Sep 6, 2019 | Practice and performance, Teaching and learning, Video
When you know the language of music fluently, you love to discover new music. Whilst it is natural, up to a point, to want to play music we know and love, there can be rather a delusional element to this, if what you are playing sounds less intelligible than you might...
Aug 16, 2019 | Chopin, Solo Piano, Video
Chopin’s G minor Ballade is one of those pieces that is played a great deal and often rather mangled by exaggerated rubato and mannered interpretation. I love to reveal the unvarnished truth about music, to reveal its natural patterns and structure. For me,...
Aug 8, 2019 | Musicianship, Practice and performance, Teaching and learning, Video
Playing by pinning fingers to set keys destroys natural musical fluency – you can use any fingers. If we can only play music using the same fingers every time, it means that muscle memory has such a critical role in how we play the piano that our musicianship is...
Jul 1, 2019 | Audio, Interpretation, Musicianship, Pianos, Practice and performance, Teaching and learning, Video
What makes a good piano sound? A good piano sound comes from a combination of factors. We must have a decent instrument with a good range of volume and timbre. It must have a reliable action with a wide range of velocity available so that you can control the sound....
Jun 20, 2019 | Own compositions, Solo Piano, Video
This spontaneous improvisation has a wistful feeling with its modal tonality: the sun should be shining in June and on such a gloomy day, a little improvising on the piano can bring a little warmth and comfort… I will feature it on my album of 16 unplanned...
