Page not found – The Piano Shop Bath https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk The Piano Specialists Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:40:58 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.3 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/favicon-100x100.png Page not found – The Piano Shop Bath https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk 32 32 A Donation for Mental Well Being https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/health-benefits-of-playing-the-piano/a-donation-for-mental-well-being/ Mon, 13 Feb 2023 14:24:41 +0000 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/?p=19756

What do musicians and runners have in common? The pursuit of mental well being of course! Running and playing music both make you feel good! 

So this year – The Piano Shop Bath are sponsoring The Feighan Fury Trail Race – a 10 mile running race in Mid Devon on the 26th March 2023.

It’s a memorial race for Mike Feighan, a much loved member of the local running community who sadly passed away in 2021. He worked in mental health and championed exercise for mental health benefits. He gave so much to the local community in coaching and encouraging people into active pursuits. He was also an extremely talented runner in his own right – winning the legendary Grizzly 20 mile trail race five times along with countless other races.

All profits are being donated to Alzheimer’s Research UK

You can find out more here

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Conversations with Nurry – Candlelight Concerts https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/newsletter/conversations-with-nurry-candlelight-concerts/ Fri, 17 Jun 2022 13:25:32 +0000 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/?p=19339

In this ‘Conversation with Nurry’ she reflects on her experiences while performing at a number of Candlelight Concerts here in the UK.

Throughout a number of the Word’s major cities, the Fever Group has established itself as a key events organiser for a wide range of entertainment experiences.

Many of these events – are their successful Candlelight Concerts.

Nurry has been engaged to perform at a number of these in the prestigious Manchester Stonner Hall and in Liverpool’s magnificent St George’s Hall.

Nurry was asked to perform a concert of Ludovico Einaudi’s compositions.

Einaudi is a contemporary Italian composer, who has gained wide popularity for his music in films and easy listening.

His music is extremely popular with students as his compositions are so playable. His music is more acclaimed for its popularity than it complexity.

For this reason, the Candlelight Concerts are normally sell-outs, and are performed in two concerts per evening; usually at six o’ clock and at eight-thirty.

In this video Nurry addresses the challenge of performing Einaudi’s gently flowing music for well-over an hour while keeping her audience engaged.

She gives examples of the how his work can contrast then finally plays us out with ‘Reverie’, recorded at The Piano Shop in Bath on one of the many fine Steinway Grands.

Einaudi
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Joyful Sound 2022 – Variations on a Theme https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/newsletter/joyful-sound-2022/ Fri, 17 Jun 2022 10:21:28 +0000 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/?p=19314

Back in 2017, Wiltshire based mixed media artist Julieann Worrall Hood first graced our windows with her installation ‘Joyful Sound.’ Consisting of over 1000 salvaged piano keys which otherwise would have been lost, this artwork has become an integral characteristic of The Piano Shop. It has brought about exchanges with customers as well as passers-by who were struck by the distinctive sculpture.

This is now the 6th iteration of the original theme, and it powerfully reiterates Julieann’s motif of ‘shaping sound’, lifting a lid (quite literally) on the inner workings of the piano. The talented designer and artist Charlotte Macmillan has overseen this new display, fresh from her collaboration with Coldplay for their Music of the Spheres World Tour. Charlotte worked with the sinuous backbone of the original structure, weaving strips of light around it, along to where it meets our upright Yamaha U1. The piano has been given a dramatic makeover, designed by Charlotte, and finished by the experienced scenic and props painter Alice Bogaerde.

Julieann Worrall Hood paints pianos

The synesthetic quality of this piece conjures up certain qualities of music such as Legato (smoothly without intervals) and Glissando (to glide). The piano feels like a timeless instrument; one with which a broader section of society has been able to interact with over the last 300 years, and it is central to our ethos that pianos continue to be accessible. We work hard to try and realise this through our community projects and with this inviting display that faces the busy London Road.

With Joyful Sound 2022, the traditional craft of hundreds of keys are interwoven between thin branches of neon light, in an eye-catching combination of pink, blue and green. If you stop and peer in after dark, you will see the shop floor illuminated by these Tokyo-esque phosphorescent strips, giving an urban glow to this space. The intricate craft of the piano material is animated by Charlotte’s playful, vivid design on the Yamaha U1 and then finished by Alice with lavish gold-leaf over the piano cover and energetic streaks of neon across the front. This was a collaborative process we were proud to be able to facilitate. It is a privilege to work alongside such respected artists whose work we love, and be able to witness new variations of our window display.

