Piano Competition success

Many congratulations to my student Bunny Liu for winning first prize at an international piano competition in Los Angeles a few days ago, playing Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody 12!

Listen to my new video 1.57 of Student Recital highlights 2015!

Click here for YouTube link: Student Recital 2015

Or paste this in your browser         https://youtu.be/mb_1Ha0ELwk

Highlights of Student Recital 2015

Congratulations to my pupil!

Sincere congratulations to my pupil Abhinav Tivari on gaining Distinction (92 out of 100 marks) in his LTCL Diploma recital! Abhinav played Beethoven Pathetique Sonata, Chopin Fantaisie Impromptu, Faure Barcarolle in A minor, Rachmaninov Polichinelle and Scarlatti sonata in B minor. Great job, forwards and upwards! Next stop, Rachmaninoff 2nd concerto with orchestra next year.

Congratulations to my (former) students!

Congratulations to my former students Emmy and Mike Huang on their recent successes in Southampton (UK)!

Emmy Huang came 1st place in the Chappell Challenge and also won a medal in the Baroque or Classical Junior Piano, 14 years and under class, Mike Huang won the Southampton Piano Teachers’ Challenge Cup, and the Whitwam Trophy, awarded to him for being the most promising junior pianist.

www.kes.hants.sch.uk/news-stories/creative-arts/southampton-music-festival

congratulations

Congratulations to my pupils Abhinav Tiwari who obtained 90 marks out of 100 and won first prize with Honours (highest category) in his class at Southampton Festival of Music, performing Faure Barcarolle number 1. To Mike Huang for winning first prize in his class at the same festival performing a recital of Brahms G minor Rhapsody, Cyril Scott Lotus Land and the rather tricky Poulenc Toccata - well done!  Maya Garside performed the last movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata with characteristic fire, and Emmy Huang gave a well practised recital of Haydn, Granados and Sinding (Rustle of Spring), but both were beaten to the prizes by performers several years older than themselves. Keep practising everyone! Slowly!

congratulations!

Congratulations to my pupil Abhinav Tiwari for winning First place in the Rotary Young Musicians Competition in Winchester this week. Chopin Fantaisie-Impromptu is a tricky piece!
Through to the next round. Keep up the good work!

Best YouTube piano videos clips part 1

Listening homework for my advanced piano pupils, Abhinav, Mike, Emmy, Maya

 Please set aside minimum 10-15 minutes per week to listen to great pianists.

Gradually you will get to know your favourite composers and performers, and so then you can explore them more. 
Please notice
+ horizontal forearm and flattish fingertips.
+ freedom of upper arm and forearm, while fingers stay close to keys.
+ upper arm and back muscles used when playing loudly (sitting not crouched over, not hunched)
+ Very intense concentration
+ very intense emotional expression

The Greatest Piano video of all time
Josef Hofmann plays Rachmaninov
Rounded movements. Beautiful hands. Inside the music.

Daniil Trifonov chopin scherzo 4
(slightly distracting facial expressions?!) Try and get tickets to see him sometime
in London in 2013. Possibly best young pianist alive (apart from my pupils!)

Ivo Pogorelich Chopin sonata 2 movt 1
If only I could copy his hairstyle! One of the most original pianists alive.

Gilels plays Rachmaninoff
Long pedals. Jumps around very fast and accurately!

Horowitz chopin ballade 1
Perhaps the greatest pianist of 20th century.
He makes you listen very carefully. Great concentration.
Unusually flat hands, much less curvy then almost everyone else! Expressive fingertips.

Mike and Abhinav

Zimerman Pathetique sonata Beethoven

Best YouTube clips part 2

Richter plays Schumann at 24.11 into this one.
Notice how loudly he plays his 5th finger - and often held very straight for repeated chords.
Fingers inside the keys despite huge arm flexibility.


Martha Argerich makes it look so easy! She is beautiful even in black and white!

Rubinstein plays Liszt Liebestraum

warm hearted, warm cantabile singing tone. best posture keeping head up!

Quite funny comedy sketch at the piano Victor Borge


such intelligent hands, perfect hand positions,
Jean Yves Thibaudet, at just before 2 minutes into this video (or 5.42 - 6.00)

perfect arm freedom
Alicia de Larrocha recital


Arcadi Volodos plays his own arrangement of Mozart’s Turkish March
Mr Rubber Fingers certainly knows his way round the keyboard!
Slightly annoying video editing at the beginning.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to my piano pupil Abhinav Tiwari from Southampton! Abhinav passed Grade 8 with Merit this term, having only ever taken one other grade exam.

Latest news August 2012

Recent news August 2012. I am glad to report that I have now passed my LGSMD diploma in piano performance, and so am now a Licentiate of Guildhall School of Music and Drama. I performed Bach Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue, Ravel Sonatine, Debussy Prelude 'La Terrasse des Audiences au Clair de Lune', and Chopin 4th Ballade in F minor.

I am now preparing my next piano performance Diploma, FRSM  which I shall take in the winter of 2012, and I shall perform two late Beethoven Sonatas Op 109 and Op 110.

July 2012

Congratulations to Maya Garside for performing Liszt concert etude 'Un Sospiro' in Prague! Congratulations to Tanya Evans for gaining Grade 7 with Merit! Congratulations to Alla Garside for gaining Grade 6 Distinction! Congratulations to Louisa Van Aeken for gaining Grade 4 with Merit! Well done everybody, keep practising!

Recent pupil results

Congratulations to Maya Garside for performing Liszt concert etude 'Un Sospiro' in Prague! Congratulations to Tanya Evans for gaining Grade 7 with Merit! Congratulations to Alla Garside for gaining Grade 6 Distinction! Congratulations to Louisa Van Aeken for gaining Grade 4 with Merit! Well done everybody, keep practising!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Alla Garside for winning the 1st prize, Emily Crow Championship Cup at St Swithuns School, Winchester, in May 2012! Alla performed Kabalevsky (Cavalryman) and Bonsor (Dreamy) from her Grade 6 repertoire.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to my three pupils who took piano grade exams this term, Mike Huang (Grade 8 Distinction); Emmy Huang (Grade 6 Distinction), and Natalya Evans (Grade 4 Distinction).

I was very proud that each pupil received 22 marks out of possible 22 for at least one of their piano pieces! Mike and Emmy have both been invited to play at a High Achievers Recital.
Well done and take a huge pat on the back all of you!

Congratulations!

To my pupil Alla Garside, congratulations on winning a music scholarship at King Edward VI school! Keep up the good work!