Several readers wrote last week asking for advice on how to combat performance nerves and anxiety. They were disturbed and upset by the fact that they could practice a piece for months thinking they had perfected it, they then would perform the work and ‘go to pieces’. Performing is a huge topic and one that…
Month: February 2012
The Power of the Musical Mind
I have been musing on this statement from one of the most popular yet controversial pianists of the Twentieth century. Gould had a highly individual style of playing the piano, and his interpretations were often equally idiosyncratic. It’s generally assumed that fingers do all the work when playing the piano. I have forgotten how many…
Piano Practice – how much should I do?
My last blog post focused on the amount of time it takes to learn to play the piano. I had some thought-provoking comments from readers and a couple of pianist friends informed me that 30 years is more appropriate! They do make a valid point… Here are some recent suggestions (below) as to the time…
How long will it take to learn to play the piano?
It’s a difficult question to answer but it’s one that most prospective students ask. 5 key points to remember 1. How much time do you have to dedicate to studying the piano? A child who is just starting to learn may only be able to concentrate for 10 minutes per day, especially if they are…
Liza Lehmann
For quite some time I’ve been interested in female pianists and composers. Some say, here in the Twenty-first century, that we finally have equality although it seems to me that classical music has long been a male-dominated profession. Women composers are particularly thin on the ground. There are more around today but during the Nineteenth…
10 reasons to play the piano
There are so many reasons why both adults and children benefit from the study of a musical instrument. Here are my top ten, to encourage you to learn to play the piano: 1. Music brings us all so much happiness, it really is very central to our lives. It’s important to be given the chance…
Teaching young children about musical instruments
I stumbled upon this YouTube clip last night, and was delighted to find this two minute lesson for children. It’s a great idea to teach youngsters all about instruments and their various sounds. It will enhance their learning skills and will hopefully ignite an interest in music at a very young age. This clip is…
Music Festivals – A platform for your child
I spent a few hours listening to vocal classes at the Chesham Arts Festival this evening. As I live a stone’s throw from The Elgiva Theatre it seemed a good idea to support my local festival. I thoroughly enjoyed it and all the young singers gave their best, some producing admirable performances. Sadly though, there…
Melodramas
The Melodrama or ‘Recitation’ is a wonderful musical form. They are not a popular or well-known genre in classical music. Yet, many significant composers have written them over the years. A melodrama is a narrated poem or story accompanied by music. Music and words are a great combination. There are many different forms of accompaniment…