Classical Piano: How to Play Für Elise

Learn to play Beethoven’s "Für Elise" with confidence in 30 days.

This four-week course teaches you a structured, step-by-step approach to playing one of the most iconic piano pieces ever composed, emphasizing essential chord progressions, hand positioning, and articulation. Each week, you’ll engage with carefully designed exercises and assignments that break down the piece into manageable sections, ensuring a deep and thorough understanding of both the technical and expressive aspects of the music.

By the end of the course, you'll have the confidence and skills to perform "Für Elise" in its entirety. You'll hone your ability to transition smoothly between hand positions, execute expressive articulations, and make interpretive choices that enhance your performance. This course will also help you develop your own artistic voice while staying true to the musical score.

Beyond technical mastery, you’ll explore the historical and cultural significance of "Für Elise" and its place within the Classical Period. Through discussions and guided analysis, you'll consider Beethoven’s compositional style, the evolution of the piano, and how historical context informs interpretation.

Whether you are playing for personal enjoyment or as a stepping stone toward more advanced piano study, you'll emerge from this course with a deeper appreciation for Beethoven’s music and a stronger command of the keyboard.

What you will learn:

✔ Play “Für Elise” fluently, incorporating proper fingerings, hand positions, and chord transitions
✔ Identify and apply essential music theory concepts, including major and minor chords, intervals, and chromatic scales
✔ Utilize effective practice strategies to enhance memorization, articulation, and interpretation of classical repertoire
✔ Analyze and interpret “Für Elise” within its historical and stylistic context, making informed artistic choices in performance

Prerequisite Skills

• Completion of Piano & Keyboard Basics 1 and Piano & Keyboard Basics 2, or equivalent knowledge and/or experience.