This is the fourth and final interview with American pianist and professor Frank Huang. In Part 4 he discusses his love for and approach to teaching. Why do you love teaching? What is your teaching philosophy? As a piano professor, it gives me great satisfaction and fulfilment to motivate, encourage, and empower students towards developing…
Tag: Piano Professor
A Journey Through Debussy’s Preludes 4: Julian Jacobson
Concert pianist and piano professor Julian Jacobson continues his Debussy journey in today’s blog post. This fourth article surveys the final six works of the French composer’s Preludes Book 1 (Preludes Nos. 7 – 12), in preparation for Julian’s concert on June 6th at the 1901 Arts Club in London, where he will play the…
Piano Pedagogy Spotlight: Interview Series with Jan Loeffler – Part 2
Today’s post features the second interview with pianist and piano professor Jan Loeffler. You can read the first interview in this series, here. In this instalment, Jan discusses piano pedagogy. When were you first interested in the pedagogical side of the piano profession and when did you begin teaching the piano? Prof. Matthies told me…
Hamish Milne: reflective memories
The relationship between piano teacher and piano student can last a lifetime. When the teacher passes, inevitably, the student takes stock and reflects. Hamish Milne was a concert pianist and pedagogue. He was a highly respected, much-loved piano professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He taught there for over forty years and…
At the piano with Phyllis Sellick: Clara Rodriguez
My guest writer today is Venezuelan pianist and teacher Clara Rodriguez. Clara came to the UK as a young student on a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music in London. At the RCM, she studied with eminent professor Phyllis Sellick, who had a profound influence on her development as a pianist and…
A student’s memories: Patricia Carroll (1932 – 2017)
Last Friday I attended the funeral – probably the most beautiful and moving I have ever witnessed – of one of my piano professors, and I felt compelled to write this short, personal reflection. Teachers have a huge impact on our lives, particularly when we worked with them as youngsters; they influence everything from repertoire…
Ruth Nye in conversation with Melanie Spanswick
The twenty-fourth interview in my Classical Conversations Series features Australian pianist and esteemed teacher Ruth Nye. We chatted at Jaques Samuel Pianos in London. Find out more about Ruth, here. Here’s the transcript for those who prefer to read interviews: MELANIE SPANSWICK: Australian concert pianist and esteemed teacher, Ruth Nye has performed extensively. Her students…
Piers Lane in conversation with Melanie Spanswick
My twenty-first Classical Conversation is with Australian concert pianist Piers Lane who chatted to me at Steinway Hall in London. Find out more about Piers, here. For those who prefer to read interviews, here is the transcript; MELANIE SPANSWICK: Australian concert pianist Piers Lane came to prominence in 1977 at the inaugural Sydney International Piano Competition…