Why facial expressions matter?

We live in a most visually conscious age. Young musicians in the 21st century could be forgiven for assuming that image is everything. Instagram, TikTok, ‘my story,’ and YouTube …

All provide instantaneous imagery, giving the immediate communicative impact that, for certain ‘influencers,’ can extend to a global scale.… Read more

Music education today and yesterday part 2

Part 1tap to read 

There are still many wonderful opportunities for exceptionally gifted young musicians in the UK today. Many charities offer support for tuition fees, the cost of music, and instruments.

Perhaps it is unfair to list some and not others, so let’s mention a few of the many organisations that offer invaluable support in passing.… Read more

Music education today and yesterday part 1

What is music education in the 21st Century?

Hefty tuition fees at universities and conservatoires, government cutbacks in funding for the Arts, lack of specialist teachers in state schools, dwindling numbers of pupils entering GCSE and A Level music, ever-escalating costs for instruments and instrument repair/ maintenance, travel and sheet music, courses, grade exam entry fees and concert tickets ….… Read more

How to Breathe Correctly

About practising part 6: Murray McLachlan shares advice about breathing techniques from Flautist and Head of Woodwind at Chetham’s School of Music Belinda Crouch. The trick is to keep breathing! 

Before you continue reading, you might want to catch up to the previous articles on the subject of practising:

Part 6: Current blog 
Part 5:
Balance, Equilibrium and Kodály >
Part 4:
 How to begin?Read more

Internalisation and working away from the instrument

About practising part 3: practising with our instruments by the clock and adding up the time spent working can be extremely misleading. It may breed the assumption that it is not possible to develop repertoire, technique, or interpretation unless we are physically involved, literally playing our instruments during quantifiable, scheduled practice blocks.… Read more

Coping with COVID

Competitions part 4: in today’s blog, Murray is looking for the answers to whether coping with COVID offered a cure for a crisis. 

Part 5: Alim Beisembayev Interview >
Part 4: Current blog
Part 3: Coping with COVID >
Part 2: Smaller Music competitions >
Part 1: If piano competitions didn’t exist…

After lockdown, competitions have had to re-organise and re-think.… Read more

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