Mindmapping for Enhanced Performance
Using mind mapping to enhance your piano performance.
Stain Removal Tips
I recently started to teach a mature student who, after a successful career in the banking world was itching to get back to his piano playing. He brought a bunch of…
Developing Sight Reading Skills
Sight reading at the piano is the ability to process information from a score and recreate it to the best of one’s ability on the spot. To get a high…
Summer School for Pianists 2017
It is my privilege to have been invited back for the 6th consecutive year to the Summer School for Pianists, taking place at Wolverhampton University in Walsall this coming August, 12th-18th.…
On Wrist Control
I often think it must be very confusing for the pianist seeking guidance on piano technique from the internet, only to find conflicting information from various authorities. Nothing is more…
On Silence and Reflection in Practice
Theodor Leschetizky (1830-1915) is an extremely important figure in the history of piano teaching. He was around at a formative time in the evolution of modern pianism, and produced a…
On Careless Mistakes
Think back to when you learned to ride a bicycle. It was a process, right? You fell off many times before you figured out how to coordinate your body to stay…
Mozart’s Fantasia in D minor
The Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians defines fantasia as “a piece of instrumental music owning no restriction of formal construction, but the direct product of the composer’s impulse.” The…
Focus Your Practice with Zigzag
I use a form of practice for myself that I call zigzag practice. It helps test and strengthen my memory by keeping me incredibly focussed, but there's no way it…