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Conversations with Nurry – Rachmaninoff https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/newsletter/conversations-with-nurry-rachmaninoff/ Fri, 17 Jun 2022 09:52:44 +0000 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/?p=19308

In this conversation Nurry has addressed one of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s technically difficult études, written towards the end of the first world war (during the Russian revolution) before Rachmaninoff sailed from Europe in November 1918 to live in the USA.

Op.39, No. 9 is a dramatic, bombastic march which contains ingenious counterpoint, lush harmonies and a wide range of musical colours.

What makes No.9 an especially difficult piece is that the left hand work is as complex as that for the right hand.

Rachmaninoff was one of history’s most accomplished pianists, and such a work as Op.39 was written in order for pianists to develop their skill rather than perform in a concert recital.

Nurry has frequently shied away from Rachmaninoff’s compositions because his work was written often for a large hand span. This has therefore demanded her to develop work-arounds in order for her to achieve desired results.

In the video Nurry addresses the dual left-right-hand complexity of the score and addresses what techniques are necessary to overcome when playing with her modest hand size.

In the video that follows Nurry performs the complete étude following some detailed discourse.

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2021 and 100 pianos https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/newsletter/2021-and-100-pianos/ Fri, 31 Dec 2021 17:22:45 +0000 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/?p=18954

Throughout 2021 Nurry Lee started collaborating with us, the Piano Shop Bath, in our endeavour to showcase our instruments performing at their very best.

As a pianist with a wide classical repertoire, Nurry subjected our instruments to her demanding expertise by carefully selecting music scores appropriate to each particular instrument.

The objective of the videos on our website is to portray more than simply the sound of the piano; it is also to convey to potential customers how the instruments respond to fast passages, light and heavy playing, handling repetitive notes, trills and general controllability.

During Nurry’s career she’s played hundreds of pianos in schools, practice rooms, colleges, recording studios, concert halls and, of course, The Piano Shop.

When we engaged Nurry to perform on our pianos she was immediately able to judge with some authority the quality of our instruments. This was especially important with her background of playing well-tempered traditional acoustic instruments that are a regular feature of her professional work.

During 2021, Nurry played one hundred of our shop-floor pianos, of which all have been videoed, and are featured on our YouTube Channel – The Piano Shop Bath’s YouTube Channel

Before every recording session we believe that is essential that our experienced technicians sign-off instruments in terms of setting up the piano’s action, regulation and ensuring that it is tuned to concert pitch. It’s for this reason that Nurry has yet to come across an unfavourable instrument at the shop.

We sat down with Nurry and asked for her thoughts on the one hundred pianos that she’d played in the shop.

In the YouTube video (linked below) Nurry talks about these experiences as well as the ambience of playing in the shop and the general quality of the pianos she has played.

In the video we have highlighted some notable performances – all which can be found in the Piano Shop’s YouTube Channel.

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Surely not just a present for Christmas! https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/newsletter/surely-not-just-a-present-for-christmas/ Fri, 31 Dec 2021 17:15:01 +0000 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/?p=18948

Music can be extremely beneficial to people recovering from mental illness or those having experienced severe trauma. Just as with all of us in fact, it provides an outlet for anxiety and stress and positively helps to lift our natural mood.

Probably unknown to many of us, there is an NHS mental health facility in Bath which is an NHS Trust and part of the Royal United Hospital. It is known as the Sycamore Ward.

Believe it or not, many of its users having a need for treatment, are very musical, music students or those who have a keen interest in music. So important is it that the Ward actually engages a Music Psychotherapist, Paco.

To support him in his day to day endeavours, it was our pleasure shortly before Christmas to donate a small portable Kawai digital piano complete with stool for the benefit of all. Sweet music indeed!

It will allow Paco to run sessions using a brand new high quality instrument which can but greatly encourage the whole effort. This can include music making and improvisation, song writing and meditation, sometimes with live performances! It can even easily motivate people for the first time ever!

The new surprise Christmas present, once unwrapped, fitted so neatly into a therapy room which people can often access and use at any time, particularly in the evenings and weekends when the room is even more available.

Players of various standards are bound to love the feel of a real high quality piano which also has the option of being played with headphones.

It’s a donation to the Sycamore Ward which certainly isn’t just for Christmas but hopefully will serve for some years to come. Another practical means of support to the local Community provided by The Piano Shop in Bath

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Musical Instruments Are in Demand https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/newsletter/musical-instruments-are-in-demand/ Fri, 03 Dec 2021 16:57:51 +0000 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/?p=18875

Musical Instruments Are in Demand as we hit a Bright Note once again

At The Piano Shop we always welcome aspiring and existing musicians. Without doubt, the last couple of years have been challenging for the entire retail scenario, not least ourselves. As our showroom itself was obliged to close for a good while, we naturally experienced a decline in sales.

