It all starts with raised awareness ..... Focused attention. One of the good things about being fully aware and not being on autopilot is...

True learning is rarely comfortable. Why ? According to *neuroplasticity, it is because to our brain, everything that is unknown poses a...

I have seen some pianists trying to make their modern piano sound like a harpsichord or an organ, all in an attempt to be more...

Whether you are a pianist, a singer, or any other music performer ...... If you feel like you never want your performance to end .........

Mother Teresa once said: “I will never attend an anti-war rally; if you have a peace rally, invite me.” I feel that this needs to be...

Schubert's Impromptu Op. 142, No. 2, in A flat major ............................. Schubert composed it in 1827 when he was 30 years old....

Xenia: Igor, I have one question I really want to ask, not only you but every older generation pianist, and that is - how do you see...

"When people show you who they are, believe them the first time." Yes, true ! It is good to know where we are. But then, we should not “...

It is ok and even necessary to step away from something that isn't working for us or is hurting us. However, what is not ok is to hurt...

Does a life of a child prodigy means a life of strict discipline ? A life of pressure and lacking of 'normalcy' ? It all depends on how...

Today, it is all bout the first Beethoven's 'Sonata quasi una Fantasia' - Op. 27 No. 1 in E flat major (No. 2 being the 'Moonlight'...

Many pianists nowadays who play piano are merely - typists. They can type well and fast on the piano, since a very early age even. Those...

Stories. Why do we need them ? We tell stories to understand ourselves better. We tell stories to understand the world around us better....

A *'Schubertiade' will happen in Greece too - for the first time ! It will include a piano recital and an art display. This greatly...

You know the saying: *"Knock, and the door will open to you". Well sometimes, we keep knocking, and the door doesn't open. There are many...

I am deeply immersed in re-discovering wonderful Domenico Scarlatti's sonatas for keyboard right now. I am playing 5 sonatas at the...

There could be no art if you struggle to open your heart, if you struggle to stand vulnerable in front of everyone, if your emotions are...

How true and how heart-touching is that !? For us pianists, our pianos remain our best friend throughout our entire lives. Life goes on,...

In this picture above that I created, I tried to show how I 'see' what happens when we play. Just a glimpse of it though ... This is...

Robert Schumann … again …. and again .... What to say about my favourite composer ? How to describe the wealth and the immense depth of...