This guide is aimed to help students with the questions in the Associated Board aural tests grades 5-8 where the candidate has to comment on the style and period of the piece the examiner plays. As such, we will identify…
Chopin: Ballade No.1 – Finding The Best Interpretations
Chopin’s extraordinary Ballade No.1 seems to inspire serious students of the piano, whether dedicated hobbyists or aspirant professionals, like no other single piano work.
Top Tips for Successful Piano Practice
The question piano teachers are most frequently asked about practising is how much should be done per day. While this is important (and I’ll come to it later), the more fundamental question is about the quality of the practice. More progress can be made in 15 well-directed minutes than in a listless hour. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your practice time.
Piano Exams and Grades
Should you do graded exams? This is very much a matter of personal preference. The exams of the two main organisations (Associated Board and Trinity) are a well-established part of the music education landscape in the UK and Commonwealth countries.…
Which piano or keyboard should I buy?
This post is aimed to give you some initial guidance if you or your child would like to start piano lessons but you don’t own a piano or other keyboard. So a major purchase is looming!