Pianist

For the passionate players, or early beginners, Pianist magazine will teach you the art of piano playing through professional advice, sheet music and lessons for all levels. Your piano playing journey starts here with the magazine that doubles as an entertaining read and the ultimate interactive piano teacher. Read, learn and play the piano with Pianist magazine every issue. Improve your piano playing and perfect your tone with 40 pages of specially selected sheet music. Whether it’s reading fascinating industry articles or putting your fingers to work with beautiful sheet music, you’ll be playing like an expert in no time with a digital subscription to Pianist magazine!

Softly spoken

Pianist

Quick as lightning • Announcing the winner of the 2026 Pianist Composing Competition

BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS • A prize winner of international piano competitions, Chinese pianist Sa Chen talks about her upcoming role as jury chair for the 2027 Cliburn International Competition for Young Pianists

Living with Schubert • Katya Apekisheva’s latest album marks a coming to terms with a composer who has accompanied her life since childhood, as she tells Peter Quantrill

FEELING STRETCHED HOW TO WORK WITH WIDE INTERVALS • Coping with large stretches doesn’t always mean having big hands or long fingers, says Mark Tanner, who offers up some nifty tips for players of all shapes and sizes

SOUND IN PERSPECTIVE DYNAMICS AND DEPTH IN PIANO PLAYING • Graham Fitch looks at the vital role of dynamic variety – from shaping a melodic line to balancing chords and layering textures – and how we can control the sound at various dynamic levels

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN THIRD MOVEMENT FROM SONATA OP 31 NO 2 • Matthew Mills advises a combination of wrist flexibility and arm rotation in order to keep the moto perpetuo bubbling away, without fatigue or tension, in this most thrilling of sonata movements

ALICE MARY SMITH IMPROMPTU IN D MINOR • This mesmerisingly catchy piece will need a feathery light touch, says Hiroake Takenouchi, who guides you throughout it, step-by-step

CORNELIUS GURLITT LULLABY FROM FIRESIDE FANCIES OP 197 NO 1 • Slow practice, with an awareness for a singing sound and a smooth legato touch, will ensure a successful performance, say Melanie Spanswick

Leopold MOZART (1719-1787) • Minuet in D minor

Melanie SPANSWICK • Blue Funk

Cornelius GURLITT (1820-1901) • Lullaby from Fireside Fancies Op 197 No 1

George Whitefield CHADWICK (1854-1931) • The Merry-go-round

Marie JAËLL (1846-1925) • À l’abri (In the shelter)

SCHUBERT arr. Richard STRAUSS (1864-1949) • Waltz in G flat, D Anh 1/14 ‘Kupelwieser Walzer’

Franz LISZT (1811-1886) • Consolation No 4 in D flat S172

Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) • First movement from Sonata in F Hob.XVI/9

Anton BRUCKNER (1824-1896) • Silent Contemplation on an Autumn Evening WAB 123

Alexander SCRIABIN (1824-1896) • Prelude Op 11 No 9

Giovanni SGAMBATI (1841-1914) • Prelude from Mélodies poétiques Op 36 No 1

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) • Third movement from Sonata Op 31 No 2 ‘Tempest’

Alice Mary SMITH (1839-1884) • Impromptu in D minor

PIANO TEACHER HELP DESK When soft is strong • Virtuosity isn’t just about playing fast: It’s much harder to play very quietly with consistency and control than to barnstorm triple fortissimo at prestissimo, says Kathryn Page

Going for GOLD • Several of the top piano competitions are taking place next year, and competitors are already getting into shape. John Evans is inspired and looks at the anxiety-inducing, thrilling and gruelling world of piano competitions

Labour of love • As Chetham’s International Piano Summer School turns...