Moszkowski's Etincelles / Sparks, Op. 36 No. 6, the famous encore piece of Vladimir Horowitz, is indeed sparkling with lightness and crispiness, while being technically demanding.
I have filmed a thorough lesson on this exquisite work in order to help you refine your piano playing and improve your technique. The work is suitable for late intermediate and advanced players and has a potential to give a huge boost to finger dexterity, with diligent practice.
In this 40-minute comprehensive video course I thoroughly go through this character piece and together we explore:
- An immediate relaxation of the fingers (working towards faster tempi without tension)
- Motion coordination, wrist position in shifts
- Staccato chords = fingertips activation and lightness
- Ergonomic repositioning during running scale-like and arpeggio-like passages
- Fingering suggestions and material redistribution between the hands
- Practice algorithms for efficiency, comfort, and ease
My goal is to lead you through this piece explaining and demonstrating how refining subtle movements can help significantly improve your technique, speed and control in order to achieve precision, brilliance, and crispiness in virtuosic pieces.
I also include my ANNOTATED PDF SCORE (from the public domain) with markings for fingering, pedaling, and phrasing nuances that I created specifically for this lesson.
Not sure? Check out a free portion of this course with an excerpt example (available for a free preview in the Course Curriculum).
Example Curriculum
I am a Ukrainian-American classical pianist, currently living in Austria. In 2025 I have successfully acquired my Doctoral Degree in Artistic Research at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, with Excellence, on Artistic Interpretation of Late Scriabin. During the last decade I have created six multi- and crossdisciplinary productions with my Intertwining Arts team. After years of my discoveries as a solo pianist and a crossdisciplinary artist, I find it absolutely necessary to share my knowledge, skills, and understanding of possibilities in musical interpretation with the world, by teaching individual piano lessons and recording video tutorials.
I play and teach all kinds of classical music - from Baroque to Contemporary. I think it is very important to understand how unique and complete each individual style is - therefore, I don't really have a favorite one, since they are all incredible. I am an open-minded and easy going person, always willing to collaborate with my students' needs and ideas when it gets to piano playing.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions about individual lessons via the contact form on my website elinaakselrud.com – I will be more than happy to reply!
Keep creating and best of luck,
Dr. Elina Akselrud
