British composer Steve Martland died unexpectedly of a heart attack at the age of just 53 on May 6th 2013. Martland was born in Liverpool and studied at Liverpool University attending the Royal Conservatory in the Hague on a Mendelssohn scholarship. He studied with Louis Andriessen and then later with Gunther Schuller at the Berkshire…
Month: May 2013
Graham Fitch in Conversation with Melanie Spanswick
This is the fifteenth interview in my Classical Conversations Series and British pianist and teacher Graham Fitch is my guest. Find out more about Graham, here. Here’s the transcript for those who prefer to read interviews: MELANIE SPANSWICK: British concert pianist, Graham Fitch, has played concerts all around the world to great critical acclaim. He was Head…
Celebrating 200 years of Wagner via Liszt
This week marked the 200th anniversary of Richard Wagner’s birth on May 22nd (1813 – 1883). Love him or hate him, Wagner made his beliefs heard, whether they be musical or political. His music is decadent to say the least and full of grand romantic gestures, declarations, and huge orchestral forces. It is impressive, even…
Paul Lewis in conversation with Melanie Spanswick
The fourteenth interview in my Classical Conversations Series features British pianist Paul Lewis. I caught up with him at his Buckinghamshire home. Find out more about Paul, here. Here’s the transcript for those who prefer to read my interviews: MELANIE SPANSWICK: British concert pianist Paul Lewis is one of the leading pianists of his generation. He’s…
Warm-ups
A couple of days ago, I was discussing ‘warm-ups’ with a colleague. We talked for well over an hour, not all about warming up admittedly, but it is possible to chat about this subject endlessly. After all, everybody’s regime is different. If you’re just starting to learn the piano, or any instrument for that matter,…
Some thoughts on the 2013 BBC Proms
Booking for the BBC Proms this year has only just started but by all accounts, tickets are being scooped up pretty quickly. So with this in mind, I duly purchased a Prom Guide to see what was on offer this year. I haven’t been to a Prom concert for years, not because I don’t enjoy them,…
Perfect Hand Positions
If you read my post on Perfect Piano Posture, you will now know how to find the best playing position at the piano, or at least you’ll know what to be aware of when you’re sitting at the instrument. Today, I will take a look at what constitutes the perfect hand position. This is just…
Transforming El Sistema
Last week, I was invited to attend a very special event for In Harmony England: the screening of a new short film called ‘Transposing El Sistema’. This film focused on the work of El Sistema and how it is now being implemented or ‘transposed’ to Britain. Many people know about the In Harmony Sistema England…
Perfect Piano Posture
Some of the most important elements in piano playing are acquired during the first few lessons. These elements often remain with us for life which is why it is crucial to start in the correct way. Bad habits are indeed very difficult to eradicate. It’s much better not to start at all than to do…