The Casadesus family produced a number of outstanding musicians: Henri (1879-1947), a violist and music publisher; Marius (1892-1981), a violinist and composer; Gaby (née Gabrielle L’Hôte, 1901-1999), pianist and teacher; and Jean (1927-1972), a pianist. The one we’re going to

Opened on 31 May 1901, Wigmore Hall, nestling unobtrusively just a stone’s throw from the bustle and litter of Oxford Street in a row of tall Edwardian façades, is London’s pre-eminent venue for chamber music, song recitals and solo piano

After nearly 20 years of dilly-dallying, Hong Kong finally got rid of a construction project it never understood nor wanted! I am talking, as you might have guessed, about a dedicated 21st century concert hall at the West Kowloon Cultural

“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

French pianist Agnelle Bundervoët (1922-2015) started to learn the piano age age 4 and by age 7 was enrolled in the Conservatoire National de Marseille and by age 10 was at the leading school in France, the Paris Conservatoire. She

In the mid-19th century, a great many French musicians were forced to leave their homeland and seek their fortunes elsewhere, sometimes far from Europe. Many of these were refugees from the events of the Third French Revolution of 1848, 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,