This is the second article in a series written by pianist and piano professor Julian Jacobson. Here, he traces his journey from the beginning, and explores the reasons why he feels drawn to this repertoire. Is Beethoven my favourite composer, as people tend to assume? The answer is “yes and no and perhaps”. My personal…
Tag: piano
Chakra Suite for Clarinet & Piano
Those of us who teach have been generally been fortunate during the pandemic, what with online platforms such as Skype and Zoom offering the opportunity to continue with our work. I’ve been able to sustain my teaching, but all my workshop tours were, of course, cancelled or postponed. Whilst initially disappointed, I was able to…
5 Top Tips to Improve Your Warm-Up Regime
This article first appeared in Pianist Magazine’s Newsletter in August 2016. Most of us gain from a brief ‘warming-up’ or ‘pre-practice’ session. This might include stretching or playing very slowly. It could also involve negotiating simple piano exercises, sight-reading, or preparing mentally with a coffee! Everyone has their preferred method and I hope these suggestions…
Perfect Pedalling
We all know there’s no such thing as ‘perfect’ piano playing but hopefully these tips might be helpful. The sustaining or damper pedal is one of the most important assets for a pianist. It adds another dimension to the piano timbre, and can provide a whole variety of sound layers. The most commonly used pedal,…
10 Top Tips for Tonal Beauty
The following article was originally published in Piano Professional magazine. This is an EPTA UK (European Piano Teachers Association) publication. It appeared in the most recent edition, Issue 37. You can read the original article by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page. I have compiled a list of ten top tips…
Words and Music with Lucy Parham and Friends
British concert pianist Lucy Parham came to prominence when she won the piano final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year in 1984. She has since played with many of the world’s finest orchestras and conductors. More recently, she has become synonymous with performances of Words and Music. Lucy teams up with eminent actors and…
Pascal Rogé in conversation with Melanie Spanswick
The thirty-first Classical Conversation in my series features French concert pianist Pascal Rogé. We met at Jaques Samuel Pianos in London to chat all about his life and work. Find out more about Pascal, here. Here’s the transcript for those who prefer to read interviews: MELANIE SPANSWICK: French concert pianist Pascal Rogé came to prominence in…
Sonya’s Lullaby Op. 16 by Oliver Knussen
I was introduced to Oliver Knussen’s music as a young student. Playing unusual, less familiar repertoire was always an interesting discovery. Oliver Knussen was born in Glasgow in 1952 (and he sadly died in July 2018). His father was the principal double bass player in the London Symphony Orchestra with whom he made his debut in…
10 Top Tips for Successful Piano Practice in 2014
As the year draws to a close, we tend naturally to reflect on the past twelve months, typically pondering various events, occasions and experiences. Although humans want and need to move forward, sometimes it’s also necessary to examine the past, searching for methods to improve and succeed in many areas of our lives. Certainly, professionally this can help…
Alicia’s Gift: the Concert of the Novel
This splendid concert featured a narrator and a pianist or words and music. What a wonderful combination, and one which will no doubt appeal to both music and literary lovers everywhere. Alicia’s Gift; the Concert of the Novel was performed by acclaimed author and music critic Jessica Duchen (who narrated) and prize-winning pianist Viv McLean. Alicia’s Gift…
Music Talk with Erica Worth
It’s been a real pleasure chatting to many wonderful concert pianists and pedagogues on camera over the past year, but the interview today takes a slightly different form to that of my Classical Conversations Series. I’m introducing a little subsidiary series called Music Talk. This series focuses on those who work in areas connected to the piano, music education,…
Vanessa Latarche in conversation with Melanie Spanswick
My twenty-fifth interview features British concert pianist, Head of Keyboard and Professor of International Keyboard Studies at the Royal College of Music Vanessa Latarche. Find out more about Vanessa, here. Here’s the transcript, for those who prefer reading interviews: MELANIE SPANSWICK: British concert pianist and professor of piano, Vanessa Latarche, has performed extensively. She’s in…