Studying piano is a gradual process whereby skills are obtained by studying increasingly challenging pieces and studying their composers. When the student is familiar with essential skills like fingering, arm weight, phrasing, meter, scales, arpeggios, trills, and mordents, etc. When bad habits have been extinguished and a sufficient commitment to the instrument is evident, we focus on the finer points of performance and finally make music.
This requires a close examination of the composer, his era, and his intentions. There are period performance rules or conventions that should be addressed in performance. Beyond musicality, we refer to the Urtext Editions (only those notes provided by the extant manuscripts) and begin to deconstruct the work and interpret the score with a more informed approach to performance. Music editors have traditionally created more bad habits than good, so we strip the markings away and solemnly behold that which the composer has left for us.
In any case, listening is still one of the most important activities that lead to becoming a musician and artist. You should be able to discern the difference between excellent and poor performances, and recognize the personal stylistic techniques an artist may impose, which differ from those of the composer. It is not subjective to say this performer is playing Mozart like a Romantic composer, the tempo is all wrong, or these phrases should be separated. It is time spent developing critical opinions and deciding what is in keeping with the composer's intentions. Through intensive study of the score, thoughtful attention to interpretation, and practice, the student himself becomes a true artist.
