New Year Weekend Competition

Welcome to the first competition of the New Year here on my blog! The prize is a copy of Faber Music’s latest publications, The Ultimate Easy Piano Songlist. A great selection of pop songs, all arranged for the intermediate pianist, or around Grade 5 – 7 level (in my opinion!).

Classics by artists such as Adele, Cilla Black, Cole Porter, Ella Fitzgerald, Chris Rea, Michael Buble, Eagles, One Direction, Wham!, Nina Simone, Muse, Vera Lynn, David Bowie, Justin Beiber, Jamie Cullum, and Radiohead, to name a few. Complete with lyrics and chord indications, this is a lovely volume.

I have one copy to give away, so please leave your comment in the comment box at the end of this post and I’ll announce the winner on Monday evening (British time).

Good luck! You can find out more and purchase the book here

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3 Tips on Choosing the Right Driveway

The driveway is one of the focal points of your home and often the first thing you see when entering your property, so it’s important that you choose the right driveway style which is both attractive and practical. Here are several tips to guide you in choosing the right driveway for your home.

Image Source: Flickr

Hire a Professional
Note that driveway material costs can fluctuate from year to year, due primarily to costs of materials and labor, the location and design of the driveway, the depth of material and preparation required.
If you plan to hire a contractor do handle the job, do some homework first. Take time to find a good contractor (see How To Hire a Good Home Improvement Contractor for some advice), and then collect a few estimates. Remember, however, that the lowest cost is not necessarily the best choice. In fact, if you get one estimate that is substantially lower than others, it should raise a red flag. Source: Garages.About

Consider Color
Color is an excellent guide for picking any material for your home and especially so when deciding on pavers. There are a couple ways to do this. Firstly you can match the color of your paver of choice to other permanent features of your home or landscape. Driveways, walkways and patios can normally be matched to the color of the roof. A slate roof, for example would go well with a driveway built from the dark smoothness of Unilock’s Courtstone’s Basalt variation. Unfortunately, colors are sometimes hard to match exactly and so tend to clash instead. In this case, rather than trying to match the colors, an intentional contrast can be created. Lights with darks, warm colors with cool colors etc. Another way of matching pavers according to color is to embed accents that are continued in the environment. E.g. repeating a hint of blue that is used in your flowerbeds. In this case, accents can be added in the borders or with the odd paver here and there, not necessarily the whole surface. Source: UniLock

Consider Texture
Smooth surfaces are best for areas with continual traffic like walkways but that doesn’t mean you can’t line them with textured pavers to create visual interest. Pavers with rough or jagged surfaces can be used wherever a little traction might be required, such as near a pool, or in areas where people aren’t often walking. Textured pavers have more color variation because the varying surface height, albeit small, can create tiny shadowing causing the pavers to perhaps appear darker or lighter in spots than under bright light in a retailer.
Tumbled pavers are the most commonly available these days. They go through an extra process of actually tumbling in a rotating drum that wears down sharp edges, creates color variation and gives them a more natural, rustic look. But, this means that joints in between the pavers are typically larger than those between untumbled pavers, subjecting them to more weeds, the need to fill the joints with more sand over time as well as a higher price tag because of the extra processing. Source: InstallitDirect

Contact:
Kerrisdale Roofing & Drains
8279 Ross St, Vancouver, BC V5X 4W1
(604) 360-2114

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Improve Your Sight-Reading Skills: 5 Top Tips

My latest article for Pianist Magazine’s New Year’s newsletter focuses on sight-reading. I’ve written about this subject many times, but it’s an important topic for pianists, and is often ignored or sidestepped in piano lessons until absolutely necessary i.e. just prior to an exam or audition, when testing is unavoidable. Few pianists are keen sight-readers, many believing a specific talent is required to read quickly. Aptitude is helpful of course, but there are copious ways to improve reading. For those who feel their skills would benefit from an over-haul, here are a few suggestions. You can read the original article here.

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1. Sight-reading is all about the preparation. On first glance, check the score for the key signature (noting the major and relative minor of that written). Note the time signature (particularly if it changes during the piece), obvious note patterns such as scales, arpeggios, chords, octaves and the like (aim to decipher fingerings for such figurations before you play).

