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…
Tag: Piano Tuition
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…
A Weekend at Jackdaws Music Education Trust
I had the pleasure of tutoring a second piano course at Jackdaws Music Education Trust over the weekend. Jackdaws offer residential and one-day instrumental and vocal courses. They also provide various education projects and a Young Artists Programme. Additionally, there are performances by world-class musicians. Piano courses are becoming increasingly popular. This includes weekend courses…
Jackdaws Piano Course 2016
My piano course at Jackdaws Music Education Trust will be held in October this year and bookings open today. This is my second visit to Jackdaws and I’m very much forward to it. Jackdaws has a wonderful history and tradition, and is renowned for its instrumental and vocal courses, education projects, young artists programme, and performances…
So You Want To Play The Piano?
I’ve made a short video linked below, describing my book So You Want To Play The Piano? and why it might be a useful addition to any prospective piano students library. It may also interest parents. It may also be beneficial for those who already play or are self-taught, and could even be a helpful…
Why take a piano course?
At this time of year, countless piano courses are being held all around the world. The Summer provides the perfect time for such an event. Young piano students are generally on school holiday, and older students can finally use that last bit of holiday time from work. There are courses to suit every level and budget….
It’s all in the Preparation 4: 5 Top Tips
This is the final post in my series providing a few suggestions and tips to help prepare piano pieces. As I’ve already written in my earlier three posts, practising and preparing often causes issues. This is because there are many strategies or methods which are missed or not applied. This is particularly true during the…
15 Top Tips for Successful Sight-reading
Last weekend’s blog post featured the first article I wrote for the European Piano Teachers Association (EPTA), which appeared in the Piano Professional Magazine (Autumn 2013 edition). Continuing with this theme, the following article was published in the Autumn 2014 Piano Professional (pages 20-22). It focuses on Sight-reading. We all know how important it is to be…
8 Daily Practice Reminders
Several students have recently asked for a ‘practice reminder list’ consisting of important elements to consider during their daily practice session. We all want to ensure fruitful practice. There’s nothing more depressing and dispiriting than spending an hour or two working away at the piano only to discover later that nothing has really been achieved. We’ve all done…
20 Top Reasons to Play the Piano
Playing the piano is a fantastic hobby. There are copious benefits from the study of a musical instrument. Here are twenty reasons to encourage exploration of this truly wonderful pastime: 1. Music creates happiness. It is central to human health and, for many, human existence. To be given the chance to make music is vital because…
The Hoffman Method
Online piano methods are becoming increasingly popular and can be very cost-effective. They provide those whose funds are insufficient to afford regular lessons, the chance to learn to play. This particular method was written by American music educator Joseph Hoffman. Hoffman is a piano teacher, conductor, and composer. He wrote the ‘Hoffman Method’ after struggling…