My blog - talking about music

I’ve written before about becoming a pianist simply because we had a piano at home and my brother wasn’t able to attend one of his...

I have two favourite quotes about music. The first was said by Beethoven, one of the greatest composers of all time. He said: “wrong...

A head of department I worked for put much store in a book which advised the reader on which instrument they (or their child) were best...

Some thoughts on how the reputations of classical artists. During the last twelve months, I’ve seen a huge amount written about the...

Discover music for Christmas which goes beyond the usual pop songs.

Suggestions for music to listen to during times of remembrance.

You might love to play an instrument. Should you also love practising?

Some suggestions for music to listen to during the Autumn.

Reading music criticism can be instructive. But are critics as wise as they seem? And when should we ignore them?

The Lark Ascending is a hugely popular piece of music. But has its success worked against its composer?

Suggestions for music to listen to during the Summer. Link to an inspirational playlist.

It’s not unusual for people to ask “what does a conductor do?” or “does the orchestra really need the conductor?”. I can understand the...

When I grew up in 1970s East London, it was not unusual for us to get a knock at the door at unexpected times. More often than not, my...

How do you listen to music? Do you mind which performers you listen to? Does it really make a difference?

A few thoughts on how a sceptic might approach a composer who can be musical Marmite. This blog links to a Spotify playlist:...