I have been asked to write about how my learning of a musical instrument as a child had influenced me in life. As a mother, I have also asked myself this question when thinking about my daughter’s education. I would

An article published in The Economist (‘Musical ability is in the DNA’) suggested that one’s musical ability is determined by genetics, and that despite Malcolm Gladwell’s bold statement that 10,000 hours of practice will guarantee expertise in almost any field,

One could argue that all creative process is improvisation: for that flash of creativity that generated the art, which distinguished whatever the artist was doing from merely replicating a past behaviour, was improvisation. Afterwards, the artist can do whatever he

In my previous article, I explained how improvisation is the basis for true creation. While creation implies the origin of something new, the process through which the improvisation leading to it develops is one of repetition. This seems paradoxical, but

Improvisation is one of the most important areas in which music can teach us how to live better. Because improvisation is life. Without improvisation, existence is not life; it is only the empty copying of old patterns – improvisation is

Music is, unfortunately, no stranger to sexism. Right through the pop world to the lands of orchestras and opera, gender bias occurs more often than people wish to admit. So why do more girls play the harp, and how did

Often, it’s an unending bad succession of indifferent performances that will make you move music from ‘love to listen to’ over to the ‘never again’ list. Or, it’s the overuse of a work that makes you not want to listen

People often think that the music of the twentieth century lost direction – it certainly at least changed direction, and it’s possible to see a huge splintering of styles in this period of massive change. However, along with all the