Alberto Firrincieli presents his piano method "Think in Music"

Alberto Firrincieli presents his innovative piano method “Think in Music”

Over the course of my two decades of teaching music across European and Asian countries, I have had the privilege of interacting with numerous students.
Through these encounters, I have come to recognize certain crucial aspects that are often overlooked in modern music education.
Specifically, I emphasize the importance of three fundamental elements: improvisation, counterpoint, and composition, alongside the traditional study of repertoire.
This realization led me to develop the “Think In Music” method.

It is well-established that the most eminent musicians-ranging from Bach and Mozart to Beethoven and Liszt-were not merely performers but also exceptional improvisers and composers.
However, in our contemporary landscape, a significant majority of classical musicians lack the ability to improvise or compose in the classical style.
To illustrate this, let us draw an analogy between music and spoken language.
Just as language relies on sentence structures (subject, verb, object), music operates with analogous elements known as functions.
Musical sentences, akin to spoken sentences, exist.
Language education typically encompasses reading, writing, and conversation.
Similarly, music education should be grounded in these three pillars.
Unfortunately, today’s emphasis often leans disproportionately toward “reading” music notation, sometimes neglecting historical context and a deep understanding of musical meaning.
By studying improvisation-an equivalent to conversational fluency in language studies-students are compelled to think in terms of musical structures and functions.
It is worth noting that language acquisition typically begins with speaking, imitating parents, and subsequently learning to read and write.
In contrast, music education frequently prioritizes reading notation first, rarely allowing students to play without reading-a missed opportunity for improvisation resulting from thoughtful processes.

Guided by these principles, I developed the “Think In Music” method.
This approach underscores the essential role of improvisation, counterpoint, and composition alongside traditional repertoire study.
By integrating these elements, we create an environment conducive to a thorough understanding of music and its underlying structures.
Moreover, the approach to traditional repertoire undergoes a transformation, where the music score often becomes the culmination rather than the starting point.
Through reasoned understanding, the student acquires the necessary foundation to faithfully recreate it.