PIANO TECHNIQUE WORKSHOP: PLAYING WITH ARM WEIGHT AND RELAXATION & PIANO RECITAL
By Dr. Stephen Olsen
14th September 2025 | 18:00 – 19:30 hrs.
Steinway Thailand is delighted to present Piano Workshop & Piano Recital by Dr. Stephen Olsen, an accomplished pedagogue and performer known for a wide range of repertoire, from the standard classical repertoire to avant-garde music, and for an international masterclass across the globe.
Suitable for intermediate to advanced piano students, piano teachers, and passionate learners seeking to refine their artistry, this workshop focuses on one of the most fundamental yet significant aspects of piano learning — emphasising arm weight and relaxation to achieve greater tonal control, expressive depth, and efficiency in playing, all of which play an important role in developing a refined artistic level of piano understanding.
In addition to the workshop, this event concludes with Dr. Olsen’s 45-min solo recital featuring masterpieces of Schubert, Beethoven and Liszt. Join us to witness this exceptional opportunity to learn, be inspired, and exchange your musical passions together with Steinway & Sons.
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RECITAL Program
Klavierstücke D.964,
No. 1 in E-flat minor (1828)
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Sonata Op. 109 in E major (1820)
I. Vivace ma non troppo
— Adagio espressivo
II. Prestissimo
III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung
(Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Les Jeux d'Eaux
à la Villa d'Este (1877)
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Après une Lecture du Dante:
Fantasia quasi Sonata (1858)
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
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THE INSTRUCTOR
Called "Superb" by the Boston Globe, pianist and teacher Stephen Olsen, D.M.A. commands a wide range of repertoire, from the standard classical repertoire to avant-garde music of our time.
As a performer, Olsen has performed all over the world and worked with some of the most esteemed composers of his time, including Helmut Lachenmann, John Luther Adams, Jonathan Harvey, and Michael Finnissy (who wrote and dedicated a piano piece to him). Career performance highlights include: Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; The music of John Cage at Lincoln Center's Bruno Walter Auditorium; A solo recital as a guest artist at Seattle University; Performing the music of Schoenberg with his daughter present at the Goethe Institute in Boston; A lecture recital in Xiamen, China; 2 seasons as pianist for the Fromm Players at Harvard University; Performances with new music groups such as the Calitthumpian Consort, the Seattle Modern Orchestra, and the Ludovico Ensemble. Of his performance of Jonathan Harvey's Tombeau de Messiaen at the Summer Institute for Contemporary Piano Performance at the New England Conservatory, the Boston Globe said it "stood out... among unfailingly excellent performances," and praised Olsen's "precision exaltation."
As a teacher, Olsen has developed an international reputation, teaching masterclasses and piano lessons throughout the United States and in Asia. He regularly judges competitions, adjudicates young performers, and leads masterclasses. Recent highlights include a masterclass for pianists at Seattle University, college teaching in Xiamen, China, and private studio teaching in Beijing, China. From 2012 - 2017, he was piano faculty at the historic Greenwich House Music School in New York City, where he maintained a large teaching studio. Olsen has also taught music history and theory to undergraduates at Stony Brook University in New York.
In addition to teaching and performing, Olsen also serves as an adminstrator at the International Keyboard Institute and Festival at Hunter College in New York City.
A native of Renton, Washington, Olsen holds a Master’s degree and Graduate Diploma from the New England Conservatory and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from Stony Brook University. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Western Washington University in 2004. His most influential teachers have included German Diez, Jeffrey Gilliam, Margaret Brink and Stephen Drury.
Learn more about Dr. Stephen Olsen, please visit: www.stephenolsenpiano.com
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LOCATION
Steinway & Sons Showroom
#1F-04 Gaysorn Center, 1st Floor
999 Phloen Chit Rd., Lumpini, Bangkok