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RD

What is your first memory of the piano? 

Well, that depends if you mean playing or listening. Even at the age of 5 I was singing in school performances but I was always fascinated by the piano and how you could get such a large sound from one instrument.  However I don’t think it was until secondary school that I really thought about it – as I began to be in a position to pay for lessons of my own. I remember meeting a boy at secondary school who was already around Grade 7 and being so in awe. I think having that achievement in view really helped me to drive towards my goal of becoming a pianist.

Who or what inspired you to start teaching?

Before studying music at Lancaster University in 2005 I did teach some beginner students for around two years. I always felt at school that what I didn’t want was a boring nine-to-five job with no creative outlet. Once I left school I had a 2 year gap which is when I began to explore teaching. As I was working on my Grade 8 piano at the time, along with singing, I felt that teaching piano would help me to develop all those skills. After entering my first student achieved a merit in his first exam, I definitely felt I had enjoyed the experience and considered other teaching work at that point. However I think it was probably my father who helped me to realise I should refocus on my main passion for music. Having left that office job I said I would never take, back in June 2011, in part to help look after my father who had been battling Parkinson’s for several years, I finally made the decision to focus full time on teaching and began working freelance by the end of that year. Sadly my father passed away the following January, having not seen me fully realise my ambition, but I think he was at least happy to see me doing what I loved and focussing on it full time.

Who or what are the most important influences on your teaching? 

Definitely the most important musical influence is my long time tutor and mentor Daphne Sumbler who trained me as a singer and really helped me to reach my potential when I started secondary school, where she worked as Head of Music. Without her, I know I wouldn’t have pursued music with the same level of determination. She really helped me to see I could achieve something, even though at 12, I was very late starting. Certainly her ethos that students should enjoy music first and foremost has stayed with me and is at the core of my teaching practice.

Most memorable/significant teaching experiences?

So hard to pick one specific moment, one memory that stays with me is my first adult student, who I taught in the 2 years before going to university. I remember being fascinated that this gentleman, who was 67 at the time, who had great aspirations of composing and playing, but had not had much musical training to date. He had so much passion and enthusiasm for learning. It was great to see that at any age, at any point in your life, music can be such a powerful and positive influence.

What are the most exciting/challenging aspects of teaching beginners and advanced students and adults?

Teaching beginners is often the most interesting as it is a real opportunity to see what excites them musically. I always offer a free consultation so that we can explore ideas right from the very start and we always take 2 or 3 lessons to explore different repertoire before focussing on something longer term. Many parents say to me you must have lots of patience for beginners. I think this is probably true but often I find it very rewarding as it means I have to constantly be refining my teaching, in order to help a student overcome those initial hurdles.

Advanced students offer their own unique challenges. Again often uncertain of what to play, and still very critical of their own playing, they do at least have a sense of those basic elements so you can focus more on musicality and performance. I also make my advanced students work much harder to find answers themselves, rather than expect the answer directly from me.

Both adults and children have different learning styles and objectives. Whilst a child might often be uninhibited, willing to try and explore, and have the years in which to develop towards a specific goal, adult students often come with a much clearer sense of themselves and what they want to achieve, even if they are unsure just how to achieve it. I find adult students the most nervous and self critical, especially those who played when they were young. A common comment always being made to me is “I wish I had continued when I was a child”. It’s definitely wisdom I try to impart to my younger students so that they don’t regret not continuing learning music, in whatever capacity.

What are the most exciting/challenging aspects of teaching adult amateur pianists?

Adult amateurs are often very accomplished so they too often have a specific goal in mind. Often it is simply reassurance of a piece or their interpretation that is needed, or help and guidance with a particularly tricky section. They also tend to be much more knowledgeable about wider musical ideas, often attending concerts or having read about composers and performers. I think the greatest role I have to play is helping them to continue to play and to simply enjoy it, for whatever purpose.

What do you expect from your students? 

Regardless of age or ability, I do ask that students are honest about their goals and aspirations and that they commit to practice, however much that might be, so that they continue to learn and develop as musicians. My aim has always been to get students to really understand and question their own reasons for playing, as this is often the key to inspiring and motivating them to practice.

What are your views on exams, festivals and competitions? 

