Piano technique is by no means an easy element to teach and it’s even more tricky to learn and assimilate properly. Few tutors teach it successfully, whether this is because they know little about it or possibly because they find it difficult to relay to pupils (it is!). A good tutor must be able to break…
Tag: tuition
The Magic Link: a book review
It’s always a pleasure reading or playing through new piano music publications, whether they be sheet music or text books, but The Magic Link is a piano book that encompasses both genres. Russian pianist and educator, Rada Bukhman has designed a piano tutor with a twist, thus creating a completely different way to set about learning or assimilating classical…
Ruth Nye in conversation with Melanie Spanswick
The twenty-fourth interview in my Classical Conversations Series features Australian pianist and esteemed teacher, Ruth Nye. I caught up with Ruth a few weeks ago and we chatted at Jaques Samuel Pianos in London. Ruth was invited to study in New York with Claudio Arrau after the Maestro heard her perform in Melbourne, Australia. A…
Delightfully Easy Piano Duets
Piano Duets are amongst the most enjoyable of all chamber music, both for performers and listeners. All pianists, irrespective of standard, can benefit from getting together with a fellow player for some piano fun. They can also be very educational, because they are an excellent method of practising sight-reading. Reading will become so much quicker as pianists…
A few thoughts on Chopin’s Nocturne No. 20 in C Sharp Minor Op. Posth.
Frédéric Chopin’s Nocturnes offer a rich array of depth and emotion for both the pianist and listener. Written between 1827 and 1846, they consist of 21 short pieces. The genre was developed by the Irish composer John Field, but Chopin expanded on this original conception producing what are generally considered to be among the finest…
Structuring Your Piano Practice
This week’s piano post has been suggested by you, the reader; ‘structured practice for the more advanced pianist’ has been whirling around my inbox recently. I have written about it several times for beginners, but it does take on a different mantle for those of you who have clearly passed that stage. Piano practice has…
Why write on the score?
A piano score is a ‘sacred’ book. Some pianists are immensely attached to their scores and feel they couldn’t possibly work from another copy. Once bought and used, scores are associated with memories, emotions, special concerts, recitals and performance venues, and even correspond to particular periods of our lives. They have significance, and are generally…
6 Ways to Introduce Children and Babies to Music Making
What with the arrival of the royal baby this week, I thought it may be appropriate to highlight the best ways to introduce a little child to making music. It’s entirely natural for young children to enjoy music and want to take part in musical activities, however, I believe the best age to commence formal…
Piano Talk with Noriko Ogawa: Part 1
Japanese concert pianist has already been kind enough to take part in my Classical Conversations Series and you can enjoy the interview here. However, we decided to meet again and chat more about several subjects. In Part 1 of this two part interview which was filmed at Steinway Hall in London, we talk about the best…
Coaxing the fourth and fifth fingers into action
‘My little finger just won’t work on its own’; how often have I heard this phrase from disgruntled piano students? Too often is the answer. Pupils invariably spend so much time focusing on and looking at the music on the desk, that they forget all about posture and technique. One of the major technical obstacles…
Melanie Spanswick 