piano wisdom

Interview with Xinyue – Oct 2023

2023-10-19T12:32:37+01:00

About Xinyue Xinyue, a renowned classical piano teacher at London Piano Institute, brings over a decade of experience, remarkable skills, and awards to inspire students. Stefan Joubert: When did you start playing the piano and why? Xinyue: I started playing the piano at the age of 4. My parents quickly noticed my fascination with the piano. They saw that I had an ear for music and an unusual sense of rhythm for my age. They decided to nurture my budding talent by enrolling me in piano lessons. Stefan Joubert: What is your worst memory as a piano student? Xinyue: It [...]

Interview with Xinyue – Oct 20232023-10-19T12:32:37+01:00

Interview with Xinyue – Aug 2023

2023-08-08T21:09:36+01:00

About Xinyue Xinyue, a renowned classical piano teacher at London Piano Institute, brings over a decade of experience, remarkable skills, and awards to inspire students. Stefan Joubert: How do you deal with technical difficulties? Xinyue: I employ several strategies to overcome challenges and improve my skills: 1: Isolate the Problem: When facing a technical issue in a specific passage or technique, I isolate that section and practice it separately from the rest of the piece. Focusing on the problem area allows me to address it more effectively. 2: Practice Rhythmic Variations: To enhance my rhythmic control, I experiment with different [...]

Interview with Xinyue – Aug 20232023-08-08T21:09:36+01:00

Interview with Xinyue – July 2023

2023-07-20T20:17:13+01:00

About XinyueXinyue, a renowned classical piano teacher at London Piano Institute, brings over a decade of experience, remarkable skills, and awards to inspire students.Stefan Joubert: What is the most difficult piece you have ever played so far and why?Xinyue: The most difficult piano piece I have tried to play so far, it would be Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor. This concerto is notorious for its technical demands and requires exceptional skill, strength, and endurance. The intricate fingerings, rapid passages, and extensive use of octaves make it an incredibly challenging piece to master.Octave Passages: Rachmaninoff incorporates numerous octave [...]

Interview with Xinyue – July 20232023-07-20T20:17:13+01:00

Thriving

2023-04-05T12:30:57+01:00

There is no feeling like being in the flow of doing something and flourishing at a particular craft. The first time you rode a bike without falling, or when you took up running and ran your first 10k is an excellent feeling of freedom and achievement. However, getting to this level is not simple, and requires practice and effort- but how do we achieve this? Thriving in piano playing has similarities to other high-performance areas and none more so than high-level elite sports performance. In a study on thriving in elite sports performers, Dr Daniel Brown, a sports scientist at [...]

Thriving2023-04-05T12:30:57+01:00

The Application of Music as a Therapeutic Tool

2023-04-05T20:33:34+01:00

Music is often considered to be the language of the soul. It has the power to move us emotionally, intellectually, and even spiritually. Music can be therapeutic, and its use as a tool for healing has been recognised since ancient times. Music therapy is a form of expressive therapy that involves using music to improve a person’s mental, emotional, and physical health. Music therapy has been shown to have numerous benefits for individuals suffering from a wide range of health issues, including depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and addiction. It has also been used to help individuals with developmental disabilities, such [...]

The Application of Music as a Therapeutic Tool2023-04-05T20:33:34+01:00

Classical Music VS Modern Music

2023-03-16T08:55:09+00:00

Classical music and modern music are two very different genres that have evolved over time, each with their own unique characteristics. Classical music is often associated with elegance, sophistication, and intellectual pursuits, whilst modern music is often characterised by energy, simplicity, and emotion. One of the most significant differences between classical music and modern music is their instrumentation. Classical music is often performed by a full orchestra, consisting of various instruments, each with its own unique sound and role to help produce the overall desired result. The use of acoustic instruments creates a warm and natural sound that many people find [...]

Classical Music VS Modern Music2023-03-16T08:55:09+00:00

The Rule of Three

2023-03-16T08:54:36+00:00

I was watching a video recently about an Olympic athlete talking about their training. Right before they went to the last Olympics, they had a training session and, in their words, "was like a trainwreck'. They, of course, want to go to the Olympics in peak condition to have the best chance of winning and the worry was that they were behind in their progress. Their coach, however, had some great advice to give. She said when you are training at your upper levels of performance, not every session is going to be perfect and called it "the rule of [...]

The Rule of Three2023-03-16T08:54:36+00:00

What Is Perfect Pitch?

2023-03-16T08:54:12+00:00

Most people have heard of the wonders of perfect pitch. But what exactly is it? Is it an innate ability? Can you learn it over time? Follow this article for an answer to all of your questions. Perfect pitch is considered a highly sought-after skill in the music industry, as it allows musicians to instantly identify and produce any musical note without the need for a reference. Musicians with perfect pitch are able to instantly recognise notes and chords, making it easier for them to compose, improvise, and transcribe music. They can also identify and correct pitch errors in their own [...]

What Is Perfect Pitch?2023-03-16T08:54:12+00:00

How To Improve Your Memory For The Piano

2023-01-30T05:19:04+00:00

Improving your memory can be a great way to enhance your piano-playing skills and I am here to provide you with a few tips to achieve just that. Practice Regularly Consistent practice is crucial for improving your memory when learning to play the piano. When you practice the same pieces repeatedly, you are strengthening the neural connections in your brain that are responsible for muscle memory. This allows your fingers to move easily and smoothly over the keys, making it less challenging for you to recall the notes and fingerings as you play. In order to see results, try to [...]

How To Improve Your Memory For The Piano2023-01-30T05:19:04+00:00

The Importance Of Understanding And Interpreting Your Piano Music

2023-01-03T21:18:09+00:00

As a musician, learning how to play the piano is a rewarding and fulfilling journey. But, simply being able to play the notes on the page is not enough – it is equally important to understand and interpret the music you are performing. Understanding and interpreting your piano music allows you to bring your own unique flair and personality to a piece, and helps you to connect with the music on a deeper level. So, What Does It Mean To Understand And Interpret Piano Music? To understand a piece of music, you need to have a basic knowledge of its structure [...]

The Importance Of Understanding And Interpreting Your Piano Music2023-01-03T21:18:09+00:00

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