Birmingham International Piano Competition 2022

Today I’m publishing a rare ‘mid-week’ post in order to highlight a forthcoming event which may be of interest. The Birmingham International Piano Competition (BIPC) is making a welcome return after a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. In this post, Administrative Director, Ella Lee, writes about this exciting competition. The BIPC has a legacy…

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The concept of Flow in piano practice and performance: David Jones

My guest writer this week is pianist and teacher David Jones. David is Head of Keyboard at Cheltenham Ladies College (in the UK) and artistic director of a new and exciting piano Summer school: The Thinking Pianist. In this article, David explores the fascinating concept of ‘Flow’ and how we might achieve it in our…

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Musical Life at Windsor Castle: Alex Robson

Today’s guest post has been written by organist Alex Robson, who studies the piano with me.  Alex is currently Organ Scholar at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and, in September, he will become an organ scholar at St. John’s College at Cambridge University. This past year has been an interesting musical journey for Alex, and,…

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70 Years and the Queen’s Pianos

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II a very Happy Platinum Jubilee. Whether or not you follow the Royal Family, the Queen’s achievement is nothing short of extraordinary. I have enjoyed observing many of this weekend’s events, and, as I live in Windsor, have been able to feel a…

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Forget-Me-Not: A Birthday Gift!

Today is my birthday, and, as has been the custom over the past couple of years, I’m offering a free elementary piece for you to download and enjoy. Forget-Me-Not was written a few years ago, and then re-written in 2021; it’s often the case that I ‘revisit’ pieces at a later date and alter them…

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Weekend Competition: Winners

Many thanks to all those who took part in my weekend competition. The prize comprises a selection of books from the new Celebration Series® courtesy of The Royal Conservatory of Music Certificate Programme. The three winners are: Donna Reed Diane Van Cleef Sinden Collier  Congratulations! Please send your full name and address via the contact…

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Weekend Competition: Celebration Series®, Sixth Edition

It’s been a while since I offered a weekend competition, and today’s post is particularly exciting because it focuses on the new, highly anticipated Celebration Series®, published by The Royal Conservatory of Music Certificate Programme. This Programme is based in Toronto, Canada. A very popular examination board in Canada and North America, the RCM works…

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The Recording Process: Yuki Negishi

Today’s guest writer is no stranger to my blog; Japanese pianist Yuki Negishi has written many articles chronicling her pianistic journey to date and you can read them in my Blog Archives, under Guest Post Series. In this post, she describes her most recent project; the recording of her new album, Enigma. I’m both honoured…

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Eton College at Coach House Pianos

Just along the New King’s Road in Chelsea, London, stands an impressive white Art Deco building. Such buildings, generally constructed in the early part of the Twentieth century, frequently exhibit a certain majestic quality, even if they also tend to harbour a faded grandeur. This particular building, however, is the renowned Talisman building. Constructed in…

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