NEWS & EVENTS
This page includes both forthcoming and past events, as well as recent interviews. It also provides information about publications, compositions, and workshops. You will find details on adjudicating, presentations, reviews, as well as holiday and celebratory posts.
Happy Holidays
At the end of this unprecedented year, I would like to wish you and your family a happy, restful and peaceful holiday period. Thank you for reading and commenting on my blog posts. Your continued support is always much appreciated. I also want to thank all my guest writers who have taken the time to…
TIPA Live Show
Last week I wrote about the Tokyo International Piano Association (you can read this blog post, here), and this week I would like to continue with a little information about the new TIPA Live Show which will be taking place each month, hosted by TIPA’s artistic director, Aisa Ijiri. Japanese pianist Aisa will interview a…
Chakra Suite for Clarinet & Piano
Those of us who teach have been generally been fortunate during the pandemic, what with online platforms such as Skype and Zoom offering the opportunity to continue with our work. I’ve been able to sustain my teaching, but all my workshop tours were, of course, cancelled or postponed. Whilst initially disappointed, I was able to…
Jackdaws Piano Courses 2020/21
As many will know, the Jackdaws Music Education Trust is a very popular destination for music students of all ages. Set in Great Elm, just outside Frome in Somerset (U.K.), Jackdaws offers an exciting array of instrumental and vocal courses every year, and, as the saying goes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. I host…
Piano Music by Women
Over the past few months, musicians have been carefully rethinking their work. The pandemic has forced artists to develop in a completely new direction. The internet has proved a splendid alternative platform. We have witnessed new online concert series’, master classes, workshops, and for teachers, copious online lessons. I’ve enjoyed performances from international artists, many…
Quarantine or Paradise: an interview with GéNIA
As the COVID-19 health crisis continues to dominate our everyday lives, many artists have taken to online forums, and particularly social media, in order to continue their work. With this in mind, Russian pianist, composer, teacher and writer, GéNIA (Genia Chudinovich) has established a new interview series, ‘Quarantine or Paradise’, where she will speak to…
Simply Driven: 5 Virtuoso Pieces
Simply Driven, published by Schott Music in their renowned Edition Schott Series, is a collection of five original pieces. These works are intended for advanced to virtuoso level pianists and each piece proffers a completely different character, whilst still reflecting minimalist influences. Composed over a period of a year, four of the five pieces were…
A Piano Course in Frome & Chamber Music in Tokyo
I’ve just returned from tutoring my yearly weekend piano course at Jackdaws Music Education Trust. The course was full with ten students. It was one of the most enjoyable courses I have run at this renowned education establishment. We were able to utilise the smart new concert venue which opened earlier this year. This venue…
A New You: The Art of Manifesting for 2020
Happy New Year Welcome to a new decade! Have you made any new year’s resolutions? You may have set your intentions, but do you believe they can and will happen? Do certain goals or dreams which you hope to surmount sometimes feel out of reach. And, try as you might, they haven’t happened to you….
Happy Holidays 2019
WISHING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY HAPPY, PEACEFUL AND FESTIVE HOLIDAY SEASON Another Christmas is nearly upon us and, as the year draws to a close, my hope is that you are able to reflect on a happy and successful 2019. I also hope you’ve enjoyed reading my articles as well as those of…
The ‘Chromasoul’ Steinway Piano
Earlier this year, I was invited to the launch of a new Steinway piano. Not entirely a new instrument, but more a new ‘design’; the Chromasoul Steinway. This Chromasoul piano is a Steinway Model D instrument that has been fastidiously painted by renowned Argentinian artist María Inés Aguirre. I wrote about Mia and the concept…
Indonesian Charm
Over the past nine days I have been touring in the Far East. It’s always a pleasure to work with students and teachers in different parts of the world, and fascinating to note the various similarities in teaching styles, despite the cultural differences. I began my trip in Indonesia, a country I visited briefly last…