The author at six, already making soup. As a performer, do you find it hard to get down to practise? Or do you feel like you’ve never done enough? Or maybe both? As a kid, it was just compulsory- a set time for piano practice every day, with no discussion. I had hoops to jump …
Robert and I have just completed another film poem, incorporating footage of children in Britton, South Dakota filmed by Ivan Bessie in 1939. Enjoy! [vimeo 67239318]
This afternoon was the last day of the Christmas holidays, unexpectedly sunny, crisp and breezy. After the departure of some visitors, Robert and I were about to go out for a walk and some tea and cake, when he suddenly pointed to a patch of light on the wall behind me. The reflections from the …
I just wrote a new post for Music Teachers Helper blog on musicians and injury from a personal standpoint. I’m getting better at being open about what has in the past been a very difficult and painful subject for me, and you can read the article here.
I just blogged about one of my passions– traditional Christmas carols–over at Music Teachers’ Helper , complete with audio excerpts of the best recordings. Enjoy!
Wow, it’s been a busy time lately, as I have had commissions to write for several other blogs, so what with teaching, coaching and a trip to Australia to meet our new nephew, I haven’t had time to post here. However, I’d love to point you to a couple of posts I wrote for the …
My new blog post over at Music Teachers Blog is about boosting your creative energy. It’s primarily aimed at musicians, but there are some ideas anyone with a creative bent can enjoy too. I’d love to hear your ideas…
He knows what’s important— the purity, the essence of the music. There’s nothing like not being able to play the piano for forty years to make one appreciate each sound. Each opportunity to create beauty. There’s no excuse, no need for artifice. Each moment has purpose. Years of absence and silence have refined the …
As if 88 keys weren’t enough…. a fascinating look at the possibilities of a Steinway with two keyboards.
I was interested to read an article by Frank J. Oteri in New Music Box today that resonated with me. He complains that increasingly all music is being described as ‘songs’. I’m grateful to know that I’m not the only one who calls a song a song, and an instrumental piece, a piece or composition. …