Aug 5, 2021 | Classical repertoire, Practice & performance
As a fluent pianist, I work to find a proper grasp of the musical language of any piece I play. This prelude can easily sound dense, noisy and inaccessible, even in a solid technical performance with all the notes played accurately. In order to communicate its...
Jul 30, 2021 | Practice & performance, Teaching & learning
Scales and arpeggios are considered good practice and to question something that is so normal and ubiquitous might seem almost sacrilegious. But the truth is I don’t practise them or teach fluent keyboard musicianship using them because I find that they...
Jul 22, 2021 | Artistic philosophy, Practice & performance, Teaching & learning
Why is it difficult to be spontaneous and self-expressive as a musician? It should be easy: it is a simple act of letting go, tuning into yourself and feeling whatever is there: dark passions, love, vulnerability, powerful, deep consciousness that expresses an...
Mar 6, 2021 | How music works, Practice & performance
Composing and improvising can seem difficult when we approach it top down, trying to come up with good ideas. Trying to come up with a good melody can often generate terrible pressure that blocks us creatively. Here I explore how to wriggle out of this common...
Mar 2, 2021 | Practice & performance, Teaching & learning
The crossed rhythms (4s against 3s) in Chopin’s Fantaisie-Impromptu are notoriously awkward. In this video, I describe some simple practice approaches to demystify the difficulties and generate the wonderful flowing, agitato effect.
Sep 12, 2020 | Practice & performance, Teaching & learning
What exactly is a state of flow or peak performance zone and how do you get into it? In this video I explain what flow means to me as a teacher and student of fluent musicianship and give some key pointers on how to achieve this elusive state.
