The Sunday Listen: 'Narcolepsy' by Ben Folds Five
It’s been short while since I shared any rock or pop on this blog, so this week’s Sunday Listen takes a look at ‘Narcolepsy’ by Ben Folds Five, a tune I...
The Sunday Listen: 'Gnossienne No.2' by Erik Satie
Good Sunday everyone! It’s been an incredibly hectic past couple of weeks, so this Sunday Listen we’re settling in to a quiet yet mysterious and expansive...
The Sunday Listen: 'Harry Piers 2021' by Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Hi all! I’m having a rest today after a long very happy day at the Book Fair yesterday. Back up to my usual musical tricks tomorrow. I’ll leave you with this...
September news: Keybird, method books, Hastings Book Fair
Hello one and all, Welcome to the September news update! Autumn term officially kicks into gear in a couple of weeks, and it’s been nice gently welcoming...
The Sunday Listen: 'Sonata in D Major (K 119)' by Scarlatti
I recently discovered the recordings of Marcelle Meyer, and this 1954 recording of the glorious Scarlatti K119 Sonata is no exception to Meyer’s flawless...
The Sunday Listen: 'Un Poco Loco' by Bud Powell
Good afternoon all! I had great fun with one of my students this week diving into the basic elements of jazz improvisation, and riffing on a few one chord...
The Sunday Listen: 'Farewell to Stromness' by Peter Maxwell Davies
One of my students, Nigel, introduced me to this week’s gem of a Sunday Listen. ‘Farewell to Stromness’ is a lovely, folk-tinged, neoclassical pastoral by...
August news: 1,000 hours, new music folders, AI
Welcome to the August Newsletter Hello fellow musicians and pianists! So, got time for a quick sit down and a catch up? 1,000 Hours Looking over my calendar,...
The Sunday Listen: 'The Hourglass' by Ben Crosland
This week’s Sunday Listen is ‘The Hourglass’, a simple, compelling piano miniature from composer and educator, Ben Crosland, whose work I use regularly in my...
Latest news: Studio Maintenance, Summer 2024 Discounts, Invisible Recital #2
Dear pianist and parents, As spring bids us farewell, I’m looking forward to the hopefully sunnier climes (please God) of the holidays. The official Summer...
The Sunday Listen: 'Zodiac Suite' by Mary Lou Williams
This week’s Sunday Listen is the Zodiac Suite by the much neglected, Mary Lou Williams, one of the best jazz pianists and composers of the 20th century. Mary...
What I'm listening to: Spring/Summmer 2024 edition
My students often ask me what I’m listening to and, unsurprisingly, I listen to a lot of music – where do I even begin? So, dear pianist, I leave that...
The Sunday Listen: ‘Blueshift’ and ‘Deranged Landscape’ by Max De Wardener
For most of us, we’re used to pianos all being tuned to a certain standard. No piano is quite the same - the exact voice will change from make to make, from...
End of term drinks! Save the date.
Dear students, I’m just dropping a quick note to let everyone know that I’m inviting you to Barnaby’s Jazz Jam on Tuesday 9th July 2024 between 8:00pm and...
The Sunday Listen: 'The Secret Seven' by Owen Pallett
Hello pianists, Tendinitis is really annoying, you know? So I’m coming at this a day late again… I don’t share enough pop music in these mailouts, so this...
The Sunday Listen: 'Circus Galop' by Marc-Andre Hamelin
Hello pianists! Due to a couple of long weekends, and a recovering from a dab of tendinitis, this week’s Sunday Lesson comes to you on a belated, though...
A little update, and a recital of sorts...
Hello pianists! This is just a very quick note to let you all know I’ll be taking a wee bit of leave from Thursday 30 May to Monday 3 June 2024, and will do...
The Sunday Listen: ‘Estampes’ by Claude Debussy
The Sunday Listen: ‘Estampes’ by Claude Debussy Hello pianists, This week’s Sunday Listen is Debussy’s slightly not-as-well-known suite for piano, the...
Practice Papers #001
Why do we practise? To get better at playingTo improve a piece you are learning to playTo prepare for an exam or performanceTo help improve focus and...