Opinion

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On Technique
Technique, technique, technique. Practice, practice, practice. Much of the performing musician’s life seems to be centred around practice, development, and improvement of the technique. It is true that technique is essential to the communication of the ideas of the composer,
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The Goldberg Variations Are Accessible to Amateur Pianists!
I have written before about how some repertoire is considered “off limits” to amateur pianists, and should remain the preserve of the professional. I think what such an attitude demonstrates is how the “core canon” of piano repertoire is held
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Silence Is Golden – At Least at Classical Music Concerts!
The 2023 edition of the Proms, “the world’s greatest classical music festival”, has just ended. As usual, this year’s two-month season of concerts was punctuated by conversations about audience noise and the now rather tedious rants about applause between movements.
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Let’s Talk About Haydn
Every listener and amateur of music has a composer that he feels like he should know better; because he or she is widely known and perhaps even quite influential, because this composer is the starting point of many others, or
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Composing vs. Improvising
A musician has essentially two ways to create new music; either by composing or by improvising; both of these techniques follow very different processes — creating quite different results too —, equally powerful, and defining creative areas that each musician
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Style Over Substance?
The Ascendance of Image in Classical Music
In a recent article for InterludeHK, British pianist Peter Donohoe said “it’s all about smiling and being sexy for the camera, and if you get the right photographer anyone can do it. It’s not enough to make a music career
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What’s With Mozart, Again
Mozart’s music brings me such bright emotions. Regardless of his works; the genres, the styles, or the instrumentation. Excitement, lightness, joy, beauty, simplicity, positivity — I can recall feeling one if not a combination of these emotions whilst listening to
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Wagner Rides Again
From Syria to Ukraine
I don’t know about you, but I see the name Wagner in the news on an almost daily basis. Specifically, the name is attached to a private paramilitary organization, known as “The Wagner Group.” Essentially, it is a private military
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