July 2021
E19: Rockschool Rock/Pop Piano Syllabus- Review
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
Listen to see why I’m so enthusiastic about Rockschool’s Rock/Pop Piano grades for piano! Following on from my previous review, I also give more information for those considering the new Rockschool Classical grades.
Show Notes
- Excellent for fixing common rhythmic weaknesses in classical students [3:05]
- The difference between the graded exams and the performance certificates [4:30]
- The improvisation […]
June 2021
E18: Rockschool New Classical Piano Syllabus 2021- Review
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
Rockschool has recently released an exciting new set of classical piano grades! Listen to this review to find out their strengths and weaknesses, including my strong misgivings.
Show Notes
- Identity crisis [2:50]
- No mention of balanced programme [5:50]
- Difficult to assess across different styles with no requirement for balanced programme [6:40]
- Excellent representation of women and BIPOC [9:46]
[…]
September 2020
E17: Why I’m moving my students from ABRSM to Trinity- reviews of their new 2021 piano syllabuses
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
The Heart of the Piano Podcast is back with a review of the new piano syllabuses from ABRSM and Trinity, which take you from an Initial Grade to Grade 8. Listen to the podcast to discover some reasons why me and many other piano teachers are now defecting from ABRSM to Trinity!
December 2019
E16: Interview with Karl Lutchmayer- British-Indian Concert Pianist, Steinway Artist, Academic, and Rock Keyboardist!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
An absorbing, enlightening and entertaining conversation with Karl Luthmayer- musical raconteur, international concert pianist, academic, rock star keyboardist & theremin player in a prog-rock band!
As well as chatting about Karl’s career and piano playing, we discuss his fascinating research on facial expressiveness in piano performers, the history and aesthetics of piano concert arrangements, the explosion of interest in Western classical music in India, concert etiquette and […]
November 2019
E15: Narcissism- the Master Key to Understand How to Unlock Musicality and Performance?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
An exciting and profound new episode that could transform the way you practice, learn and perform.
It’s a long episode, but worth listening through to the end for important tips on deep musicality, easy (well… easier!) learning, and performing with less nerves.
Show Notes
- What is narcissism? (including a brief foray into individualist vs. collectivist cultures that perhaps I should have left until later in the episode!). […]
April 2019
E14: Interview with Karen Bulmer of the Music, Mind, and Movement Podcast
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
I was so excited about interviewing Karen Bulmer that it only very recently occurred to me after recording the interview that Karen is not actually a pianist! But every musician will get so much from listening to this episode, and I think particularly us pianists who often have to juggle so many things happening at once in our music will really benefit from so much of […]
E13: Interview with Adam Gatehouse, Artistic Director of the Leeds International Piano Competition
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
The Leeds International Piano Competition is one of the top 3 most important and prestigious piano competitions in the world, with previous finalists such as Murray Perahia, Mitsuko Uchida, András Schiff… and dozens more names that anybody familiar with classical pianists will recognise instantly as being in the top row of the best, most important, and most successful artists in the business.
The competition has always owed […]
March 2019
E12: Interview with Olga Georgievskaya, Russian Concert Pianist
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
Olga is not only a superb pianist- her CD shows off her deep soulful & expressive playing with a highly refined ear for counterpoint, layers and structure- but her concert transcription of the Vitali Chaconne for solo piano is an absolute masterpiece, and she has also done a PhD on polyphony in Rachmaninov’s music… I absolutely had to interview her!
I’m afraid my enthusiasm for details about […]
E11: Most common mistakes made by non-professional pianists- Part 3
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
An inspirational look at some of the most common mental habits that stop us all from realising our highest potential as musicians, with practical steps and strategies on how to dramatically improve our playing by being attentive to how we use our minds as we practise.
I’m really proud of this one, I’m very passionate about how these concepts (which are only rarely touched on in the […]
E10: Interview with Erica Worth, editor of Pianist Magazine
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
Erica is the editor of UK-based Pianist Magazine, an internationally renowned magazine for people who love to play the piano. It features interviews with top concert pianists, full-length features on current issues, how-to piano lessons, CD and sheet music reviews, Questions and Answers, teaching tips and concert highlights.
I thought, who better to chat with than the editor of one of the world’s top piano magazines for […]
February 2019
E09: Interview with Melvin Besbrode of Besbrode Pianos- one of the biggest piano stores in the UK
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
This time, my friend Andy Cole did the interviewing, chatting with Melvin Besbrode, owner of one of the biggest piano stores in the UK- situated in Leeds.
It’s well worth listening to even if you’re not buying a piano- very interesting topics are covered such as the monumental popularity of the piano in China & Asia, and little-known reasons how the piano came to be such an […]
E08: Interview with Ben Richards, organiser of piano meetups across the UK
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
Ben Richards organises 8(!) regular piano meetup groups all across the UK.
We talk about what makes his groups particularly fun and inviting for amateurs and beginners (although advanced players also play), some of the history of piano groups and the piano, and the various benefits and attractions of taking part.
We also talk about the inevitable nerves and performance anxiety that we all feel, and chat a […]
November 2018
Guided Visualisation- Getting Motivated!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
A free guided visualisation to help people get passionate and motivated to practise their piano and achieve their goals!
You don’t need to be sat at the piano for this meditation, and you can use headphones if you’d like.
The meditation starts at 4:45 if you want to listen to it after the first time without the introduction.
Risks: people with unresolved trauma, psychotic disorders, major depression or severe […]
Guided Piano Meditation- Listening and Posture
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
A free guided audio meditation to use while practising the piano- this meditation uses a slightly more selective selection of techniques from the previous meditation, ‘Further Down the Road’. However, the plan is to make many guided meditations that will guide people over a longer period of time to gradually and gently build up these techniques, and go into more depth on each one.
You should have […]
Guided Piano Meditation- Further Down the Road
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
A free guided audio meditation to use while practising the piano- this meditation gives a taster of many different techniques that can be used to deepen piano practice. However, the plan is to make many guided meditations that will guide people over a longer period of time to gradually and gently build up these techniques, and go into more depth on each one.
You should have a […]