We are all so busy these days! Musicians, by necessity, tend to be busy people – busy practising, performing, creating performing opportunities, meeting and working with colleagues, applying for funding, teaching, preparing lesson plans, doing admin….. The peripatetic nature of

There are many benefits in listening to the repertoire you are working on, on disc and in concert, as well as “listening around” the music – works from the same period by the same composer, and works by his/her contemporaries.

“Practise makes perfect” – that oft-quoted phrase beloved of instrumental teachers the world over… It’s a neat little mantra, but one that can have serious and potentially long-lasting negative effects if taken too literally.

As performing musicians we have to develop a split personality. This somewhat schizophrenic state (or states) of being has to do with our need to understand and appreciate the difference between practising and performing. The most visible way in which

Sometimes – often! – learning a new piece of music can feel like ascending a steep mountain. The first few weeks, when the piece is still very new, can be an uphill slog as you cope with note-reading and learning,

“Wise artists seek out critical evaluations.” –The Musician’s Way As musicians it is important for us to receive endorsement for our work. This may come from teachers and mentors, colleagues, friends and family, critics and audience members: whatever its source,

Extraordinary, isn’t it? It’s a classical concert, so presumably the audience are there because they want to hear classical music – and yet the bar is playing “bad pop” (and those two words cover a multitude of sins!).

I meet many piano teachers, at courses, workshops and masterclasses. It is always good to meet other piano teachers, to exchange ideas, and to enjoy a collective grumble about the exigencies of the job. Many of the teachers whom I