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…

Memorising your piano pieces

‘Who developed the concept of playing from memory?’ This question is pursued on the lips of  many piano pupils, conservatoire students, and professionals. Memorising a work, or playing without the score, certainly puts an extra strain on an artist. Every note must be meticulously rehearsed and learned to the point of distraction, or, might I…

The Joys of the Parent Pupil.

The new term brings fresh challenges and new pupils for many music teachers. One interesting group of prospective students is the ‘parent’ pupil.  A parent will  occasionally announce that they wish to start playing the piano alongside their child. There are many reasons for this; it may be that they want to keep an eye…