🎙 Episode 63 – Narrow or Broad

Welcome back to Piano, Finally. Apologies for the break last week—I came down with Influenza A and even had to miss my lesson with Devi. Thankfully the antivirals worked, and I’m back at the keys (though you may still hear a touch of it in my voice).

This week included some extra performances by senior students preparing for their exams—Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Dire Straits were all on the program. It’s a reminder of just how diverse the world of music can be.

📝 Essay – Narrow or Broad
With centuries of repertoire and new music arriving daily, none of us can possibly cover it all. The real question is: do we specialise or spread ourselves broadly? Professionals often find success by narrowing their focus, as Christopher Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music
demonstrated in the early music movement. But for amateurs like most of us, exploring broadly opens doors we might not otherwise try. I discovered how much fun blues could be thanks to Andrew Craggs’ Blackout Blues—a piece I never would have chosen myself. Being broad means staying open to surprises.

🎹 Review – Organteq 2 by Modartt
Alongside Pianoteq, Modartt also make Organteq
, a modelled pipe organ instrument. Version 2 offers Baroque, Romantic, and Neo-Classical organs with incredible flexibility. Played through a subwoofer, the 32’ stops literally shake the room. Inspired by Ben Maton’s Salisbury Organist videos, I took the plunge—and it’s been both fun and inspiring. The trial version is free, so it’s worth exploring.

🎶 Out West Piano Fest
More details are out for the Out West Piano Fest
in Bathurst this October. The program features five concerts, with soloists including Rachelle Durkin (soprano) and Harry Bennetts (violin). Expect a romantic-heavy program in a stunning regional setting.

🎼 Progress
To prepare for the September showcase, I’ve been practising on the Nord Stage 4 instead of the Kawai—closer to the Yamaha that will be used on the day. The focus has returned to my four older pieces: Spindler’s Canon, Türk’s Bagatelle in F, and Craggs’ Afternoon Snooze and Blackout Blues. Oddly enough, a short break from Blackout Blues seems to have helped—it’s sounding better than ever.

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