In a closed off room in Crouse Hall, Syracuse University’s first-year graduate student Diyora Tursunova plays a rendition of Bach’s “Partita #5” on the black Steinway & Sons piano. Robert Weirich has his reading glasses tipped to his nose and nods to the music arrangement she is playing.

Weirich is a classical pianist and a faculty member of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He teaches piano master classes all over the world, and on Monday, brought his class to Syracuse University. On Tuesday, he will play a concert in Setnor Auditorium at 8 p.m.

In the master class, students had a scheduled time for Weirich to help them strengthen their piece of music.

“The whole title ‘master class’ makes me nervous,” Weirich said to lighten the mood. “As musicians, you’re always looking to explore something and create something better than before.”

Weirich strolled around the piano and added his thoughts on how the Bach piece could be improved. As the pianist’s hands climbed up the piano’s octaves, Weirich ad-libbed along the beat, moving his right hand out and giving a “bah” sound whenever a new measure played from the Steinway piano.

Whenever he wanted to demonstrate something to a student, he bounced his fingers on and off the keys to make sure his comments were understood.

“Weirich helped students understand the works deeper and gain details,” said Tursunova.

Meanwhile, with one of his temporary students, Weirich belted out the notes of Joseph Haydn’s “Sonata in G Minor, L. 32” in unison with the piano as if he was at a music festival with his favorite artist on the stage.

With each mark that Weirich pinpointed, he leaned over and marked the piece swiftly with a pencil. After each teaching session was finished, Weirich asked the class if they heard a difference, which was met with unified agreement.

While Tyler Meade’s fingers galloped along the octaves during beginning of Franz Schubert’s “Impromptu in A-Flat, D. 899 No. 4,” Weirich wiggled his orange pencil in between his index and middle finger to the rapid beat.

“It’s a really great experience to work with other people in the field just to gain different ideas and perspectives on what we’re playing,” Meade said. “We work with our own teacher one on one, but it’s great to have fresh new ideas come into what we’re doing.”

As Meade finished his last notes, a sudden applause arose in the room and Weirich bowed his head in humble gratitude.

Published on October 21, 2019 at 10:03 pm

Contact Christopher: cscargla@syr.edu | @chrisscargs