It’s one of the great romantic images, isn’t it? The solo performer, alone on an empty stage, faced with that huge black beast of a full-size concert grand piano, armed with nothing but his or her memory and willing, well-trained fingers.

There’s a lot of snobbery surrounding memorisation, and yet it’s one of the most absurd things pianists put themselves through. We have Clara Schumann and Franz Liszt to thank (or blame!) for the tradition of the pianist playing from memory, and both were significant in turning the piano recital into the formal spectacle it is today.

#performing #parent #teacher #learning #methodology #techniques

“It inspires you, it grows your imagination, it nourishes you in places that go beneath words and beneath pictures and images… it’s something that kind of polishes your soul.”

In his first book, the harrowing memoir Instrumental, the concert pianist James Rhodes made clear the role that music played in saving his life.

For his second book, How to Play the Piano, Rhodes decided to pass on a short-cut to his readers; creating a guide that would enable anyone – whether they had learned the instrument before or not – to play a well-known Bach prelude in six weeks. “It’s deceptively simple, and there are so many ways you can play it,” he enthuses of the piece.

#JamesRhodes #methodology #learning #bach #prelude #memoir #book

1. You could never have pretty, long fingernails
2. Your teacher would hit your knuckles with a ruler or a pencil or... anything, as long as it hurt
3. You had to miss your favourite TV shows to practise
...
5. "WHY DIDN'T YOU PRACTISE YOUR SCALES?"
6. You were forced to play only classical pieces
...

#fun #learning #childhood #teacher #teaching #nightmares

Piano recitals are actually good opportunities for piano students to bring their skills to the next level, and they are an important platform for boosting their confidence.

In fact, the benefits of piano recitals and public performances for pianists are priceless, period. Here are the top 20 reasons why performing at recitals is important.

#recital #teacher #parent #learning #DoYouKnow