Composing piano music that is idiomatic, effective, original, and satisfyingly challenging requires a thorough understanding of the nature of the instrument, including its mechanics and acoustic properties. It also requires an understanding of the relationship of the instrument to the performing artist, which is codetermined by the anatomy of the hand and the kinetics of the entire human body.

We will consult scholarly literature on the cultural history of the piano, technical, and anatomical studies of pianism, twentieth-century modification of the instruments, improvisation, and the history of musical play (ludomusicology). We will also consult several published and unpublished piano methods, such as Chopin's "Projet de méthode" or Liszt's "Technische Studien."

The core of the course will be based on the study of piano repertoire that has utilized the instrument most successfully, focusing on music written since 1830. Students will also apply the acquired insights in the composition of their own piano textures and short piano works. The goal of the course is to enable a full exploitation of the potential of the instrument in pursuit of original textural solutions.