The key is trying to limit yourself to perform only the pieces that will be best for you and the audience. Otherwise, you’re doing everyone—yourself, the composer, and the audience, a huge disservice. – Richard Goode, concert pianist I’m sure most performers would agree with Richard Goode’s statement, yet many, especially younger artists, are under… Continue reading Play what you play best
Finchcocks announces 20 new courses for 2020
Getting 'Bach' into piano playing has never been easier! Finchcocks in Kent has announced 20 new piano courses for 2020 * Courses will be taught by internationally recognised tutors, including Graham Fitch and Penelope Roskell, and concert pianists Warren Mailley-Smith and Tom Poster * Choose from a range of beginner, intermediate and advanced adult courses,… Continue reading Finchcocks announces 20 new courses for 2020
Why short daily practice beats the once a week catch up
Guest post by Tom Van Schoor Why is daily practice so much better than having a dedicated day in the week? And how long should I set aside every day to see some measurable result? The answer lies in the way our brain works. How it processes new information and how it stores long term… Continue reading Why short daily practice beats the once a week catch up
Never too late
"I wish I'd kept up my piano lessons!" How many people do you meet who express this regret, that they'd continued childhood piano lessons into adulthood? At my piano club, there are people who have played all their life; others who, like me, gave up, often in childhood or their teens, only to return to… Continue reading Never too late
Those who can, teach
The expression “those who can, do; those who can’t, teach” does a great disservice to teachers everywhere. In the sphere of music, teaching is often regarded as a “second best” option for those who have trained as performers, yet for anyone who has encountered a great music teacher, it is evident that this is a… Continue reading Those who can, teach
Making the Most of Your Continuing Professional Development
Guest post by Rhiana Henderson There are many courses, workshops, conferences and other events available of varying lengths and on a whole range of different topics for piano teachers. Afterwards though, how are we able to demonstrate to potential students and employers that we have invested valuable time and money into our own continuing professional… Continue reading Making the Most of Your Continuing Professional Development
Make friends with the music
Too often it seems that we view learning, studying, practising and performing music as a kind of fight. People talk about "doing battle with Beethoven" or "fighting the fear" (of performing) as if one must take up arms against unseen, powerful forces. It's true that learning new repertoire can be a Herculean task, and practising… Continue reading Make friends with the music
Oktav – the amateur pianist’s personalised sheet music app
Oktav - a sheet music app which recommends repertoire based on your ability and preferences
Getting exercised about exercises
Some people swear by them; others detest them with a passion. Love them or hate them, exercises are a crucial part of the pianist's technical regime, and discussions about the pros and cons of exercises in online piano forums and elsewhere are often as heated as the Brexit debate!
Train your weaknesses
Like sportspeople, musicians need to train. We call training "practicing" - a catch-all term that encompasses learning new music, reviving previously-learnt music, keeping repertoire going and honing skills. We all have strengths and weaknesses, whether a professional or amateur musician, and understanding and appreciating our individual strengths and weaknesses is important in how we approach… Continue reading Train your weaknesses
