The piano is the perfect vehicle for Salon music, that is, music more suited to the drawing-room as opposed to the concert hall. This genre was popular in Europe in the Nineteenth Century. During this period, many composers were also performers, and they loved to write little pieces to perform at house recitals or soirées, showcasing their talents in…
Tag: Festivals and Competitions
From the Adjudicator’s Chair
This week, several readers have contacted me asking whether I could write a blog post on the subject of what adjudicators or jury members are looking for in a competition performance. It’s wonderful that so many of you are preparing for amateur piano competitions all around the world. The main concern or question seemed to…
A visit to Holst’s Birthplace Museum
Cheltenham is one of Britain’s most beautiful towns. Situated on the edge of the Cotswolds, it is architecturally stunning; elegant buildings and manicured gardens abound. So it provides the perfect setting for the birthplace museum of one of Britain’s most important composers: Gustav Holst. Holst was born in the Spa town in 1874 in a property which is resides in Clarence…
‘There are no Fazioli artists, only ARTISTS who PLAY FAZIOLI’
The city of Sacile, a place synonymous with an ancient woodworking tradition, is located around sixty kilometres north east of Venice in the North Eastern part of Italy. It is home to the headquarters of esteemed piano makers Fazioli, who build some of the most expensive instruments in the world. Fazioli is a relatively new…
6 Ways to Introduce Small Children to Music Making
It’s entirely natural for young children to enjoy music and want to take part in musical activities. I believe the best age to commence formal piano lessons is around the age of six or seven years old. This doesn’t mean small children can’t enjoy lots of different musical events or activities, and it’s extremely beneficial…
Are you ever too young or too old?
What is the best age to start learning to play the piano? There are countless opinions on this topic. Some believe in order to play effectively you need to start aged two or three years old but that really isn’t the case. Several piano friends and colleagues who started at an early age consequently lost…
What can musicians learn from Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victory?
Watching Andy Murray soar to victory at this year’s Wimbledon was as much a lesson in superlative tennis playing as it was in mental and psychological preparation and willpower. It’s true of course, that many of the top tennis players in the world play very well, so what distinguishes the winner from the runner-up? Especially…
Some thoughts on the Van Cliburn Competition 2013
The Winner of the 2013 Van Cliburn Piano Competition has just been announced and as is so often the case, there has been much controversy over the decision. I haven’t been following all the various rounds but I have been enjoying the updates on Twitter and the general consensus about winners. The Van Cliburn Competition…
Celebrating 200 years of Wagner via Liszt
This week marked the 200th anniversary of Richard Wagner’s birth on May 22nd (1813 – 1883). Love him or hate him, Wagner made his beliefs heard, whether they be musical or political. His music is decadent to say the least and full of grand romantic gestures, declarations, and huge orchestral forces. It is impressive, even…
Some thoughts on the 2013 BBC Proms
Booking for the BBC Proms this year has only just started but by all accounts, tickets are being scooped up pretty quickly. So with this in mind, I duly purchased a Prom Guide to see what was on offer this year. I haven’t been to a Prom concert for years, not because I don’t enjoy them,…
6 reasons why selecting a good piano teacher is vital
The piano is a complex instrument to learn because there are so many aspects to think about from the beginning. A good teacher will make or break your experience but unfortunately prospective students don’t often take the time to select a suitable tutor; many seem to sign up for lessons with the first one they…
Grandma Dingley on Kickstarter
Last year I reviewed an interesting recording designed as an educational tool for children, encouraging them to listen to classical music. As I’m sure you know by now, if you regularly read my blog, I’m always keen to highlight a project such as this because, in my opinion, children have relatively few opportunities to absorb…