PIANO PRACTICE
A selection of articles and features on all aspects of practising the piano.
Selecting and Practising Piano Exam Repertoire: Trinity College London Grade 1 2015/2017
Today’s post focuses on the Trinity College London piano exam syllabus. I’m exploring repertoire for both Trinity College London and the ABRSM exam boards. It has been interesting to note the differences and similarities between them and their syllabuses. I’ve chosen to highlight the syllabuses of these two exam boards. Both have their strong points…
Selecting & Practising Piano Exam Repertoire: ABRSM Grade 1 2017/2018
Selecting and Practising Piano Exam Repertoire is a new series on my blog. It will essentially examine selected repertoire across the grades. I’m focusing on two exam boards: ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) and Trinity College London. Both syllabuses require three piano pieces per grade. Supporting tests are also required. These…
9 Tips for Success in Your Piano Exam
Selecting and Practising Piano Exam Repertoire is a new series on my blog, which will begin in earnest next week. Today’s post is in preparation, offering a few practice ideas to make piano exam study a more fruitful and rewarding affair. Some of you have written requesting information about piano exam programmes and how best…
Chicken Wings: Amy Reynolds
Devised by my ex pupil Amy Reynolds, ‘Chicken Wings’ may be of interest to anyone focusing on the elbow. Many pedagogues feel this part of the body to be of real importance when playing the piano, and Amy felt compelled to write about her recent discoveries. I have reproduced her blog post here. Chicken Wings…
5 Top Tips to Aid Memorisation
Pianist Magazine produces a newsletter which wings its way into a reader’s e mail box every other month. It’s brimming with piano news and information, as well as a few articles. I write a regular ‘Piano Tips’ feature, and today’s post presents the most recent, which focuses on memorisation. Memorisation is a hotly debated topic…
Hand Flexibility
Hands. They are fairly crucial for pianists. Many will refer to the fingers as being the most significant ‘tools’ in a pianist’s tool box. And there’s no doubt, without fingers, playing is rather tricky. But, over the past few months, I’ve been working with a group of students and we have routinely discussed hands; hand…
Improve Your Sight-Reading Skills: 5 Top Tips
My latest article for Pianist Magazine’s New Year’s newsletter focuses on sight-reading. I’ve written about this subject many times, but it’s an important topic for pianists, and is often ignored or sidestepped in piano lessons until absolutely necessary, that is, just prior to an exam or audition, when testing is unavoidable. Few pianists are keen…
10 Top Tips to improve your Practice Schedule in 2017
HAPPY NEW YEAR New Year’s resolutions? You’ve probably been mulling over what the next year might hold. Perhaps you’ve also been wondering how to fruitfully work on your piano playing? An issue on many a pianist’s lips; how to secure a helpful, attainable, enjoyable, and productive method of ongoing practice. As we know, many begin their…
5 Top Tips to Improve Your Warm-Up Regime
This article first appeared in Pianist Magazine’s Newsletter in August 2016. Most of us gain from a brief ‘warming-up’ or ‘pre-practice’ session. This might include stretching or playing very slowly. It could also involve negotiating simple piano exercises, sight-reading, or preparing mentally with a coffee! Everyone has their preferred method and I hope these suggestions…
5 Top Tips To Improve Your Listening Skills
My most recent Pianist Magazine newsletter article contains 5 tips designed to cultivate and improve our listening skills, and I thought it may be of interest to readers. We might think we hear what we play, but often our attention is focused elsewhere; finding notes, reading the score, pedalling – the list is endless. But…
10 Top Tips To Pass Your Piano Exam
As the new term gets underway, many will be preparing for music exams at the end of the year. The aim of this post is to provide a few extra pointers and ideas for last-minute preparations Once the pieces have been learned, scales, arpeggios and technical work is all in place, how can students feel…
The Power of Repetition
Finding the appropriate practice tool for a specific issue can be a matter of trial and error. When all the usual methods have been exhausted or perhaps overused, it’s time to try new ideas and find a fresh approach to nail that awkward passage. Recently, I’ve been working with a couple of students who are…