Pianists in Conversation with Andrew Eales
Pianist Rose McLachlan will be performing as a special guest at the MK Piano Celebration 2024, with a programme that includes Beethoven, Schumann, Debussy, and music from the 22 Nocturnes for Chopin by women composers anthology that she commissioned.
In this interview I catch up with Rose to discuss her musical journey thus far, and find out more about her programme…
Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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Following the launch of ABRSM’s 2023-24 syllabus, Edition Peters built on the success of their regular Grade 8 Piano Anthology series by issuing anthologies for Grades 5, 6, 7, and 8. At the time, I noted:
“Whatever one thinks of graded exams, there’s no denying that the ABRSM piano syllabus offers a stunning and helpfully progressive view of the rich and varied piano repertoire. And if their own publications open too small a window through which those wondrous joys might be discovered, the widescreen presentation Edition Peters offer with these anthologies must surely be welcomed with the broadest of smiles.”
With the advent of the 2025-26 ABRSM syllabus, which I have reviewed in depth here, Edition Peters (now under the roof of Faber Music) have returned with a new set of anthologies to supplement the latest syllabus.
It should be noted that there is a one-year overlap of syllabi, meaning that the older anthologies will (alongside ABRSM’s own piano exam piece books for 2023-24) remain valid until December 2025.
But what of the new anthologies? Here as always is my first in-depth look at them, including a detailed comparison between the ABRSM and Edition Peters books. For those on a budget, which is the better purchase, and why? Let’s find out…
Continue reading Edition Peters Piano AnthologiesSupporting Your Piano Pathway
Reflection by Andrew Eales
In the latest issue of Music Teacher magazine, three teachers who I very much respect team up to reflect on current trends in grade exams, and in particular whether “populism is killing progression”, and whether current syllabi are helping teachers to “get the fundamentals right”.
I was particularly struck by this from the ever-brilliant Murray McLachlan:
“Whether boards care to admit it or not, they have a huge responsibility to ensure that grade requirements present a balanced selection of material that will add and guide pedagogical progression for those customers they serve who are primarily or even exclusively exam-oriented. There should be no loopholes or easy options that take away from this surely essential mission.”
I think he makes an important point that ABRSM, Trinity, and the rest need to consider with care.
But in all fairness, are teachers perhaps at times in danger of blaming exam boards for our own failings? Because, whether we care to admit it or not, they have long stressed that their syllabi are not designed to deliver a complete instrumental and vocal curriculum.
Continue reading The curriculum comes firstSelected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
Find out more: About Pianodao Reviews
Recognised the world over as one of our most prolific and successful composers of contemporary repertoire for developing instrumentalists, Pam Wedgwood was recently awarded the Art of Piano Education Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her significant impact on piano education over the course of her career.
Rather than resting on her laurels, Wedgwood now returns with a brand new collection of enchanting piano pieces for intermediate players. With Piano Dreaming she has branched into fresh musical territory, bringing us an album of 12 original pieces in a “neoclassical style”.
Let’s see whether this new collection is the dream…
Continue reading Pam Wedgwood • Piano Dreaming
