As a pianist who teaches using the ABRSM syllabus, along with its technical requirements, I'm a great believer in laying good foundations...

There are many challenges for the pianist and rehearsal leader in playing hymns, and these challenges can be amplified for those whose...

In previous blogs, I've explored two issues around silent finger-substitution: Issues relating to excess tension and overuse of the...

The Locrian mode can be tricky to use as it's the only mode that doesn't contain a perfect fifth from the key note of the mode. That is,...

This is a follow-up and supplement to my recent blog post 'Piano to Organ: Two Technical Challenges', in which I explored two major...

Here's a short (and very personal) article on Fauré's beautiful and timeless Requiem. I conduct a London-based choir called the Hanover...

I was trained as a pianist, but came to organ playing in my early twenties (FYI I'm now early thirties, so have been playing regularly...

I came across an extract in Czerny's Pianoforte Schule (v. 3, p. 70) which I found useful as a reminder of some of the good...

In my piano teaching I've recently been refining my approach to the execution of scales and arpeggios. With pupils of various levels,...

Background Writing in the early part of the 20th Century, Matthay sets out his theory of 'Musicianship' and 'Executantship' in Part 1 of...