Finger Pedaling Mozart

[alamodemer]

My 9 y/o daughter has been taking piano lessons for just over 2 years. She recently changed piano teachers because we moved. Her former instructor helped her with a couple of Mozart sonatas and never mentioned anything about finger pedaling. Her former instructor had her use the foot pedal. When she did this during auditions, other instructors cautioned her about the use of the foot pedal.

Anyhow -
About a month ago, her current instructor told her where to use some finger pedal in Mozart Fantasy in D Minor, mostly in the opening measures. She didn't add any additional finger pedaling because she isn't sure when it is OK to do it. She did not ask for guidance during her lesson.

She is now working on Mozart Sonata in B flat Major (K570), mvt. 1 and Mozart Concerto in A Major. Her instructor mentioned finger pedaling again, but didn't provide many details because she didn't ask for any. She said she will ask for some more guidance next week, but until then, she is looking for guidelines when it comes to finger pedaling. Personal experiences, books, articles, etc., would be appreciated.

She doesn't have any problems with the finger pedaling itself. She has problems with knowing when to use it.

Right now, she uses careful pedaling on the sonata to help things along. It sounds just fine at home on her piano. The pedaling sounded awful (obvious) on her instructor's piano.


Thanks

[maryruth]

In slower movements and even in some of the quicker ones I would definitely experiement with finger pedaling in any alberti bass type figures.  The finger pedaling helps smooth out those types of patterns without turning it all to mush.

[pianistimo]

considering her age, i think she should ask her teacher immediately (e-mail, or phone call or visit).  she's wasting time if she practices in a manner that is not what he is wanting.  he should write in the finger pedalling for her so she knows what fingers to move from and to.  the fingering in certain passages is usually beyond the average 9 year old.

i think the hardest thing about being young is being bold enough to ask a lot of questions.  you get the most from your lesson that way.  maybe the next lesson she should write down everything that she is wondering about - and also, right after the lesson, write down what her instructor told her.  this is something that people carry through into college.  if you get into good habits now - there is nothing to hold you back.

some students get cocky (probably not your daughter's reason) and put in most of their own fingerings and just let things slide by.  what your daughter wants to do is to get as much written in fingering from her teacher as possible for 4+ years.  then she can go back over it and pick out the trends of fingering patterns and apply them properly.