2. Separate the rhythm from the notes. Focus on the general pulse; always start with very slow speeds when learning to read (perhaps a third of the intended tempo). Then tap the rhythm of the treble clef in the right hand, and the rhythm of the bass clef, with the left hand (at the same time), keeping in mind the slow pulse you have already set.

3. Now play through the left hand alone (without adhering to any pulse), locating note patterns, hand positions changes and fingering (and remembering the key!). Then do this with the right hand. If you’re preparing for an exam, you will probably have just enough time to run through each hand separately in the 20 or 30 seconds allocated inspection time beforehand.

4. Decide how you will keep time during the exercise. A metronome may be helpful (for ‘sitting’ on the pulse), but counting out loud along to your playing is also a reliable method (providing your count is rhythmical!). Try to sub-divide the beat (i.e. if crotchets are the main beat, count in quavers). Counting a bar’s rest at the beginning can be useful too (for setting a firm tempo).

5. Play your chosen exercise very slowly, reading ahead all the time, whilst aiming to play through your mistakes (it’s tempting to stop and correct errors, but by playing slowly, you will eventually be able to resist this urge).

When reading, keep in mind the overall rhythmic structure and play the notes to the pulse as opposed to the other way around. This preparation will become gradually quicker over time, as will your reading. If you can spend 10-15 minutes sight-reading at every practice session, you’ll be amazed at what can be achieved.

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PIANO WEEK goes to Frankfurt

A profusion of piano courses and festivals can be found in the UK (and many abroad too), therefore enticing young (and older) pianists to part with their money and time to attend such ventures is an increasingly demanding task.

British pianist Samantha Ward has risen to this ambitious challenge with aplomb. She began her piano course, PIANO WEEK, in North Wales in 2013, and since inception, it has swiftly grown. Now an international piano festival and summer school, it is en route to become one of considerable note in the UK, Europe and in Asia.

This year the festival’s profile has evolved into a touring enterprise with international residencies in China, Italy, Germany and two here in the UK. Moreton Hall and Rugby School are both featured in the UK’s roster of events, which boast state-of-the-art facilities. Each PIANO WEEK residency  proffers a different character; from the intimate setting of a 1892 villa on the bank of the picturesque Rhine river in Germany to a  perfect four-day retreat in Umbria. If a rather more urban setting suits your taste, the bustling city of Beijing hosts what will no doubt be a glittering Asian extravaganza.

Places at  PIANO WEEK’s first residency this year in Frankfurt (in Sankt Goar at a beautiful villa (see photo to the left and below), part of the Upper Middle Rhine UNESCO World Heritage Site), are limited, and the deadline for application is the 20th January 2017. The course runs from the 16th – 19th February 2017, and the faculty consists of pianists and pedagogues Samantha Ward (artistic director and founder), Maciej Raginia (Creative Director), and Niel Du Preez.

For those lucky enough to attend, sessions will run throughout the day, including three one-to-one lessons, two opportunities for solo performance, as well as part of a duo, and also a chance to perform your own composition. The week will therefore include a duet lesson, two composition classes, two master classes, a sight reading class, plus a complimentary duet book, allocated practice time (which will be subject to availability) and access to all faculty recitals and master classes.

Concerts will be held in the evenings for both participants and faculty, followed by dinner. There will also be ample opportunity for sight-seeing, with breathtaking scenery, lovely restaurants, and a chance to enjoy the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the famous Lorelei Statue (all very close to the venue).

You can find out much more about the course and book your place by contacting Samantha by either e mail or mobile phone: pianoweek@yahoo.com or 07775 207066

www.pianoweek.com

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Pro Musica to perform at ISB’s Music in the Park

On the 15th of January, 4pm – 7pm, ISB is hosting the His Majesty’s Music in the Park, featuring Pro Musica. Pro Musica will play the compositions of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Come and join us as we honor the life of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej through beautiful music. We will also join in song for The King’s Anthem and have a candle lighting. Bring your picnic blanket or fold up chairs. There will be a wide selection of delicious Thai food and refreshment stalls.

