Supporting Piano Education
Article written by Andrew Eales
The majority of our piano journey is spent privately in the practise room, so it is important to find musical fulfilment here.
Andrew’s book How to Practise Music offers a radical, holistic and healthy approach to practising any instrument. Pianodao supports this landmark publication with several in-depth articles and reflective blog posts concerning this crucial and endlessly interesting topic…
Continue reading Effective PracticeSupporting Piano Education
Article written by Andrew Eales
The question of motivation is one of the most important for all piano players and teachers, and turns out not to be a straightforward one.
• Why do we love the piano?
• How do we fan that flame and keep it alight?
• What motivates us to practise, play, and perform?
• How do we help to motivate others?
Psychologists and educators talk about different types of motivation, which can help us understand the various factors that drive us, and which will enthuse others.
Here on Pianodao, there are many articles to unpack this vital subject in plain English, including in-depth advice, motivational encouragement, and reflections on how to discover more joy at the piano.
Continue reading Developing MotivationSupporting Piano Education
Article written by Andrew Eales
Reflecting on our practice is not just a good idea, but an essential component of making the tangible progress that we all hope for whenever we sit down at the piano. Remember, it is the quality of our practice which makes the real difference, not just the quantity.
So what has your practice looked like in recent weeks?
How can you improve it, and develop a more effective approach?
Supporting Piano Education
Article written by Andrew Eales
The problem of musicians developing injuries related to their playing has received much attention in recent years. Happily, we can learn from a growing body of performing arts medicine research, and the insights of respected pioneers who have devoted their expertise to the fields of piano technique and movement retraining.
A systematic review (2018) of existing research into the prevalence of injury makes sobering reading, suggesting that up to three quarters of all keyboard players report experiencing musculoskeletal pain. And sadly we will all most likely have encountered players who suffered injuries such as tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and dystonia.
Avoiding injury is clearly a key concern. However, increased awareness of this important issue has been accompanied by confusion and disagreement between pianists and educators both about the causes of injury, and what constitutes “good technique”.
Continue reading Preventing Injury in PianistsSupporting Piano Education
Article written by Andrew Eales
What part do the Grade exams play in fostering positive motivation? Do they provide a necessary framework for musical advancement, or distract from more important goals? Are they signposts to success, or might they put some learners off playing a musical instrument altogether?
Most teachers will recognise that for some learners, entering for a grade exam seems to spur them towards progress, while for others they can prove less positive.
For more than three decades, I have helped prepare some (but not all) of my students for grade exams, so have had plenty of opportunity to reflect on the pros and cons. I have observed many good reasons for “taking the grades” as well as a few rather misguided ones, and have discovered why many (despite using graded music books and materials) prefer not to take exams.
In this post, I will explore this complex question from various angles and perspectives. I hope that my balanced conclusions will help readers pursue a well informed pathway of progress that suits their individual needs and goals, whether choosing to take the grades or not.
Continue reading Do Grade Exams Motivate?Fermata • The Pianodao Blog
Short Reflections by Andrew Eales
The acclaimed musician, philosopher and writer Stephen Nachmanovitch writes, in his seminal book Free Play (1990):
“There is something energising and challenging about being one-to-one with the audience and creating a piece of work that has both the freshness of the fleeting moment and, when everything is working, the structural tautness and symmetry of a living organism. It can be a remarkable and often moving experience in direct communication.”
Nachmanovitch‘s comments ring true whether, like him, we improvise in front of an audience, or perform the great masterpieces of the classical repertoire, recreating and interpreting them for a live audience, alert to the singularity of the moment and its potential for connection.
It’s a simple, honest, profound truth that musicians and music-lovers the world over all understand. Live performances can be a remarkable and often moving experience in direct communication.
Continue reading Why live performance mattersSupporting Piano Education
Article written by Andrew Eales
”What grade is this piece?”
Having been a syllabus consultant for a number of exam boards, compiled several graded anthology publications, and written in-depth reviews of all the main UK grade exam offerings for the last ten years, it’s probably no surprise that I am often asked to comment on the grade level of pieces.
By analysing current and previous repertoire choices set by the boards, we can draw a number of common conclusions about the Grade Expectations underpinning their past and current syllabus selections, but it must be emphasised that as we do so, we quickly discover that considerable variety exists between equally accredited boards, and that standards have notably shifted in recent years.
This is not a one-way traffic: while the general trend of exam boards has been to jostle for popularity by tweaking their requirements to be easier and more accessible, the benchmarking of pieces and syllabus content has simply become less predictable, with inappropriately difficult pieces also sometimes appearing (see my comments below concerning the ABRSM 2027-28 Piano Syllabus).
In this article I will begin by explaining why it is becoming so difficult to assign clear grade levels to pieces. I will then outline the common technical and musical content commonly found in the syllabus pieces for each grade level in recent years.
I will also link to recommendations of suitable music for each grade level, so that those keen to expand their teaching and playing repertoire can explore the wide and wonderful variety of music that is available for today’s players at every level.
Continue reading Grade ExpectationsFermata • The Pianodao Blog
Short Reflections by Andrew Eales
In her acclaimed novel Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus cleverly puts into words the observations of the character ‘Six Thirty’, who happens to be the main protagonist’s dog. Here’s an example of Six Thirty’s canine wisdom:
“Humans were strange, Six Thirty thought, the way they constantly battled dirt in their aboveground world, but after death willingly entombed themselves in it.”
A fair point! But perhaps it is our contradictions that both define us, and prove the quality of our connections with one another…
Continue reading Contradiction and Connection
