Piano Performance

Tips for Accompanying Singers or Other Instrumentalists

2025-05-29T14:02:59+01:00

Accompanying singers and instrumentalists is a vital skill for any serious pianist. It demands more than mere technical proficiency; it calls for attentive listening, sensitivity, and a strong sense of collaboration. A successful accompanist does not simply play alongside another musician — they support, enhance, and often subtly lead the performance without ever overshadowing their partner. In this article, we explore essential tips for pianists who aspire to accompany with confidence and artistry. 1. Understand Your Role First and foremost, recognise that as an accompanist, your role is to serve the music and support the soloist. Your task is to provide [...]

Tips for Accompanying Singers or Other Instrumentalists2025-05-29T14:02:59+01:00

Preparing for a Live Gig as a Jazz Pianist

2025-01-17T15:45:13+00:00

Gigs are the source of the most thrill in what we do as musicians. Playing an intimate gig to a small room of people, or a pounding set on a festival stage, can provide lasting memories for us. For jazz pianists, the former is usually the case, but this can come with its own challenges. In this article I’m going to outline some of the things you should be ready for on a live gig, and how to prepare for them. Live gigs can have you playing in numerous line-ups, all of which require different preparation. You may be playing a [...]

Preparing for a Live Gig as a Jazz Pianist2025-01-17T15:45:13+00:00

Playing Piano in a Jazz Band: A Beginner’s Guide

2024-11-13T09:10:12+00:00

Learning jazz piano is a process that takes hundreds of hours of practise. Gaining an affinity with all of the necessary chords, scales, language and tunes can have you marinating in a practise room for a long time before you start feeling like you are playing fluently in your own style. However, there have been countless musicians who have become adept at jamming to backing tracks, or playing solo in a way that they are satisfied with, who have found themselves lost when they reach the bandstand. In reality, no matter how many hours you put into honing your craft alone, [...]

Playing Piano in a Jazz Band: A Beginner’s Guide2024-11-13T09:10:12+00:00

15 Piano Pieces Suitable for Concert Performance

2024-04-15T21:54:59+01:00

Introduction In this curated list, we present 15 piano pieces perfectly suited for concert performance. These selections are divided into five distinct categories, each offering its own unique musical journey: Deceptively Difficult Yet Accessible Pieces Slow and Beautiful Compositions Majestic and Dramatic Works Virtuosic and Fast-Paced Compositions Jazz-Inspired Pieces Each masterpiece promises a delightful auditory experience. Be sure to immerse yourself in the beauty and artistry of these incredible compositions! Category One: Deceptively Difficult Yet Accessible Pieces These pieces by Sibelius, Grieg, and Ravel may appear challenging but are remarkably accessible to intermediate pianists. They offer gorgeous melodies and expressive [...]

15 Piano Pieces Suitable for Concert Performance2024-04-15T21:54:59+01:00

Piano Performance: Overcome Your Stage Fright

2024-03-26T10:03:17+00:00

Stage fright should not hinder one from performing in front of an audience. Yet it is very much a reality. Did you know there are ways to help overcome it? Brief Background on Public Piano Performances and How Technology Changed them The first ever public piano concert in history was performed by Johann Christian Bach in 1768, London. J.C Bach is the youngest son of the well known J.S. Bach. This public performance was the start of many of its kind. J.C. Bach, like his father, was a very gifted musician and composed many works during his life. The Opera became [...]

Piano Performance: Overcome Your Stage Fright2024-03-26T10:03:17+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

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

Coping With Stress In Practising/Performing

2022-10-31T12:57:37+00:00

With this article, I would like to share a few things that I found extremely helpful over the years- when it comes to coping with stress. Performing and practising can be highly demanding, and synchronising everyday life with the discipline of piano playing can be a true challenge. It is important to distinguish different types of stress in different fields of music making, so I will focus mainly on the quality of practice time as that is a good base for any further topic. The difficulty in maintaining a quality practice session stems from several aspects… the amount of work that [...]

Coping With Stress In Practising/Performing2022-10-31T12:57:37+00:00

10 Reasons (Out Of 100s) Why Concert Attending Is Really Important For Musical Development – Part 2

2022-07-05T10:20:34+01:00

Part 2 In part 1 we covered the essence of what listening to classical music live could mean to us- physically, emotionally, chemically etc. Here are some more reasons why it is a wonderful experience to visit live performances. 6. It Sustains Culture Even though classical concerts might not be everyone’s favourite night out - it is certainly important to send the message that we need culture. And the best way to do so is to, of course, attend performances and show our support. Culture is holding our society together and by actively taking part in live performances (as audience) we [...]

10 Reasons (Out Of 100s) Why Concert Attending Is Really Important For Musical Development – Part 22022-07-05T10:20:34+01:00

10 Reasons (Out Of 100s) Why Concert Attending Is Really Important For Musical Development – Part 1

2022-04-25T15:25:41+01:00

Music Came Before The Language Music is not consumed just for fun as it might seem now, at the present time. Netflix, cinema, a night out... Music has changed its role drastically, in this century specifically. If we try to imagine our life without it - at first it wouldn’t seem that bad. Maybe it would be strange to exercise without music, or we frequently wouldn’t understand the context of a specific movie scene as many movie directors heavily rely on music to tell us the emotion of the scene. Imagine weddings, celebrations, birthday parties... the fact that music is everywhere [...]

10 Reasons (Out Of 100s) Why Concert Attending Is Really Important For Musical Development – Part 12022-04-25T15:25:41+01:00
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