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Developing Speed
Now that you've learnt your piece at the "Speed of no mistakes", how do you go about increasing the tempo to performance speed? Many pianists use the incremental metronome method in which the metronome tempo is gradually increased for a passage. However, there are much better ways to build speed! This video introduces a few highly effective methods for increasing tempo whilst avoiding tension and retaining accuracy. Schubert -... Read >>
The Practice Tools Lecture Series
Without an understanding how to approach practising the piano, day-to-day practice can often be unfocussed and unproductive. In this series of video lectures, I identify and explore various practice tools that will help pianists of any level get the most out of their time spent practising.... Read >>
Miming
Miming, or "shadow" practice, is a silent piano technique where the pianist deliberately prevents the keys from sounding—either by lightly touching or partially depressing them—to develop finger control, internal hearing and independence between hands or voices. Chopin - Étude Op. 25, No. 1 Clementi - Sonatina in C Major, Op. 36 no. 3 (1st mvt) ... Read >>
Doubles
Doubles (or triples!) is a way of addressing challenging patterns within passages where we have a string of fast notes of like rhythmical values (e.g. semiquavers) by playing each pair of notes twice (or more). Mozart - Var. 1 From 12 Variations on "Ah vous dirai-je, maman", K. 265 Nielsen - Snurretoppen (No. 2 from Humoreske-Bagateller, Op. 11) ... Read >>
Inventing Exercises from Your Pieces - Repertoire Examples (1)
Beethoven - Sonata No. 27 in E Minor (Op. 90, 1st mvt) Beethoven - Sonata No. 27 in E Minor (Op. 90, 2nd mvt) Resources & links Open domain editions for... Read >>
Inventing Exercises from Your Pieces - Repertoire Examples (2)
Chopin - Étude Op. 10, No. 12 Chopin - Étude Op. 10, No. 12 (Cortot Exercise) Chopin - Étude Op. 10, No. 12 (Cortot Exercise) ... Read >>
The Floating Fermata
Beethoven - Ecossaise in E-Flat (No. 4 from Six Ecossaises, WoO 83) Faure - Andanta Moderato (No. 5 from Piecès brèves, Op. 84) Beethoven - Sonata No. 8 in C Minor (‘Pathétique’, Op. 13, 1st mvt) Resources & links Open domain editions for the works featured in this video are... Read >>
Deconstruction - Repertoire Examples (2)
Tchaikovsky - June from The Seasons, Op.37a Tchaikovsky - June from The Seasons, Op.37a Mozart - Piano Sonata No.11 in A major, K.331 (3rd mvt) Resources & links Open domain editions for the works featured in this video are available via the following links: Tchaikovsky The Seasons, Op.37a... Read >>