I think examinations and qualifications serve a certain purpose. However, in the larger scheme of things they aren’t something to overly worry about. Younger students will often work to examinations as they are used to this structured form of assessment, whereas adults often find this can be the reason they don’t want to learn! As much as possible though I do encourage playing for others, so this is often through my own student concerts, or local opportunities, festivals or competitions. All this experience will undoubtedly improve their playing so I think just go for it…what’s the worst that could happen!

What do you consider to be the most important concepts to impart to beginning students, and to advanced students? 

A sense of self, their own wants and desires, and to realise that there is no limit to what can be achieved but the limit we put on ourselves.

What are your thoughts on the link between performance and teaching? 

For me, I know my playing has drastically improved since teaching. I think it gives you such a great opportunity to reflect and to find better ways of doing things.  I think it also helps to relax you at the keyboard. I found when I started teaching I was worried about if I made a slip in a piece that the parents might know and think I was a bad pianist. Now I just don’t worry and as a result I am much more confident, both in teaching and performing, and of course there are now fewer slips!

How do you approach the issue of performance anxiety/tension? 

As someone who has really struggled with recital nerves, it is something I am very much aware of. Again I try to reflect on my own achievements and balance that with the negative “what if” moments that are often so consuming. The more experience you have, the easier it is to manage. However, I think I will always feel a little nervous but that it’s also a sign that you care enough about the performance to do as good a job as you can.

As far as teaching goes again I try to provide opportunities for my students to perform and to build on these positive experiences. We do explore elements of posture, hand position, arm weight and tension in the hand whenever it appears to become as issue that impacts on the sound. It’s about trying to be relaxed at the keyboard. As Bach famously said “It’s easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself.”

Who are your favourite pianists/pianist-teachers and why?

Having access to music and to performances by top music professionals is now easier than even and I always find that the internet is a constant source of opportunity to listen, learn and evaluate. Growing up it was friends, students and teachers who I looked to as my inspiration, trying to achieve what they had. However I think some of my favourites are people like Valentina Lisitsa, Horowitz, Zimerman, Rubinstein along with several fantastic teachers I have had the opportunity to study with, including Daphne Sumbler, Peter Noke, John Clegg and more recently Penelope Roskell. I will always be grateful to my tutors who have helped to inspire me to simply play, learn and enjoy making music.

Richard began his musical studies late, and it was not until the age of 12, after taking the part of the young boy in Mendelssohn’s Oratorio Elijah at the Royal Northern College of Music, where he sang the part of the young treble, that he began to explore this potential. Having trained as a singer with Daphne Sumbler, Richard’s musical talents were given opportunity to flourish. Studying both singing and piano at that time, he worked tirelessly to complete his advanced training in both, ahead of university applications. Within 6 years Richard had achieved this goal and had completed his Grade 8 in singing and piano in 2003 & 2004 respectively.  

After initially considering a career in musical theatre, following several successes with Daphne Sumbler in both local choirs and as a soloist, most notably taking part in a launch event at the RNCM for a musical centred around the Busby Babes and the tragic Munich airplane crash, Richard reconsidered his future prospects and decided to spend those years away from academic study to consider his future. By the Summer of 2004 Richard had secured a place as a first study singer at Huddersfield University but turned it down to study at Lancaster University as a pianist, fulfilling his life-long dream to study piano as his first study . Having studied initially with John Clegg, who was a student of Herbert Fryer’s, and then subsequently with Peter Noke, Richard completed his studies and in 2009 graduated with BA Combined honours in Music and German.  

After graduating in 2009 Richard stepped away from music altogether to focus on his German studies. However, he returned to focus on music full time as a freelance musician in November 2011. The move back home, made in part by the deteriorating health of his father who had been battling with Parkinson’s Disease, helped Richard to re-evaluate his long term ambition of making music and he returned to reignite his passion and enthusiasm for piano.  

Richard now works full time as a freelance musician and piano tutor in Manchester. Boasting a busy teaching portfolio and fantastic exam results for his students, along with his most recent success at receiving confirmation of one of his students to being accepted to attend Chetham’s School of Music, he’s now focussed on building a successful music career. Having undergone further study with Penelope Roskell, with an increase in both his freelance and local performance work, Richard is set to continue to prove that with enough self determination and drive, anything is possible. 