Although we could still provide a strong service online during this almost impossible time, we all know that there is nothing quite like browsing around a music shop to see and try out instruments which one might want to purchase.

Experience told us that we would all turn a corner as things return to near normal, and here we are fully open for business once again.

The Pandemic has turned the World upside down

The pandemic pushed a lot of us indoors which meant that we often had more time on our hands. Some people opted to learn a new skill. Apparently about one in five took up a brand new interest whilst others rekindled their love of a previous passion which they had.

Out of this, so many suddenly discovered the benefits of playing an instrument. As they have progressed, some from a standing start, they are also looking to buy not only items at a sensible entry level but something which they can also grow into as their talents blossom!

Playing an Instrument just has to Come With Benefits

There are just so many stated and well known benefits associated with playing an instrument.

It can ease stress, increase that often well needed feel good factor and enable one to escape the real world albeit for too short a period.

Furthermore, a sense of achievement is something which drives us all to improve and set new targets. Newly acquired skills are giving young and old alike confidence in many different ways, ranging from playing in front of family members to rising to the general challenge of trying something new.

People are constantly looking for new outlets and fresh ways to become more creative. Long may it continue. The ability to play music features strongly in all this. So much fun. But it may not come as easily as we think. We have to persevere and have a sense of dedication especially as many of us are not super talented.

You are most welcome, without obligation, to see what we have to offer.

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Exploring Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/newsletter/exploring-liszts-hungarian-rhapsody-no-2/ Fri, 03 Dec 2021 16:25:28 +0000 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/?p=18862

Nurry delves into the Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 by Franz Liszt which he composed in 1847, covering this popular classic and what it really means.

Franz Liszt is considered to be the greatest pianist and composer. Nurrry covers the way in which Liszt understood and interpreted this popular Hungarian folk theme. She also explores the different arrangements and techniques that could develop into this mesmerising classic.

The entire rhapsody consists of two sections. The first section is played at a slower pace but once the second section arrives, it picks up speed and becomes a lot faster. All of this is contained in around 21 pages of piano score. There are three basic themes that the rhapsody is based on within the first part while the faster second part is made up of four themes.

We cover the basic folk themes that Lizst used for his composition and Nurry plays us through the appropriate excerpts.

This piece begins in a sombre tone that has a serious undertone. However, as it develops, it ends with amazing pianistic flamboyance, where Liszt showcases his skills, all of which gets us imagining this being performed in front of an engaged audience. He wanted to bring the audience to life by demonstrating how he can push the boundaries of a theme.

The video ends with Nurry’s performance at the International Music Festival, Lucca, Italy in 2018.

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Emotions at the Keyboard https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/newsletter/emotions-at-the-keyboard/ Fri, 29 Oct 2021 14:35:11 +0000 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/?p=18795

Music has the power to evoke certain emotions and that’s the reason why it’s vital that we use those emotions when playing the piano. This makes it possible to maximise the power of music, enabling us to interpret it in a way that allows our emotions to become apparent during the performance.

The process of learning to play an instrument often places a focus on the mechanics of ensuring we hit the right notes and that our timing is perfect. Once enough practice has taken place, we then focus on interpretation and at this point, we can allow our emotions to work harmoniously with the music.

It’s crucial that we engage when we perform as this enables us to play with feeling, otherwise, performances can become quite robotic and can lack emotion.

In this ‘Conversation with Nurry’, she explores the emotions and moods that she harnesses and then incorporates them into the pieces that she plays.

In the video, we have attempted to keep things varied and so, we have chosen a number of pieces that come from her broad repertoire. Additionally, we have also explored the intricacies of some of her favourite composers, giving her the ability to visualise the images they create in her mind.

We are all familiar with the way in which images create an emotional connection with music to generate tension and alter our mood, and composers have been doing this for over 200 years.

In the video, Nurry demonstrates how a number of well-known composers have harnessed the power of their composition project to evoke a wide range of emotions ranging from happiness and anger to anxiety and calmness.

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The Silent Piano https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/services/the-silent-piano/ Fri, 29 Oct 2021 13:52:52 +0000 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/?p=18790

More people are now looking at ways in which they can play the acoustic piano in silence during practice but still experience the action of a traditional piano and the benefits that this offers.

At The Piano Shop, we have tried, tested and investigated a range of silent pianos and have come to the conclusion that the best solution currently available is the Austrian ‘Adsilent’.

