Questions about ‘child prodigies’ lead inevitably to a consideration of how special talent develops, and the best ways for parents, teachers and the wider community to responsibly nurture young players ..read more

After enjoying my days at The Thinking Pianist summer school in 2022 and again in 2023, I am delighted to be joining the full-time faculty for the 2024 course ..read more

I am genuinely excited by this beautifully presented and keenly priced collection, and think it could prove to be a real winner. Kirsten Strecke has delivered an inspiring collection of 15 easy pieces which offer a springboard for a truly creative education ..read more

Learning to play music can bring immense personal satisfaction, cultural enrichment and genuine enjoyment to our lives, whether we choose to perform or not ..read more

The older I get, the more aware I am that life is short, a too-brief window of opportunity. How important it is, then, to devote ourselves to that which we truly love, and which brings genuine meaning and intrinsic joy to our lives ..read more

In March 2024, we celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884), esteemed Czech composer and pivotal figure in the development of the national style during the Romantic Era. But what of his piano music? Like many, I have remained largely unfamiliar with the significant body of solo repertoire Smetana composed, the bicentenary year thus providing an opportunity for discovery ..read more

Easter reminds us that we can all have another chance. None of us knows how many days we have, but let's spend them trying to help others, instead of competing against them ..read more

“Gradebusters”, the cheekily-titled series from Hal Leonard, now encompasses five solo piano books, respectively for Grades 1 to 5, each delivering "15 awesome solos", and together serving up a rich feast of 75 universally popular and neatly arranged songs that piano players everywhere will be keen to play ..read more

If we limit ourselves to our own perspective, ignoring the opinions, ideas, insights and beliefs of others, we can quickly become arrogant and indifferent ..read more

The Art of Piano Education Awards is a significant new annual event which aims to celebrate excellence and innovation, and is set to become a calendar highlight... Here's the full list of 2024 Finalists, an announcement of the recipient of this year's Lifetime Achievement Award, and some addition information about the award committee voting process ..read more