Once Upon a Time…
We have all heard student performances where the beginning was good - secure, well-known, confident - then after a page or two we notice a decline as skill levels start…
Leaps of Faith: On Practising Waltzes
Waltzes demand a fair amount of left hand agility from the pianist - all that hopping back and forth can be quite dizzying. A pre-requisite for mobility across the keyboard…
An Obstacle Course
I have spoken before about the negative effects of playing pieces through prematurely, before the foundations have been laid. However, once the piece has been thoroughly learned, we will need…
A Sound Investment
In a recent post, I suggested that performing (or playing through), can be compared to spending, whereas practising has its parallels with investing. Successful people in the business world will…
Feeling an Interpretation
I would like to throw out some ideas that might help develop an interpretation during practising, always keeping in mind that the process of practising should move us ever nearer…
A Supplement to Slow Practice
A few weeks ago, I gave some suggestions for practising Mozart's Rondo alla turca and I would like to apply this principle to another piece, which really couldn't be more contrasting in…
Practice Makes Permanent
We all know that "practice makes permanent" and that if we try to learn a piece by constant repetition via repeated complete up-to-speed readings, we are going to regret it…
An Energy Saving Tip
The other day the bulb in my piano lamp blew. It was the only light I had on in the room, and because it was dark outside and I was…
Practising Fast
Common sense suggests that if we can play a fast piece faster than intended, it will be easier to manage at the proper tempo, since we will have gone the…