The Complete Pianist by Penelope Roskell, renowned pedagogue and concert pianist, is an inspiring distillation of her experience and a comprehensive manual for pianists and teachers, packed with invaluable accumulated wisdom and excellent supporting materials
Category: Piano teaching
Technology in teaching
It’s important to try to encourage adult learners to start benefitting from the technology that’s available. Youngsters will just do it anyway and will get tremendous advantages from it. Why should mature learners miss out?
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
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
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!
Technique Tips with Frances Wilson
In the second of my videos produced for Casio Music and Pianist Magazine, I discuss some basic aspects of technique including staccato and legato https://youtu.be/c-ms3yz9-r4 New e-book from Graham Fitch - Practising the Piano: an introduction to practice strategies and piano technique. Available free from Casio Music
Eleonor Bindman’s Stepping Stones to Bach
American pianist and teacher Eleonor Bindman is, by her own admission, devoted to the music of J S Bach. She has been praised for her performances and recordings of Bach's keyboard music and has made a transcription for piano 4-hands of the complete Brandenberg Concertos (read more here). In her 'Stepping Stones to Bach' Eleonor… Continue reading Eleonor Bindman’s Stepping Stones to Bach
Pulling the rabbit out of the hat
The Piano and the Art of Illusion Guest post by Lynne Phillips A recent lesson with a young beginner got me thinking about something that has fascinated me for many years: the art of illusion. Is it our job, as musicians, to simply create something, whether that’s a story, an emotion, a landscape, or a… Continue reading Pulling the rabbit out of the hat