For more information about Richard, along with teaching advice and upcoming performance dates, please visit his website at www.richarddinsmore.co.uk

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Stage fright remains a largely taboo and highly sensitive subject amongst musicians, yet the anxiety of performance is a common feeling experienced by many, including some of the world’s top-flight artists. Learning how to manage performance anxiety is a crucial part of the performing artist’s craft, and musicians of all levels and ages can learn from the professionals who have developed effective strategies to manage the stress associated with performing.

The Beyond Stage Fright online summit is a series of video interviews given by top international soloists and principal orchestral players, along with leading writers and teachers who all share their unique take on managing performance stress. Host Charlotte Tomlinson, pianist and author of Music from the Inside Out, uncovers the whole topic, giving you a rare chance to look into the inner world of the professional musician. The interviews are fascinating, insightful and inspiring!

To get access to the summit, you need to sign up to the website: www.beyondstagefright

The summit goes live on Friday May 29th and once you register, you will receive access to two video interviews a day for 11 days in your inbox.

Musicians, writers and teachers taking part: • Hilary Hahn (violinist) • John Lill (pianist) • Martin Roscoe (pianist) • Tracy Silverman (US electric violinist) • Claire Jones (harpist) • Amy Dickson (classical saxophonist) • Zuill Bailey (US cellist) • Paul Harris (educator/composer) • Janice Chapman (singing teacher) • David Krakauer (US clarinettist) • Swingle Singers • Maya Beiser (US cellist) • Martin Owen (principal horn BBCSO) • Louisa Tuck (principal cello RNS) • James Rhodes (pianist) • Louise Lansdown (Head of Strings, Birmingham Conservatoire) • Michael Whight (clarinettist) • Roderick Williams (opera/concert singer) • Elise Batnes (leader Oslo Philharmonic) • Eric Maisel (US writer on Performance Anxiety) • Diane Widdison (Musician’s Union)

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Programme for Wieniawski’s concert, 26 June 1891 ©Cambridge University Library

The musician as promoter – by which I mean one who organises and promotes concerts – is nothing new and there are historical precedents in the activities of Handel and Mozart, for example, who both organised their own subscription concerts. As the musician became elevated to celebrity status so the role of the “impresario” became more important: one who talent-spotted, and organised and financed concerts. Famous impresarios have included Thomas Beecham, Richard d’Oyly Carte and Sol Hurok (who managed, amongst many others Ashkenazy, Gilels, Richter, Rostropovich, Pavlova and Segovia). But today the impresario has largely been superseded (with a few notable exceptions such as Simon Cowell whose role as a “creator” and promoter of new pop stars is, frankly, questionable…..) as musicians have taken over the responsibility of organising and promoting concerts themselves.

There are practical reasons for doing this, perhaps the most obvious being financial, as an independent promoter or impresario will take a percentage of the concert’s income. Musicians I spoke to in the course of researching this article also highlighted a need to remain in control of all aspects of the concert, from hiring the venue to deciding what should form the programme. Composer, singer and crossover musician Clio Em says “the positives include carrying out one’s artistic vision fully and collaborating with the musicians you yourself choose to worth with“, but she also cites social media, marketing and communication with the venue as potential admin headaches. A paid promoter or impresario will take on these administrative roles, liaise with and pay the venue hire, organise marketing and ticket sales and so forth, leaving the musician to concentrate on the music……But in return for this, the musician may be required to play a particular programme to please promoter/venue/audience.

Here is violinist Beatrice Philips who runs Lewes Chamber Music Festival, on the administrative aspects or creating and promoting concerts: “I find that it is important for me to separate my performing state of mind from my “organising a Festival” state of mind……………in the end, having created the programmes and chosen the performers, there comes a deluge of ‘non-musical’ things to deal with in order to make it happen which require a totally different part of the brain.”

Terry Lowry, composer, conductor and pianist, says: “Being responsible for concert promotion has been a strong positive for me.  Knowing how to promote an event myself makes it easier to help venues and presenters who are trying to promote a concert for me be effective.  It also forces me to stay in contact with my audience, which – while I enjoy this part very much – doesn’t come naturally to me.  I think pianists and composers become pianists and composers because they are very comfortable being alone.  Concert promotion forces me to interact in ways that are both effective and personally rewarding.”

