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Song Easel presents….. A Vast Obscurity – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
A Vast Obscurity celebrates a number of notable anniversaries in the creative arts, including the bicentenary of Lord Byron's death, the 460th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth, as well as the centenary of the death of Song Easel's featured composer, Gabriel Fauré. The work of poets plays a central role in this year's series, with 'obscurity' a…
What if I just settle for “good enough”? – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
The pursuit of musical excellence is a journey that many musicians embark upon with a fervent desire to achieve perfection. We strive for flawless performances, impeccable technique, and unwavering precision. As an advanced amateur pianist, these are goals to which I too aspire. But the constant pursuit for perfection and an ongoing desire for perfectionism…
Recorder’d Memories – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
It started with this tweet..... https://twitter.com/ronmanagernottm/status/1776866571891142816 I retweeted it because it amused me. But looking at that red cover with the simple outline of a recorder also brought a Proustian rush of memories - of about 20 children sitting in a sun-filled classroom at Maney Hill Primary School in Sutton Coldfield in the early 1970s,…
Interview for Rhonda Rizzo’s No Dead Guys blog – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
Concert pianist. Thanks to movies and popular culture, this job title brings to mind conflicting images of a starving artist, mad genius, or supernaturally talented magician who communes with the Muse - almost never the hardworking professional that a pianist must be in order to maintain a successful performing career. Lifting the Lid: interviews with…
5 Japanese techniques to help musicians overcome laziness and stay motivated – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
The following Japanese terms are all about warding off laziness and boosting motivation plus tips for embracing the concept of doing your best. They are useful as general rules for life; here I have interpreted them for the benefit of musicians: Ikigai Have a purpose in life Ikigai comes from two words - Iki meaning life,…
Life-changing piano lessons – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
Guest post by Ingrid on the experience of studying with Dr Michael Low Like many musicians, my journey started thanks to a fabulous piece I heard one day (and for sure so many more, but it has been a while so I can’t quite tell) that moved my heart and soul so deeply that I…
What do artists & composers do all day? – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
‘Music, Painting, Landscape, and Me’ by Marc Yeats Publication date 1st April 2024 In this book, composer and landscape painter Marc Yeats embarks on an introspective journey, weaving together the symbolic realms of music and painting through the written word. This endeavour expands upon the immediacy of engagement with his compositions and paintings and what…
“We wanted to be Pollini” – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
A tribute from pianist François-Frédéric Guy « ON VOULAIT ÊTRE POLLINI ». Hommage Oui. On voulait être Pollini. Non par je ne sais quelle prétention ou folie, mais plutôt par nécessité. Quand on écoutait l’un de ses très nombreux enregistrements, quand on sortait de l’un de ses concerts. Lorsqu’adolescent, on se préparait à une vie…
RSCM Stanford Singing Break – 12-14 July – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) marks the centenary of Charles Villiers Stanford’s death with a series of special events Charles Villiers Stanford, one of the great choral composers of the late 19th/early 20th century, died on 29 March 1924. As executors of the Stanford estate, the RSCM publishes a vast range of Stanford's…
10 Inspirational & thought-provoking quotes from musicians and composers – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
“Every time you play a great piece of music there is a new discovery. Every time." Mitsuko Uchida, pianist https://youtu.be/EwMTMSPGiNM?si=VTP7MW5npQ5eSbX- “I am interested in music as ecstasy, as something that transports you away from the everyday to another place.” Terry Riley, composer "Perhaps many a composer of the past would be astonished at how over-cautious…
Lifting the lid on the world of the professional pianist today – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
The interviews in this book offer remarkable and often surprisingly honest insights into life as a professional pianist today – from years of intense study with some of the leading pianist-teachers and pedagogues of our time to practicing and performing, repertoire and recording. There are also more esoteric reflections on the nature of “success” as…
Classical music festival returns to Hertford with free concert – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
Residents both local and from further afield, including the Mayor of Hertford, Cllr Vicky Smith, attended a free, inaugural concert heralding the return of the Hertfordshire Festival of Music (HFoM). Renowned violinist Litsa Tunnah, who performed at the Festival in 2023, played at the concert, accompanied on the piano by Artistic Director, James Francis Brown. The concert…
Why not visit Hertfordshire Festival of Music this June? – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
Last week I went up to Hertford, the attractive county town of Hertfordshire, to attend a reception and inaugural concert, given by the wonderful violinist Litsa Tunnah, ahead of this year's Hertfordshire Festival of Music (HFoM) which runs from 7 to 15 June. I have been involved in the Festival since its founding by conductor…
The Power of Bad: And How to Overcome It – For Musicians! The Best Book to Help With Positivity – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
Guest post by Mark Glover In this post, euphonium player and brass teacher Mark Glover talks about something that has an impact on everyone, but especially musicians. A friend recommended this book by John Tierney and Roy F. Baumeister to me a while ago, during a time when I was struggling a bit with my…
The Self-Teaching Musician – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
I admit it, I’m a fervent auto-didact, a “self-teacher” whose answer to “how do I do that?” is to either reach for a book or more likely these days, look it up on Google or YouTube. For me, self-teaching goes hand-in-hand with mastery as both require a willingness to stick to the task with a…