Discover the remarkable music of His Majesty. His Majesty was widely recognized for his musical talent, particularly in 1964 when His Majesty became the first ever Asian honorary member of Vienna’s prestigious Die Akademic fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst.

Pro Musica
The Bangkok Pro Musica Orchestra, founded in 1958, is Thailand’s first professional ensemble Orchestra. Since 2011, Bangkok Pro Musica Orchestra has regularly been performing the royal compositions under the baton of M.L. Usni Pramoj, one of its founders. M.L. Usni Pramoj is currently member of the Thai Privy Council and recipient of the Thai National Artist Award and the ASEAN Award for the performing arts. He is one of the pioneers of classical music in Thailand and his arrangements of His Majesty’s compositions represent a unique blend of jazz and classical styles.

Entrance:
Adults: Presale –  Baht 200, At the entrance – Baht 250
Children: Presale – Baht 100, At the entrance – Baht 150.

For more information, please contact: Khun Sutida Vichitkulwongsa Chawaldit sutida.chawaldit@gmail.com

Friends and family welcome.

 

 

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4 Simple Ways to Revive Your Home This New Year

It’s a new year, so it’s a great time to refresh your home and make some updates. And though it’s still winter, you can still do some minor projects inside your home. Consider adding these to your New Year’s resolutions:

Image Source: Flickr

Assess Your Home
Determine the current state of your home and what ideas you want to implement. Walk through your home and determine what wish list items are, and what necessity items are. A wish list item could be upgrading to granite countertops, while a necessity item could be leaky plumbing pipes that have to be replaced as soon as possible. Source: Freshome

Get Organized (De-Clutter)
No excuses — that clutter has got to go! Start by creating more storage space so you can stash stuff easily.
At wit’s end for new storage space? You’ve probably got storage solutions you didn’t know you had. Put up a high shelf between the walls of a narrow hallway, and tuck storage in out-of-the-way nooks, such as under-stairs spaces and between wall studs.
If your small home is pinched for space, don’t despair: There’s still room for storage. Shoe organizers ($20) do more than hold shoes — use them to store keys, notepads, and cell phones. At about $300 per drawer, have a cabinetmaker install drawers in the toe kicks of your kitchen cabinets for napkins, cookie sheets, and appliance manuals. Source: HouseLogic

Lighten Up
Enough of this dreary, sad winter—“Open those windows!” Michael says. Yes, it might be a bit chilly, but opening the windows doesn’t necessarily mean letting in the outside air. Remove distracting elements like heavy window treatments, blinds, and drapes to make the room feel fresh and bring in more of that pretty, end-of-winter light. Or if you don’t feel like taking them off the windows completely, open them up more than you usually do to avoid a case of the wintry blues. Source: RealSimple

Freshen the Front Door
A new front door is one of the easiest ways to boost your curbside appeal. It’s also the most cost-effective home renovation you can do.
If you don’t need to replace your front door, refinish or repaint it. Entry doors take a lot of abuse from the outside elements (including people), and even a new door can start looking weathered rather quick. If you choose to add a fresh coat of paint, use a high-quality paint and a warm, welcoming color that goes well with your home. Source: Realtor

Having minor renovations done is awesome, but what could be even better is to have some major ones done.  Check your foundation, roofing, sewer lines, water mains, and the like, and if you find any problems, call our professionals for a hassle-free repair. Start the year off right! Contact us!

Contact:
Kerrisdale Roofing & Drains
8279 Ross St, Vancouver, BC V5X 4W1
(604) 360-2114

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10 Top Tips to improve your Practice Schedule in 2017

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope you had a fabulous Christmas and 2017 brings much joy, good health, and happiness.

New Year’s resolutions? You’ve probably been mulling over what the next year might hold. Perhaps you’ve also been wondering how to fruitfully work on your piano playing?

An issue on many a pianist’s lips; how to secure a helpful, attainable, enjoyable, and productive method of ongoing practice.  As we know, many begin their practice with great vigour and dedication (whether at the beginning of the week or a new year), but very soon, old habits surreptitiously creep in; finding enough time is nearly always at the top of the ‘can’t practice’ list, and for a sizeable proportion, acquiring the right type of motivation can also prove tricky.