Double-bassist Heather Bird says: “If nothing else it has given me a greater insight and appreciation of what goes on behind the scenes in putting on gigs. And there’s nothing more satisfying than putting on a successful night that you’ve thought of, fixed, found the venue for, sorted out the tech specs, promoted and played in and watching people enjoying listening to and performing in the gig.”

Pianist Emmanuel Vass says: “Art doesn’t pay my mortgage, unfortunately. If I want people to buy into what I do, it has to have an element of “consumer” or “product” orientation. Part of being a product = marketing. Otherwise, you’re just art on the shelf, which consumers will rarely want to automatically buy.“

Today the world of classical music is extremely competitive which means one constantly needs to find new and creative ways to attract and engage audiences. Not many musicians, especially young musicians who are just embarking on a professional career, can afford to pay for a specialist promoter, and so putting on and promoting their own concerts, either singly or in collaboration with other colleagues, is the way forward. At London’s Trinity-Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, the BMus degree course includes a module called ‘Engaging Audiences’ which encourages students to consider how to market themselves, create effective promotional materials and think about their own ‘brand’ – i.e. who they are as an artist. This gets students thinking more commercially before they have left the relative comfort of the conservatoire, and a number of Trinity students who are friends of mine have been busy organising and performing in their own concerts in the years prior to graduation. As one student at Trinity-Laban said to me: “You can’t sit back and expect things to happen: musicians need to play an active role in promoting themselves and making things happen!”

A number of people whom I spoke to in the course of researching this article cite retaining control and giving free rein to their own artistic vision as important aspects of being one’s own promoter. Pianist Jeremy Young, artistic director of Alfriston Summer Music Festival, says: “I have a wonderful freedom to programme concerts that are intellectually stimulating and perhaps more daring than other concert promoters might be. Of course, my festival will not be successful if I don’t provide a broad scope of experience for the audience but now that I have built up a loyal audience I sense their hunger for new things and feel less need to consistently programme ‘classical favourites’. Of course, there is still an appetite for that too by both the artists and the audience…………I feel as intrinsically linked to artistic directorship as I do to playing the piano these days and my position as Head of Chamber Music at the RNCM also gives me opportunity to be educationally creative on behalf of the students.”.

The musician as promoter can also enjoy a special relationship with the audience, especially if one organises a regular series of concerts or an annual festival which gives one the opportunity to get to know one’s audience and build loyalty. This has several benefits: an element of familiarity and “trust” is established between performers and audience, which in turn can allow performers the artistic freedom to create more adventurous formats or experimental programmes which may include contemporary music or new commissions.

Pianist Daniel Tong, whose activities include Wye Valley Chamber Festival and a chamber festival based in Winchester, says: “I do see it as a natural extension of artistic directorship to come up with a concept and take ownership of it. To put one’s own stamp upon a concert, festival or series and help to shape it. Often these are the most personal and meaningful concert experiences. I think of my own festival in the Wye Valley, where we have built up a real rapport between artists and audience over the years…… That festival has always had a real family atmosphere, welcoming ambience and this, I am convinced, has in turn fostered a really creative and supportive spirit amongst the musicians. Some of the best performances I have heard have taken place down there……. Having musicians involved in the running of their events also means that some practical issues are understood more intimately. On the one hand, they know what it takes to create the right conditions and atmosphere for musicians and can pass this on to fellow organisers. Conversely, it introduces us to the kinds of details of which we are not always aware – how to publicise and promote, as well as how to look after an audience. We understand the business better and perhaps then sympathise and empathise more with those in administrative roles.”

For all musicians the desire to create, communicate and share music is (or should be) at the foundation of what we do, and organising concerts can be a wonderful way of expressing this desire while also controlling the environment and manner in which we present our music. Of course, practicalities include venue hire, marketing, ticket sales and front of house activities. When one retains responsibility for all these things, the admin and organisational aspects can be migraine-inducing, especially anxieties about selling enough tickets to cover one’s costs. In my experience of co-organsing the South London Concert Series we have had a couple of occasions when ticket sales have been very slow and this definitely creates stress. However, the satisfaction of organising our own concerts, working with musician friends and colleagues, and creating a friendly and convivial atmosphere in which to share music in some of London’s most beautiful and unusual venues outweighs the anxiety. This way of working makes our artform more democratic and, hopefully, brings classical music to a wider audience by making it more accessible. Ultimately, the music benefits – but also the musicians, the audience and the venue.

