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Nature’s Minstrels

Until recently birds were underestimated, even by biologists – “bird-brained” was by no means a complimentary term – but opinion is gradually changing as publications such as The Genius of …

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That’s Jazz!

In the week when her album of classical and jazz favourites, Clarinet Goes to Town, is released, Emma explores the roots of trad jazz in New Orleans.

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in the Zone

  Sometimes in musical performance everything flows effortlessly and you have a feeling of being at one with the music and the audience. You are in commune with the listeners …

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In defence of melody

Article commissioned by Gramophone blog to accompany the release of English Fantasy. ‘Let’s encourage composers to embrace melody, harmony and pulse again before the audience is alienated altogether’ ‘We’d like …

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Applause

It’s universal, that instinct for putting your hands together to make noise in appreciation of a performer. But nevertheless each culture has its own take on applauding and this can sometimes be confusing for the itinerant musician…

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Skeleton in the Cupboard

Visitors to my music room sometimes look alarmed when they find themselves face to face with a human skeleton standing in the corner…”Am I to be the next victim?” you can see them wondering!
They needn’t worry; the skeleton merely stands there as a constant reminder to me about that essential element of playing an instrument well, or of doing just about anything well come to that: good posture.

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