Our Inner Conductor
In some Romantic music it may be appropriate to change tempo slightly when the musical idea changes, even if this is not specified in the score. This is just one…
The Dance of the Dampers
The subtleties of the right pedal are extremely hard to pin down. I can show a student what I am doing with my hands, fingers and arm to produce a…
Practising Chopin’s “Ocean” Etude
In last week's post on ties and repeated notes, I referred to Chopin's Ocean Etude (more properly known as op. 25 no. 12). A reader contacted me asking if I…
The Pot-Bellied Monster
Heinrich Neuhaus spoke of the pot-bellied monster, a fault in piano playing where the harmony swallows both bass and melody. I find myself discussing the layering of sound all the…
Getting Students to Use the Practice Tools (2)
Last week, I discussed how we might encourage our younger students to use the practice tools by incorporating elements of practice into the lesson, so that each week we devote…
On Touch, Articulation and Phrasing
This week my third video demonstration on touch went live on Pianist Magazine's YouTube channel. When I was given the original commission for three articles for the magazine, I knew I…
Eat Your Greens!
A thorough knowledge of scales and arpeggios is an absolute necessity for all serious students of the piano. Here are some tips for incorporating them into lessons and practice.
On Touch (Part Two)
My second article on touch has just been published by Pianist Magazine. When I was first commissioned to write a series of three articles on touch, dealing with legato and staccato in the…
On Touch (Part One)
I was recently asked by Pianist Magazine to write a series of three articles on touch, which turned out to be more challenging than I had anticipated. The second article…
Practising on Tour
I have been away for the past three weeks on a concert and teaching tour of Singapore and Australia, the focus of my work there was three performances of Bach's…