©Frances Wilson 2015

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Li-Chun Su is a Taiwanese pianist based in Berlin and last week she was in the UK for a series of concerts, supported by Kumi Smith-Gordon, creator of the imaginative Soirées at Breinton. I was fortunate to hear Li-Chun at the OSO arts centre in Barnes, and with an audience of just eight people arranged around the piano, the experience was intimate and intense.

J S Bach’s Goldberg Variations are considered to be amongst the finest music for the keyboard. Originating from a simple idea – a beautiful aria over a ground (repeating) bass – the thirty variations present the history of Baroque music in microcosm: lavish displays of modern, fashionable expressive elements of the high Baroque, with just a hint of Classical idealism, together with magnificent structure and formal beauty. There are dances and canons, riddles and doodles, lightning flashes and filigree arabesques. Not until Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations was a similar work conceived on such a scale.  Li-Chun’s performance was vibrant, colourful and absorbing, showing a deep understanding of the structure, voicing and contrasting and varied material contained within the movements. The opening Aria was played with a spare elegance while the livelier variations were bright, poised and nimble. The slower variations were almost romantic with warm legato and sensitive dynamic shading. Li-Chun revealed herself to be a sympathetic and intuitive Bach player, and it was clear from her performance that she feels great affection for this music.

During the interval the audience were invited to vote for the pieces we wanted to hear in the second half. The choices included Schumann’s ‘Carnaval’, Debussy’s ‘Clair de Lune’ and a handful of Chopin’s Nocturnes. In the event, Li-Chun played a triptych of works by Handel, including the variations known as The Harmonious Blacksmith, Mendelssohn’s ‘Variations Serieuses’, which tied in nicely with the Goldbergs, and Debussy’s ‘Claire de Lune’ and ‘Feux d’artifice’. Here she proved the breadth of her technique and musicality, a sensitive yet muscular pianist who is equally at home in Baroque repertoire as the late nineteenth-century. In ‘Claire de Lune’, for example, she revealed some interesting bass highlights, which are not always made apparent by pianists who prefer to focus on the melody in the treble. Her playing had a lovely lucidity which brought a special clarity to Debussy’s writing, something that it not easy to do.

Definitely ‘one to watch’, I very much look forward to hearing Li-Chun again when she next visits London.

www.lichunsu.com

Li-Chun Su kindly completed my Meet the Artist interview:

Who or what inspired you to take up the piano and pursue a career in music? 

The piano chose me. We had a piano at home. I love the piano and playing beautiful music so much. It happened without making a clear decision.

Who or what were the most important influences on your musical life and career?

My teacher Gabor Paska, living in Berlin and supportive friends.

What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far? 

Four Liszt Concertos in one concert and Bach’s well-Tempered-Clavier Book I in one concert.

Which performances/recordings are you most proud of? 

The live concert recording of 2009 at the musical instruments museum in Berlin. I played Bach’s Well-Tempered-Clavier Book I for the first time without an intermission and almost achieved perfection in day.

Which particular works do you think you perform best?

Difficult to say. Time by time it changes.

How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season? 

I have usually instinct to sniff out what I want and need to play.

Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why? 

A lot of places. It is like making friends. I feel comfortable with some people, and some less.

Favourite pieces to perform? Listen to?

One nocturne by Chopin. I always play it after a good concert evening as an encore.

What is your most memorable concert experience? 

I remember well almost every concert

What do you consider to be the most important ideas and concepts to impart to aspiring musicians? 

A love for the music.

What is your idea of perfect happiness? 

A calm and confident feeling.

What is your most treasured possession? 

My passion for life.

What do you enjoy doing most? 

The process of making a thing come true.

What is your present state of mind? 

Secret…..

A native of Taiwan, Li-Chun Su received her musical training in Taipei and Berlin. She graduated from the Berlin University of Arts with the Konzertexsamen, the highest degree in graduate courses. She has studied with Tsia-Hsiuai Tsai, Laszlo Simon, Martin Hughes, Gabor Paska and Mitzi Meyerson.

Li-Chun Su took first prize in the Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Competition and in the Artur Schnabel Competition in 2007. In 2008 she was awarded the first prize in the Porto International Piano Competition in Portugal. She has had numerous invitations to perform across Asia, Europe and South America.