To add to this, we are also proud to offer this option in both upright and grand piano choices. What it offers is the opportunity for you to take advantage of having the traditional acoustic piano experience in the modern world thanks to digital advances.

All it takes is a single turn of a lever and hammers are prevented from striking the strings and this delivers complete silence. Despite there being no sound, pianists can actually use their headphones to hear what they are playing.

Using the latest technology, the notes that are played are then converted by digital sensors into a sampled piano sound that can be heard through the headphones. This makes it possible for pianists to experience the touch sensitivity that comes with an original piano. Furthermore, it increases the potential practice time as it can be used at any time of day, regardless of whether it is day or night.

The Adsilent system comes with Bluetooth wireless connectivity and that means that it has the ability to link up with the Adsilent smartphone and tablet applications. Along with this, it also has a USB interface that allows players to connect smart devices and computers that use applications such as GarageBand, Cubase and Logic. The pianist can also choose a range of instrument voices, all of which can be selected and controlled from their smartphone.

There is also another useful feature which is a second headphone output that enables pianists to connect a second set of headphones or a recording device. Pianists can also make use of the ability to record and playback their performance instantly at the touch of the button proving how the Adsilent makes it possible for pianists to explore the touch and playability of the acoustic piano in a digital world.

The video shows how the piano is wirelessly connected to other music software through its Bluetooth wireless connectivity.

Whether in the home, school, college or studio, an adsilent system installed on our traditionally styled Yamaha’s offer the best of all worlds. Please contact us if you would like us to quote for the installation of this system to your piano.

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Live at the BBC https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/newsletter/live-at-the-bbc/ Wed, 29 Sep 2021 14:35:12 +0000 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/?p=18685

In July 2021, concert pianist Nurry Lee performed live with ‘Trio Rouge’ at the BBC’s Broadcasting House. This was performed live on air, an experience that Nurry shares with us.

The ‘In Tune’ early evening programme on BBC Radio 3 which is hosted by Sean Rafferty, invited Trio Rouge to perform three chosen pieces live on air. This took place prior to the performance at the Buxton Musical Festival.

Trio Rouge is made up of Nurry Lee who plays piano, Sophie-Louise Phillips who plays the violin and Meera Pryanka Raja who plays the cello. They all took part in the live performance and as part of the experience, they were also interviewed.

As part of their performance, they performed music by Astor Piazzola, an Argentinian composer and Bedrich Smetana who is a Czech Composer. In this video, Nurry provides amazing insight into her experience of performing live on air to the nation while also performing in the world-renowned Broadcasting House while playing on a gorgeous Steinway.

They performed music by Argentinian composer Astor Piazzola and Czech composer Bedrich Smetana.

In this video Nurry reflects on her experience performing live to the Nation in the prestigeous surroundings of Broadcasting House, on a beautiful Steinway.

Nurry at the BBC!
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The Eras of Classical Music https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/newsletter/the-eras-of-classical-music/ Wed, 29 Sep 2021 14:14:05 +0000 https://www.thepianoshopbath.co.uk/?p=18678

Once again we have been in conversation with our in-house concert pianist Nurry Lee who has given us some fresh insight into the major classical composers throughout the past 300 years.

It became evident while working closely with Nurry that her large repertoire of classical music across a wide range of composers from the Baroque period, through the Romantic and Impressionist periods to the 20th Century was in itself a fascinating journey that she could explain by playing examples throughout the story.

Eras of Classical Music

In the video Nurry talks and plays us through fragments of the works of the following 16 composers:

Bach, Handel, Scarlatti, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Debussy, Ravel, Bartok and Gershwin.

It’s wonderful to hear Nurry move from composer to composer, ably diving into the intricacies of their music with freedom and great fluency.

Nurry reminds us of how the early ‘keyboardists’ of the 18th and early 19th Century crafted their work on harpsichord and clavichord which were limited in terms of keyboard range, lack of touch sensitivity and lack of a damper pedal which controls note sustainability.

With the development of the modern day pianoforte through the 19th Century we have acquired today’s grand pianos, which would be recognised by the likes of Beethoven in his later days.

Nurry also recognises how these early ‘keyboardists’ from the 18th and 19th Century harnessed their skills and passion using harpsichord and clavichord. These were limited as they lacked keyboard range, touch sensitivity and they did not have a damper pedal which helps to provide control over note sustainability.

As the pianoforte developed through the 19th century, we now have the grand pianos that we see today, these would be recognised by the likes of Beethoven in his later days.

A beautiful restored Clavichord
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