Masterclass at Coach House Pianos London Showroom – 1 June 2024 – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
MOZART & MORE.... Saturday 1 June 2024, 10am-4.45pm A one-day masterclass for advanced adult amateur pianists (Grade 8+) with pianist and pedagogue Dr Michael Low, hosted by Frances Wilson (The Cross-Eyed Pianist) at the sumptuous London showroom of Coach House Pianos Participants will have the opportunity to play a beautiful Bosendorfer grand piano and receive…
Winter in Majorca – A film by Jeff Buchanan – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
“When he plays it is as if the keys of the piano were brushed by the wings of angels.” George SandAuthor of ‘Winter in Majorca’ Composer Frederic Chopin and authoress George Sand stayed on the beautiful Balearic island of Majorca during the winter of 1838. At this time, Chopin and Sand had only been lovers…
Les Baricades mistérieuses – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
Guest post by Yvonne Frindle I am that most unfortunate of creatures: a pianist without a piano. And the longer I procrastinate, the more and more out of practice I become. I doubt I’ll be trying out my next piano with one of Haydn’s great English sonatas or Rachmaninoff’s Polichinelle. Oh no. There’s another piece…
Songs with, and without words – New releases, 26 January 2024 – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
Schubert Lieder: Love's Lasting Power - Harriet Burns, soprano, and Ian Tindale, piano This is the first joint recording from longtime musical partners Harriet Burns and Ian Tindale, and it celebrates not only the last ing power of love, in its many guises, but also the lasting appeal of Schubert's lieder. Harriet Burns' voice is…
“I had always been fascinated by the great Romantic pianists” – an interview with composer & psychotherapist Michael Lawson – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
By Michael Johnson English musician and polymath Michael Lawson has established a reputation in a diversity of professions - composer, pianist, psychotherapist, documentary filmmaker and archdeacon of the Church of England. As a therapist, he has worked with a variety of individuals, ranging from child prodigies to sex offenders. His remarkable new novel, International Acclaim:…
New releases, 12 January 2024 – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
Two contrasting, but equally delightful new releases are featured today: HEAVEN TO EARTH Joanna Forbes L'Estrange An album of choral music, sung by London Voices, conducted by Ben Parry, with Adreanna Chan, organ, composed by Joanna Forbes L'Estrange, who has a busy career in choral music - as a singer and choral director(with ensembles such…
An invaluable, practical resource – The Musician’s Journey by Jill Timmons – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
First published in 2013, The Musician's Journey by Dr Jill Timmons is a handbook for musicians who want to make the most of their specialist training to carve a successful professional career. A celebrated pianist, who studied with, amongst others, György Sebők, Jill Timmons is also an acclaimed educator and leading consultant in arts management…
Masterclass at Coach House Pianos London Showroom – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
MOZART & MORE.... A one-day masterclass for advanced adult amateur pianists (Grade 8+) with pianist and pedagogue Dr Michael Low, hosted by Frances Wilson (The Cross-Eyed Pianist) at the sumptuous London showroom of Coach House Pianos Participants will have the opportunity to play a beautiful Bosendorfer grand piano and receive expert tuition, critique and advice…
Masterclass at Coach House Pianos London Showroom – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
MOZART & MORE.... A one-day masterclass for advanced adult amateur pianists (Grade 8+) with pianist and pedagogue Dr Michael Low, hosted by Frances Wilson (The Cross-Eyed Pianist) at the sumptuous London showroom of Coach House Pianos Participants will have the opportunity to play a beautiful Bosendorfer grand piano and receive expert tuition, critique and advice…
Letter(s) to Erik Satie – an intriguing homage – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
Letter(s) to Erik Satie Bertrand Chamayou, piano French pianist Bertrand Chamayou’s latest album features works by two musical mavericks, Erik Satie and John Cage. “Erik Satie and John Cage are UFOs in the world of music, because they envisioned music through a completely different prism,” says Chamayou. “They are pioneers in the sense that, for…
Season’s Greetings from The Cross-Eyed Pianist – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
A big thank you to every one who reads, comments upon, shares and contributes to this site Wishing you a very happy and music-filled 2024 Frances The Cross-Eyed Pianist https://open.spotify.com/user/1966frances/playlist/3MgyQ9cjZH6nrU57pcBovr
End of term report: A gold star for Weymouth Lunchtime Chamber Concerts – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
It has, as they say, been a bumper year for Weymouth Lunchtime Chamber Concerts. We have seen record audiences (consistently around the 80-90 people mark) and a wonderful range of music and musicians. In keeping with the founding ethos of the series, our programmes mix well-known repertoire with rareties and lesser-known works. This year we…
New Christmas music from Thomas Hewitt Jones – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
Award-winning British composer Thomas Hewitt Jones, who has an unashamed love for Christmas and Christmas music, has released a selection of new music for the festive season - from carols for choirs to a dramatic retelling of the Christmas Story, featuring Stephen Fry. Plus a few "Christmas crackers" to entertain and delight..... Onward We Go…
Repertoire in Focus: Paderewski’s Minuet in G, Op. 14 No. 1 – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
Paderewski was an extraordinary character. Not only was he a world-renowned concert artist, but he was also the prime minister of Poland for a brief period. He maintained a ferocious touring schedule and was adored by audiences everywhere he went.
Call for participants for Channel 4’s The Piano series 2 – The Cross-Eyed Pianist
The Piano, a surprise hit for Channel 4 earlier this year in which talented amateur pianists performed in public on pianos placed in railway stations, is back for a second series - and the production company, Love Productions, is looking for participants. The first series showcased amateur piano players across the UK, from major cities…