My guest writer today is pianist, composer, and teacher Tamara Barschak. Tamara trained as a classical pianist for many years under Fred Lewin and then under Roger Green of Trinity College of Music. She branched out into Jazz, funk, and blues and went to live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where she studied Brazilian musical…
Tag: Guest post series
Improvisation by Design: Susan Staples Bell
My guest writer today is Texan piano teacher and composer, Susan Staples Bell. Susan has taught piano for over 30 years, in various locations all over the world during her husband’s 30-year US Navy career. Though she’s been a creative all her life, the development of the internet and social media has given her a…
My Notebooks – A Personal Journey: Angeline Bell
Regular readers of this blog will know that I enjoy publishing guest posts. Today’s writer is composer and piano teacher Angeline Bell. Angeline has recently published two new volumes of piano music with Editions Musica Ferrum, and, in this article, she takes us on her journey as a composer. Scroll to the end of the…
The Lightbulb Moment: Why Piano Lessons Could be the Perfect Gift for Adults – Jeni Warder
As we approach that time of year where gifts and ‘present lists’ for our nearest and dearest come into sharp focus, piano teacher and founder of Keys Piano School Jeni Warder offers some excellent reasons why the gift of music is the ultimate choice. In my house, December traditions don’t include hot chocolate and movie…
Creatively Celebrating Ralph Vaughan Williams’ 150th Anniversary: Garreth Brooke
This post celebrates the birthday anniversary of British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams who would have been 150 tomorrow. To mark the occasion, pianist and composer Garreth Brooke, who is based in Germany, has written four piano solo arrangements of folk songs. Here, he tells us why he felt compelled to write these pieces. You can…
Birmingham International Piano Competition 2022: Ella Lee
I’m publishing a rare ‘mid-week’ post in order to highlight a forthcoming event which may be of interest. The Birmingham International Piano Competition (BIPC) is making a welcome return after a two-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. In this post, Administrative Director, Ella Lee, writes about this exciting competition. The BIPC has a legacy going…
The concept of Flow in piano practice and performance: David Jones
My guest writer this week is pianist and teacher David Jones. David is Head of Keyboard at Cheltenham Ladies College in the UK, and artistic director of a new and exciting piano Summer school: The Thinking Pianist. In this article, David explores the fascinating concept of ‘Flow’ and how we might achieve it in our…
Musical Life at Windsor Castle: Alex Robson
Alex Robson is an organist who has been studying studying the piano with me. Alex is currently Organ Scholar at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and, in September, he will become an organ scholar at St. John’s College at Cambridge University. This past year has been an interesting musical journey for Alex, and, in this…
The Recording Process: Yuki Negishi
Japanese pianist Yuki Negishi has written many articles chronicling her pianistic journey to date. In this post, she describes her most recent project: the recording of her new album, Enigma. I’m really happy that my piece ‘Enigma’, written for Yuki, features on this new album. I have been performing for many years since graduating from…
Studying at a Music Conservatoire: Evelyn Chang
This week, my guest writer is pianist and composer Evelyn Chang. Evelyn, who was born in Taiwan and is now based in Hong-Kong, charts her musical journey from her home country to the UK. She studied at The Purcell School and the Royal College of Music in London. Becoming a mother was a life changing…
Extreme Heterophony – a study in Javanese Gamelan for one or more pianists: John Pitts
Composer John Pitts is today’s guest writer. He has just published a new and fascinating book: Extreme Heterophony: a study in Javanese Gamelan for one or more pianists. John has written several books exploring Indian Raga Music, adapting it to the piano. In this new volume, he continues his exploration into the music of the…
12 Ideas to Help Reignite Motivation at the Piano: Lewis Kesterton
Pianist, teacher and writer Lewis Kesterton is my guest writer today. He focuses on that important topic – finding inner motivation. This article was originally published on Pianist Magazine’s website. The first few months of the New Year can be an odd time for pianists. Often we find ourselves recovering from a hiatus in our…