Over the summer, I had the good fortune to adjudicate at an up-and-coming music festival and competition in London held at the Royal Academy of Music (pictured above). The Opus One Summer Music Festival concluded its second edition this year, further establishing itself as an international platform for young musicians. The week-long programme running in…
Tag: Royal Academy of Music
Summer Coaching at the RAM, RSL Awards, and More
Today’s post is a ‘round-up’ of my work over the past couple of months. Book projects are coming to an end for this current year. I have two more to be published before 2026. The first is a beginners’ book for ensemble playing. This is (probably) the final book in my Snapchats duets & trios…
Margaret Lyell and her Piano Concerto Part 5: Julian Jacobson
This is the fifth and final post in pianist and teacher Julian Jacobson’s series documenting his journey preparing and performing Margaret Lyell’s Piano Concerto. Lyell, who was Julian’s mother, wrote this piece, known as ‘Schiehallion’, when she was just 19 years old and still a student at the Royal Academy of Music in London. And…
Piano Pedagogy Spotlight: An Interview Series with James Kirby – Part 1
My Piano Pedagogy Spotlight series has proved popular. In this second series of interviews, concert pianist and piano professor James Kirby throws light on his career over a series of five posts. James has an interesting background: he studied the piano at the Moscow Conservatoire and was a semi-finalist at the International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition…
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…
Ian Fountain in conversation with Melanie Spanswick
The thirty-third Classical Conversation in my series features British concert pianist Ian Fountain. We chatted at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where Ian is professor of piano. Find out more about Ian, here. The transcript for those who prefer to read interviews: MS: British concert pianist Ian Fountain was the youngest ever winner…
Hamish Milne in conversation with Melanie Spanswick
The thirty-second Classical Conversation features British concert pianist and professor of piano at the Royal Academy of Music Hamish Milne. We met last month at Jaques Samuel Pianos in London to chat about his life and work. Find out more about Hamish, here. Here’s the transcript for those who prefer to read interviews: MELANIE SPANSWICK: British…
Philip Fowke in conversation with Melanie Spanswick
My twenty-seventh interview features British concert pianist and teacher Philip Fowke. We met up at Steinway Hall in London for a fascinating chat about many aspects of Philip’s career. Find out more about Philip, here. For those who prefer to read interviews, here is the transcript: MELANIE SPANSWICK: British concert pianist Philip Fowke made his…