Supporting Your Piano Pathway
Written by Andrew Eales
The music we play lies at the heart of our piano journey, and our instrument unquestionably has the most astonishing, diverse, and extensive repertoire of any. The articles below will help you select, understand, interpret, and reflect on your music choices and develop an active repertoire of wonderful music that you can play with confidence.
START HERE
Pianodao includes more than 400 reviews of sheet music publications, and they are all organised by level so that you can find repertoire that is the perfect fit for you! Explore this extensive library here:
Pianodao Music Library
Bringing together hundreds of publications, sorted by level, and with top recommendations of the best musical and educational material, the Pianodao Music Library is the place to discover your repertoire!
YOUR ACTIVE REPERTOIRE
Active Repertoire is the music we can play any time, any place, without notice or embarrassment, and even from memory. What a joy to have a set of pieces we can perform to others with freedom, expression and confidence!
Active Repertoire Project
The Active Repertoire Challenge aims to encourage all piano players to develop an active repertoire of three or more pieces which can be performed to others with freedom, expression and confidence.
Developing An Active Repertoire
Active Repertoire Project: Getting Started Guide with FREE Downloads
What Can You Play?
Getting the right balance between work and play at the piano is a sure way to stay motivated, foster musical enjoyment, stave off frustration, and develop confidence as the true musicians that we no doubt want to be and can be…
Spring Repertoire Project
There’s perhaps no better time than the Spring months for embarking on exciting new piano projects, but let’s also remember to give our perennial ‘Active Repertoire’ a timely spring clean…
Winter Repertoire Challenge
Musicians have always had a significant part to play in the feasts and festivals of community life, and for piano players this is a time of the year in which our Active Repertoire can play a particularly significant role in our music-making…
Autumn Repertoire Project
Autumn is a time of dynamic change and possibility, the old giving way to the new. As the ‘fall’ approaches, let’s take another look at our Active Repertoire and reflect on our piano goals for the coming months.
REPERTOIRE REFLECTIONS
These articles take a deeper look at how we can engage with and develop our repertoire:
Why use Graded Anthologies?
Whether or not you are interested in taking graded exams, anthologies of piano music selected for specific levels of playing can offer many advantages…
The Appeal of Einaudi’s Music
Why do so many millions connect with the piano music of Ludovico Einaudi, and what can we learn from his extraordinary popularity?
Playing French Baroque Music
There are many considerations to take into account when playing French Baroque pieces in a historically informed and artistically credible way on a modern piano.
The Schumann Effect
Until fairly recent times, it was the norm for classical pianists to improvise their own preludes at the start of their recitals, and to put their own indelible stamp on the repertoire that followed. Surely, the time has come to rediscover these interpretative and creative arts…
The pianist’s unique voice
How can we develop our own individual, personal voice at the piano, speaking on behalf of composers, but with our own unique dialect?
In Praise of Cream Paper
Beyond aesthetics, there are scientifically understood benefits and practical reasons for asserting that printing music on cream paper supports accessibility, promotes inclusion, and fosters the wellbeing of all musicians…
Why The Classics Still Matter
We need to inspire players to explore music of genuine quality. But how do we evaluate quality? What elevates one piece of music above another?
The Piano Jukebox
The prevalence of pop, game and film tunes in simplified arrangements in the latest piano syllabus offerings has provoked a healthy debate. There are issues here that need to be considered carefully, with appropriate attention to context…
Embracing our limits
It is possible to admire and be inspired by the achievements of the world’s greatest players while enjoying working at our own level…
When East Meets West
Music, albeit in many forms and styles, continues to offer a more universal vocabulary, one which can unite those separated by language, customs, heritage, geography and time…
Playing like the Winter Sun
Cherish the music you play. Dazzle with the easy! Stop thinking in terms of levels and progress, and start thinking about reaching the soul. Play like the winter sun…
Lingering awhile with friends
As in life, so too in our piano playing, let’s take time to linger awhile with our old friends…
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