!
The One Question you must ask to perform rousing, coherent cadences in any setting

Sindlinger explains, "The art of improvisation has been divorced from its origins in the recital, and jazz has become its only forum. Today's pianists 'recite' but cannot 'make' music. In these workshops, I point up how severely today's teaching has slid from the true tradition. And I give pianists real hope based in concrete technique -- showing them how to nurture creativity with a disciplined approach to 'craft.'"

Does it work? "I learned more in 3 lessons...than in 3 years with my German conservatory teacher. Worth every penny!" -- Heidi Lecair (Worship Pianist at EV Free Church, Yuba City, CA)

"Our family has been amazed at the benefits our son received... Joey's piano playing reached new levels that went far beyond our expectations. Not only has his playing progressed significantly, but also his love to play and learn has grown by leaps and bounds. We're planning to fly him from Sacramento to Seattle to continue study with Barry!" -- David and Annie Knowles (Parents of Student, Sacramento)

BACKGROUND and NOTES to Editor:

This workshop introduces pianists to the organic teaching of international award-winning pianist, Barry Sindlinger. In his Lynnwood studio, Sindlinger "puts pianists on the path to creative brilliance" by shining the light of modern neuroscience on ancient maps of improvisation.

His approach has been applauded at trade shows, including the 2005 Seattle MTNA (Music Teachers National Association). Attendees of the 2004 World Piano Pedagogy Conference reported his as the year's best presentation and kept him answering questions for 90 minutes past the close of his session. (See testimonials below.)

AVAILABILITY

Mr. Sindlinger is accessible for interviews and to provide tips, articles, background and commentary on the "pianist's path to creative brilliance," both in its ancient and modern forms.
Contact him at 425-743-5149 or email in sidebar.

TESTIMONIALS (from International Trade Shows)

"I'd like to invite you to speak to the piano department at Rutgers University." -- Min Kwon, assistant professor of music (piano), Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University

"Yours was the best session I've attended at WPPC (and that includes Robert Levin's presentation)!" -- Carol Hartman Domasco, teacher and prolific pianist-composer from Corpus Christi, TX

"You gave a great session at WPPC. You have quite a program outlined here. I like what you are doing." -- Marilyn Lowe, Author of the highly-acclaimed "Music Moves" and proponent of Edwin Gordon's music learning theories for children

TREND Tie-in:

Over the last decade, there has been a growing interest in the art of improvisation outside of mere jazz. Major classically-trained artists have begun to recover it -- names like Robert Levin, Jeffrey Biegel, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and John Bayless. (Barry Sindlinger has been teaching improvisation from a classical perspective for 25 years.)

Now we're starting to see pedagogues pursue knowledge of its nature and history. Methods are being developed to encourage and even give students practice in creativity, although usually primitive. And a national music trade show recently featured "improvisation" as its annual theme.

Clearly, the concern for the return of improvisation among classically-trained musicians is growing. However, we lack two things: a proven approach to training it in rich craft, and a thoroughgoing course that doesn't leave "rote" behind -- where students get all the training in sight-reading, technique, etc. as if they were planning to be ordinary rote recitalists.

A student trained in such a method could win a prize in a major competition (despite those competitions ignoring, giving lip service to, or even denigrating the creative). But, in addition, he'll own the ability to soar...in ways the rote classical pianist can only dream of.