A Keyboard Conversation with Philip Fowke

Part 1 – The Art of Practising

I could not have been more delighted when Philip Fowke agreed to meet with me in London to chat about all things piano. I have known Philip for over half a century! On my agenda was to express my gratitude for all I learned from him during my teens and twenties, when he gave me a number of formative lessons.

I think it is safe to say that without Philip’s constant fascination with the art of piano practice and his inspiring way of teaching it, this blog probably wouldn’t have come into being in the first place!

The first part of our conversation starts with me reminding Philip about my very first lesson with him, on Rachmaninov’s C sharp minor Prelude. I remember it vividly, as though it were yesterday. I must have been struggling with the big chords in the last section, but rather than offering me any technical (i.e. mechanical) advice, Philip asked me how I was practising them. I was flummoxed for a moment, because I suppose at that stage I hadn’t thought much about what I was doing at the piano between lessons.

Philip went on to give me a number of concrete suggestions that I took away with me and diligently applied. After a week I was breezing very comfortably through this spot, my interest in the efficacy of precision in practice very much piqued.

As our chat progresses, we end up talking about the practice tools, questioning what technique is, the psychology of teaching and playing, and much else (including memories of the great pianist, Shura Cherkassky, and Philip’s teacher, Gordon Green).

Further links

• Philip Fowke biography – Click here to view Philip’s biography on the Steinway website
• Practice Tools Video Series – Click here to view an index of Graham Fitch’s Practice Tools videos, many of which were inspired by Philip!
• Keyboard Conversations – Click here to view other instalments in our Keyboard Conversations series.