Finding the right weekly practice schedule for you is a largely personal affair, so in this post I merely aim to throw a few ideas your way, shedding some light on a continuous dilemma.

1. Many prefer morning practice, but sometimes working late in the evening can be beneficial. Irrespective of the time, set yourself a workable goal. I have only a couple of adult students, and they both practice before going to work, starting at around 7am.  They manage to focus for one hour, and then much later in the day (after work), occasionally find the energy for a further 30 minutes. Considerable dedication is required. This might not be an option for you but, depending on your level, aim for 45 – 60 minutes 5 days per week. Allowing a couple of days for rest and relaxation! Serious students (and advanced diploma students) will, of course, need and want to work for a much longer period if time, and for 6 or 7 days per week.
2. When you sit down to work at the piano, have a structured routine in place; one which encourages some freedom, but keeps work on track, doesn’t feel onerous, and still manages to pique your interest as well as preserve concentration. I suggest a few flexibility exercises as a warm up (away for the keyboard), letting your arms swing loosely by your side; stretch out your arms and hands, freeing each muscle. Take note of how relaxed the upper torso feels (then if tension arises as you play, you can revert to this feeling when necessary). Prior to this, sit still, and quiet your mind for a couple of minutes. Clear your thoughts and decide on a positive practice session (you’ll be surprised at just how effective this mini-meditation can be).
3. Once you’ve warmed up your muscles, some five-finger exercises might be helpful; begin on middle C going up to G (and down again) with the right hand (and an octave lower for the left hand), slowly key-bedding (playing with each finger, heavily into the keys), and as you play, ensure your whole arm, hand and wrist feels relaxed, loose and flexible between every note. Aim to do this a couple of times with each hand separately.
4. Now you’re ready to go! My students tend to begin with a 10 minute sight-reading session. Sight-reading is a multi-tasking challenge, so to make progress, implement at the start of a practice session when concentrating powers are at their strongest. Have plenty of material, and choose exercises which  are well below your true standard of playing, so this element feels easy and enjoyable. For more sight-reading ideas, click here.
5. For those keen on exercises and studies, now may be a good time to include them in your regime. I appreciate some of you will be grimacing in dismay at the thought of Hanon, Czerny and the like (personally I love studies, but that’s just me). You can work at your technique on scales and arpeggios, or via sections of your pieces, but I find it easier to isolate technical difficulties and work on them away from the music. Whatever you do, make sure you are actually improving your playing, as opposed to repeating old habits of stiffness and tension (a good teacher is paramount here!).
6. Turning to your repertoire, it may be advantageous to rotate pieces i.e. rather than work at each one every day, practice one or two pieces (or movements) at each session, then leave them the following day to work on something else. This keeps your mind fresh and motivation, high. But it can be helpful to ‘play through’ areas (or whole pieces) you worked on the previous day, just to keep them in mind, and establish what was successfully achieved at your practice session the day before.
7. Give yourself a deadline. If you are learning a particular 5 minute piece, aim to have it fluent and under your fingers in a week (or maybe two if practising regularly is a real challenge). Goals can really help the learning process, whether for an exam or performance, and you will profit from the extra effort required to make sure you can play it quickly. It’s always possible to learn ever quicker, but this takes a cool, level-headed approach which generally precludes copious ‘play- throughs’; instead focus on small sections, speedy finger precision and a constantly attentive ear.
8. When learning, apply a totally methodical approach to mastering a piece; careful fingering, hands separately, then hands together with a metronome to a very slow tempo, until fully grasped. If you use a ‘standard’ approach when learning a work, it can be employed for most repertoire, therefore learning will be progressively swifter.
9. As soon as you lose focus, switch your attention elsewhere; move to less challenging music, or work at a piece you already know. The beginning of the learning process is generally more demanding, so try to have several pieces already secure, enabling you to hone interpretation and tonal quality.
10. End your session on a high note, and play something which is securely learnt, and which you enjoy, Aim to do this at every session – this will aid positivity and bode well for future efforts. Good luck and happy practising!
    

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My Books

You can find out more about the new Faber Music Piano Anthology here (and also on Amazon UK and Amazon US).

Read about my piano guide, So You Want To Play The Piano? here.

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