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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

Choosing Repertoire for Performances

2022-04-14T08:31:11+01:00

Choosing Repertoire This is a very interesting topic that could dictate a lot on how we progress and how we discover our strengths and weaknesses. Many performers today have chosen to stick to performing works by one or just a few composers. This allows a complete dedication and sinking into the depths of a specific language and style. On the other hand, we have performers who like to discover as they play - as they grow as musicians, finding new pieces and challenging themselves by immersing themselves into the unknown. What I find interesting is how the repertoire we chose shapes [...]

Choosing Repertoire for Performances2022-04-14T08:31:11+01:00

Why Scales?

2022-03-30T13:30:40+01:00

Scales can be seen as a tedious task by many people who choose to study the piano but without them your technique and knowledge will never reach its full potential and no one wants to be held back! I get asked frequently by students ‘why do I have to play scales?’ ‘What do they even do that benefit me?’ I usually struggle to find one short answer when this happens because there’s a whole list of reasons I could dive into…. And I do. The main reason for practicing your scales is to build up your finger technique. If you take [...]

Why Scales?2022-03-30T13:30:40+01:00

Importance of improvisation & composing in musical development

2022-01-19T21:41:20+00:00

Improvising on piano - Part 1 When we mention improvisation and composing to an averagely educated instrumentalist, both of these concepts sound scary, to say the least. The problem with music education is that it focuses on the bare minimum so to say: it provides music literacy and basic knowledge of playing a specific instrument. It takes a long time to become a healthy-sounding performer- so it is no wonder that this is the case. When we combine other activities in life; obligatory education, homework, commitments of all sorts - practising the piano every day seems plenty as it is. The [...]

Importance of improvisation & composing in musical development2022-01-19T21:41:20+00:00

The bridge between classical and jazz piano

2021-10-18T15:47:12+01:00

I am a classically trained pianist who was invited to perform at the Montreux Jazz Festival and decided to move to jazz soon after this unique experience. I was 23 years old and had finished my piano studies in Paris before travelling to Switzerland to hone my skills. I was preparing for a number of international piano competitions when I realised I had reached a plateau. Finding performing chances was difficult, and I wasn't sure which door to open next. I was still rehearsing various pieces of classical repertoire on a regular basis, but I didn't have anything to look forward [...]

The bridge between classical and jazz piano2021-10-18T15:47:12+01:00

This race against the clock will kill your piano playing

2021-10-01T10:32:14+01:00

Some adults begin their piano studies with the intention of completing it quickly. They do not begin because they are enthusiastic about playing the piano and want to incorporate this wonderful activity into their lives. They begin piano lessons as soon as possible in order to achieve their goal and cross it off their bucket list. I have met a few adults with this mindset who told me right away that they were going to give it a year. They wanted to quickly master piano playing so they could move on to something else. It had to be done as we [...]

This race against the clock will kill your piano playing2021-10-01T10:32:14+01:00

The importance of discipline and consistency in piano playing

2021-09-07T14:03:05+01:00

Consistency is key. You might have heard or read this sentence several times. You surely understand its meaning and you surely agree with it. You might or might not apply it in your daily life but did you know that these essential principles which are discipline and consistency apply to piano playing too? Throughout my career as a piano teacher, I have met several men and women who were extremely disciplined in some aspects of their life. I did not specifically discuss the subject with them but I could see that they were successful and that a good amount of effort [...]

The importance of discipline and consistency in piano playing2021-09-07T14:03:05+01:00

Should you or should you not learn how to play the piano as an adult?

2021-04-28T15:12:28+01:00

It is a well-known question that many adults have in mind: “Should I or shouldn’t I learn how to play the piano?” You are 30, 40, 50 or even 60 years old and you wonder if it makes any sense to start learning how to play or get back to it after stopping your education in your early 20s. Many adults contemplate the idea of returning to piano playing or embarking on a piano journey but only a few take the plunge. It is a shame, especially as it is based on unfounded beliefs, doubts and uncertainties. Some have played in [...]

Should you or should you not learn how to play the piano as an adult?2021-04-28T15:12:28+01:00

Playing faster slowly

2021-04-21T20:10:46+01:00

I hate running. Whenever I do it, it never feels natural and when I run, I feel ungraceful and run like a cow- it can move quickly but it just doesn't look coordinated. The only bit I like about running is the bit afterwards when I get to take a bath! But you know, running is something I always wished I was better at. So enter a great book called, "80/20 running". In it, the author explains that the majority of people who run are moving too fast. When we run at too high an intensity, the body does not have [...]

Playing faster slowly2021-04-21T20:10:46+01:00

Sight reading fitness

2021-06-24T18:58:01+01:00

Today I was reviewing my sight-reading ability with Celine, from S & C Music. Amongst her advice, she gave some sage guidance: "sight-reading is the most important educational skill to learn when it comes to playing the piano because it empowers you to understand and play music faster." Imagine preparing to read a speech in your native language. As you are comfortable with the words and grammar, you can remember the address's content quickly, and you can then focus on quality delivery and how it sounds. You may even be able to read the speech once and remember the essence of [...]

Sight reading fitness2021-06-24T18:58:01+01:00
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