Why a Healthy Technique is Important
This weeks’ guest blog post by Penelope Roskell looks at the importance of a healthy technique and how to go about acquiring it. *** *** *** Should we suffer for…
An Essential Guide to Healthy Piano Playing
Piano playing is a deeply satisfying artistic activity, but it can also be very demanding physically on our arms and hands. Just as elite athletes understand and care for their…
Chess or Checkers?
I have written extensively about the subject of slow practice on this blog and elsewhere. Since slow practice is such a cornerstone of our practice routine I don't apologise for making a…
On Passagework
There are innumerable examples in the piano repertoire of what is commonly known as "passagework", a string of fast notes that lasts either a few bars, a whole section, or…
On Double Notes (Part Two)
This post deals with the "how" of double notes. Because double notes appear to be very finger-based, making demands on the weaker fingers on the outside of the hand, they…
Practising Softly
One of the most skillful and useful ways to practise is softly, especially loud passages. Let me start with an anecdote. In the early 80s I had the great good…