I usually focus on practice tips for my bi-monthly Pianist Magazine column (this article was published on Pianist’s website last month) but what we play is just as important as how we practice it. As a teacher, I’ve found that the ‘progression’ of piano music for a student is vital. I teach many younger students…
Category: Melanie Spanswick
Singing Ourselves in Time
The following article was first published on Pianist Magazine’s website a few months ago as part of my ongoing ‘5 top tips’ series. Singing. It can be a useful tool for pianists, or any instrumentalist, to help shape phrases, particularly when practising slower cantabile-style nocturnes, where it can encourage us to pay closer attention to…
Australian Guild of Music & Speech: The 2026 Piano Syllabus
This week I learned that nearly 60 of my original piano compositions have been included in the Australian Guild of Music & Speech examination board’s new 2026 piano exam syllabus. For a composer, it’s always a delight to hear that one’s music has been included in any publication, but for it to be featured in…
Snapchats Duets & Trios for Beginners
At the end of last year, my fourth publication, featuring original piano duets and trios for students, was released. The Snapchats Duets (four hands at one keyboard) & Trios (six hands at one keyboard) series began in 2016 with just one book containing mainly elementary level duets plus a few trios which are from Initial…
Julian Jacobson plays the ‘Hammerklavier’: Part 3
This is the final post in pianist and professor Julian Jacobson’s series examining the ‘Hammerklavier’ sonata in preparation for his lecture recital on Sunday January 11th at Mill Hill Library in London. In this article, Julian explores and examines some of the pressing preparation issues found whilst working at this epic piece. Purchase your tickets…
Guildhall Young Artists Online 2026
A Very Happy New Year! I wish you all a wonderful, healthy and happy 2026. We galloped through 2025 at such speed that I hope 2026 will slow down a little! There are many events and projects in the pipeline over the course of the coming year. A few highlights include several forthcoming publications: a…
Julian Jacobson plays the ‘Hammerklavier’: Part 2
This is the second post in pianist and professor Julian Jacobson’s mini-series for this blog focusing on Beethoven’s most complex master piece for the piano, the ‘Hammerklavier’ Sonata in B flat major Op. 106, which he will be performing in London on Sunday January 11th 2026 at Mill Hill Library. Today, he discusses his past…
Favourite Books of 2025
Wishing all my readers a very happy festive season As the year draws to a close, I’m focusing on my favourite books of 2025. I’d like to highlight the following five books which I’ve really enjoyed reading. This is a rather random collection of fiction and non-fiction; some were published in 2025 whilst others are…
Julian Jacobson plays the ‘Hammerklavier’: Part 1
My final guest writer of the year is pianist and piano professor Julian Jacobson, who is no stranger to my blog having written several guest post series already. This mini series focuses on Julian’s forthcoming performance of and lecture on Beethoven’s mighty ‘Hammerklavier’ Sonata No. 29 in B flat major Op. 106 on Sunday January…
Pre-Christmas Cheer
It’s December already and we all know what that means: Christmas time, for those who celebrate. After a busy term, which, for me, finished yesterday, it’s good to have some time to reflect on the past few weeks and look forward to the festive break. The Play it again: PIANO Prep Book (Schott Music), which…
Teaching Observations: How many is too many?
I’ve been musing on the topic of students learning and preparing a small amount of repertoire thoroughly as opposed to studying a much larger number of pieces in a perhaps more ‘laid-back’ fashion. This is a perennial subject, especially amongst adult returners, and is often quite a controversial issue. A common question in my Facebook…
A Master Class with Eliso Virsaladze
I haven’t posted a master class for a while and the following is fascinating. Given by esteemed Georgian pianist and pedagogue Eliso Virsaladze, it was filmed on October 5th, 2025 at Hong Kong City Hall for the Chopin Society of Hong Kong, China. Student Shujun Wang plays Chopin’s Scherzo No. 3 in C-sharp minor, Op….