…to the new look artofclass.online.
We hope you love this beautiful design and you will notice all sorts of new features. One of the most important is a page dedicated to composers who have dedicated their work to manuscript and have created piano scores for free class. I shall be featuring each musician over the next few days and weeks. First up, look out for Robert Long and his work. Coming your way very soon.
I had such a wonderful zoom chat with my lovely piano plaing friends at Houston Ballet https://www.houstonballet.org last night. Sadly we should all have been working in the studios till late July – and of course enjoying Happy Hour in our hotel every night! https://clubquartershotels.com/houston/downtown
The ever creative music team at Houston Ballet https://www.houstonballet.org have come up with a clever device to help make online classes a little more easy on the ear! Head of Music Katherine Ciscon and her husband had a little time out (!) to develop this clever little device. Give it a try. https://synchrobox.dance
I dont know if any piano player out there has had the sheer joy of playing Class with a percussionist? It is an unsurpassed joy. Ok. So there is the trick of actually knowing the drum rhythms so that we play correctly within the grooves. But I actually had an ‘out of body’ experience once as I watched the room from above as we jammed.So the point is. Get to play with some great musicians. Who do I recommend? Signy Jakobsdottir. Based here in Glasgow. What a knowledge! What an expert in her field! Look her up and make sure you work with her one day….Her wise words feature in my next YouTube Channel presentation for The Art of Class.
I find myself working with the most talented and erudite musicians here in Glasgow. Not pushy,celebratory or noisy! They quietly do their own thing. Very well. And so I will be setting up a live gig next year named The Silent Musician. Where the world can hear these exceptional people who quietly go about their business, making a huge difference. And so thank you, Brian Prentice, Signy Jakobsdottir, Michael Barnett, Andrew Brown and all the other insightful contributors to the world of Music for Moving Image. (It’s even difficult to find photos of these talented people!)
My colleague Luca Tieppo began with an idea in a cafe in Rome where we were sitting drinking Martinis. His passion for better communication between dancers and musicians (not only in the Studio) sparked Music Management for Dance. Have a look at his weekly blog page promoting all sorts of inspiring ideas.
There are so many great young players coming up the ranks who wish to dedicate a huge part of their work to music for dance. What is most exciting is their ‘nose’ for moving on with 21stC ideas! That means using electronics,loops and other multimedia assets for dance class. Remember, dance has to be the youngest art form, always striving for New.
So do we as musicians.
Check out Lucy Allan’s page https://soundcloud.com/laughalonewithlu. I’m enjoying her title page during Covid Lockdown of spring 2020…
Someone to keep an eye out for her in the future.
I heard from my beautiful friend Juan Antonia Mata today. He plays for Ballet Nacional de España. What a talented, knowledgeable man totally devoid of ego! Have a look at his work here: http://balletnacional.mcu.es
Sadly today saw the end of the academic year 19-20 with one of the most talented musicians taking up their study on the Piano for Dance course here in Glasgow.
In the next few days I hope to post some of their astonishing work for you to hear. Our 20-21 course has one place remaining due to a student deciding to wait until global lockdown relaxes completely. It has been a difficult final term but has been so inspiring to work what with a new audio set up and new ideas for the future.
Well, today is the day I launched my YouTube Channel! Under the banner The Art of Class, I am slowly revealing each challenge for the pianist in Ballet Class as if I am looking over the dance studio from above and seeing everything that is happening.
So, please head over to any of these links and PLEASE COMMENT. I need to know what is good and not so good. Don’t hold back.
1. Playing for Ballet Class: Expand your skills. The Art of Class: Part 1 The Overture https://youtu.be/91Cg4xdDC0o
2. Playing for Ballet Class: A piano player’s guide to improvisation. The Art of Class: Part 2 Tension/Release https://youtu.be/obTaR0DRCGI
3. Playing for Ballet Class: A piano player’s guide to improvisation. The Art of Class: Part 3 Line https://youtu.be/E3VcMC7WO04
