PIANO & MUSIC EDUCATION
Devoted to all aspects of music education, this page features music festivals, events, and venues, as well as piano master classes, exam preparation, and competitions.
Sight-reading success with Paul Harris & Faber Music
During November, Faber Music are hosting a fabulous Piano Month and are celebrating with a new piano resource magazine: The Faber Music Piano Catalogue. As well as copious information about each publication, the new magazine also includes articles from some of their well-known piano writers and composers such as Pamela Wedgwood, Anthony Williams, Karen Marshall…
PIANO WEEK at Rugby School
If you are a regular visitor to piano summer schools but haven’t yet discovered PIANO WEEK, it might be time to explore this rapidly expanding piano course and festival. With seven international residencies during 2017, you will certainly be spoiled for choice. Established by pianist Samantha Ward, this impressive touring piano festival and summer school…
Richard Goode’s Master Class at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
I recently discovered this master class given by American concert pianist Richard Goode. It was filmed in London at the Milton Court Concert Hall. This took place at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in December 2016. There is always a lot to absorb from these classes. This one showcases classical repertoire – Beethoven’s…
2017 Beethoven Junior Intercollegiate Piano Competition
On Sunday I had the wonderful opportunity to sit on the jury of the 2017 Beethoven Junior Intercollegiate Piano Competition. Organised by the Beethoven Piano Society of Europe, the competition is held every year and proffers young pianists the chance to perform a programme built entirely from the German Master’s extraordinary output. Each participant attends…
Yuja Wang’s master class debut
Public lessons can be beneficial and interesting for many reasons, whether for teachers, students, or anyone who loves the piano. Uploaded in January this year, the following classes were filmed at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv, Israel. There’s much to glean from Yuja Wang and this is apparently her ‘master class’ debut,…
Musical Odyssey
I enjoy highlighting various piano courses, whether they be in the UK, or abroad. Today’s featured Summer course is held in Nafplio in Greece, and is intended for singers and pianists. Musical Odyssey runs from the 19th to the 26th July 2017, and is organised by artistic director and Russian pianist Yekaterina Lebedeva. The faculty…
The ‘Stars of the Albion’ Arts Competition and Festival
Over the past few weekends I’ve been adjudicating at various competitions. On several occasions I worked alone as an adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Music Festivals, but this past weekend, I was one of a panel of judges for the ‘Stars of the Albion’ competition. Although I enjoy both challenges, working with…
Piano Notes 2017-18
Piano Notes were published in early 2017. They offer students and teachers a wealth of practical advice. This advice covers the entire ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music examination board) piano syllabus. The syllabus spans from Grade 1 through to Grade 8 and it started in January 2017 and goes through to…
Manchester Music Festival Young Artists Program
Here’s a wonderful chance for young pianists and string players to attend a Summer course in Vermont (USA) with an illustrious faculty and exciting performance opportunities. The Manchester Music Festival (MMF) Young Artists Programme is a full scholarship, six-week intensive chamber music festival for string players and pianists, aged from 18 – 26. Occurring annually…
Celebrity Christmas Gala at Kings Place 2016
Yesterday I spent a thoroughly enjoyable morning at Kings Place. It is a hub for the arts near Kings Cross Station in London. I soaked up a Christmas Gala concert with a difference. I don’t write many reviews. You’ll already know that if you are a regular reader of this piano blog and I rarely…
Around the Globe Piano Music Festival 2016
Colet House is located on the perpetually busy Talgarth road to the west of London, where it’s the home of the Study Society. Behind a perfunctory, inconspicuous door, lies a rather grand entrance hall which deftly transports visitors to a bygone era. I love places like this: the mystery behind the facade, the labyrinth of…
A Master Class with Garrick Ohlsson
I’ve been working in Germany over the weekend, tutoring a bilingual piano workshop near Düsseldorf, so I thought it appropriate to highlight a master class today. Gelsenkirchen is a city in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of Germany. I’ve been visiting a couple of times a year since 2014. I provide piano classes (which are free…