Dear Subscribers,
Our commitment extends beyond organising the yearly Around the Globe International Music Competitions and other performing events. We are also dedicated to promoting contemporary classical and jazz piano repertoire that goes beyond standard-grade syllabuses. This dedication is driven by our goal to expand musical horizons and enhance the understanding of current trends within the community.
We aim to uncover exceptional music artists and passionate educators who can inspire and elevate the musical journey of pianists at every stage of their development. We seek out a diverse collection of captivating musical pieces and insightful books that cater to pianists of all ages, from beginners to advanced players, fostering creativity, growth, and a lifelong love for music. Our collection is designed to cater to various musical tastes and skill levels, ensuring that everyone feels included and catered to.
We are thrilled to introduce you to Schott's Publications, a leading music
publishing company with which we have had a fruitful partnership for many years.
Schott's is renowned for its extensive catalogue of works,
spanning from classic compositions to contemporary pieces,
and it plays a pivotal role in the music community.
We are excited to share modern and jazz-style compositions by esteemed composers, including piano pieces by
Melanie Spanswick, Tim Richards, and Nikolai Kapustin,
which are featured on our
List of Piano Contemporary & Jazz Works web page https://www.agpianomusicfestival.co.uk/list-of-piano-contemporary-jazz-works
Introduction to ‘Ghostly Piano Tales’ piano book by Melanie Spanswick For intermediate-level students (piano grade 1-3 by BS) |
"Ghostly Piano Tales is a collection of 24 solo piano pieces intended for elementary to early intermediate level students, or around Grades 1–3 of the British examination board syllabus standard. The volume, which was published earlier this week, encapsulates a whole host of ghostly and supernatural phenomena from around the world. There are numerous mythical legends, characters, and places, some dating back centuries. Every piece contains information about the subject and the 'tale' behind it, as well as added performance directions written on each score. The volume is presented in progressive order and there are eight pieces within each grade..." M. Spanswick
More about:
Listen to 'Bogey Monster' from the Ghostly Piano Tales collection: HERE
Melanie Spanswick
Melanie Spanswick is an award-winning, best-selling author, teacher, and composer of piano music. A graduate of the Royal College of Music (RCM) in London, she earned her Master of Music degree in Piano Performance Studies. She was recognised as the most 'outstanding postgraduate pianist.' Her professors included Patricia Carroll, Tatiana Sarkissova, and John Lill.
Melanie has published over 25 piano books, including the best-selling series "Play it Again: Piano" (Schott Music) and "Women Composers – A Graded Anthology for Piano," which won a Presto Music Award. She regularly contributes to Pianist Magazine and other music publications. Her works have been performed internationally as a composer, and her music is included in various festival and examination syllabuses.
An experienced educator, Melanie teaches at the Junior Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Eton College. She has conducted master classes and workshops worldwide, including in the Far East, the USA, and Australia.
Read more: https://melaniespanswick.com/biography/
Introduction to 'Jazz, Latin and Modern Collection' jazz piano book by Tim Richards For intermediate to advanced jazz piano players |
“From the bestselling author of Improvising Blues Piano, Exploring Jazz Piano 1 & 2 and Exploring Latin Piano comes a collection of new Jazz, Latin and contemporary repertoire for solo piano. This collection is aimed at pianists looking to explore these styles in more depth or those looking to expand their musical horizons – an ideal accompaniment to other Tim Richards publications.
Original pieces by Tim Richards, as well as new arrangements of standards by two of the most iconic composers in Jazz: Thelonious Monk and Duke Ellington
Notes on interpretation, technique, theory and performance
Recordings of all pieces played by Tim are included
Most pieces include fully notated improvisations
Chord symbols are provided to encourage you to play your solos, too.
Easy pieces at the beginning of the book give way to more challenging ones later on, suitable for intermediate to advanced players.”
Press Review
"The album is well organised and a great way to introduce jazz and improvisation skills to classically trained pianists. The pieces are uniquely contrasting, charming and interesting.” – American Music Teacher Magazine
Listen to:
and
from the Jazz, Latin and Modern Collection
Buy the book with CD: https://schottmusiclondon.com/jazz-latin-and-modern-collection-no347830.html
*PDF also available HERE
Tim Richards
Tim Richards, initially trained in classical piano by EPTA founder Carola Grindea, ventured into self-taught jazz and blues influenced by his father's vintage record collection featuring Duke Ellington, Django Reinhardt, and Louis Armstrong.
Since the early 1980s, he has been a notable figure in the jazz realm, performing across Europe with ensembles like SPIRIT LEVEL, GREAT SPIRIT, and the TIM RICHARDS TRIO. With over a dozen albums to his credit, his 2015 work 'Telegraph Hill' was praised by The Observer.
A prominent jazz educator, he authored acclaimed books such as 'Improvising Blues Piano' (1997) and 'Exploring Jazz Piano' (2005) while conducting workshops and courses globally. Graduating with a Composition Master's from Trinity College of Music in 2008, Tim Richards continues to teach jazz piano and lead musical endeavors at various institutions.
Read more about the composer: https://www.timrichards.ndo.co.uk/biography.html
About ‘Suite for Piano Op. 92’ by Nikolai Kapustin Suitable for advanced level students – jazz style |
In the Suite op. 92 from 1999, Kapustin combined four separate movements, including I. Allegretto con delicatezza, II. Moderato, III. Allegro vivace, IV. Presto. All pieces contain jazz elements.
“Another Suite, this time not as obviously classicising as the one from 22 years prior. Kapustin flexes his progressive jazz muscles here, and goes far enough he declares in the front matter of the edition that the second movement is the last time he ever used a key signature. Formally, these are simple pieces, so I won't belabour the matter. I really enjoyed learning these, and they make a good step up in difficulty from the Six Little Pieces while still being accessible to the intermediate pianist (with perhaps the exception of the finale, especially at Kapustin's tempo indication).” Jazz pianist Thomas Ang.
Listen:
Buy:
Nikolai Kapustin (1937-2020)
was born in Gorlovka, Ukraine, on November 22, 1937. At 14, he moved to Moscow and studied piano under Awrelian Rubach, who fostered his enthusiasm for Jazz. He continued his education with Alexander Goldenweiser at the Moscow Conservatory, earning his diploma in 1961.
During this time, Kapustin played in various jazz ensembles and had his first significant success as a composer with his Concertino for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 1, in 1957. After his studies, he joined Oleg Lundstrem's orchestra, composing and touring extensively throughout the Soviet Union. From 1972 to 1977, he worked with Boris Karamischev's orchestra, incorporating string instruments in his compositions, such as Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 14.
In 1980, Kapustin became a member of the Union of Russian Composers, which encouraged him to focus on his compositional work. His music combines jazz elements with classical forms, as seen in the Suite in the Old Style, Op. 28, and the 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 82. These pieces exhibit lively virtuosity and draw inspiration from composers like Bach, Chopin, and Shostakovich.
Nikolai Kapustin's compositions are mostly for piano, either solo or accompanied. He wrote 20 piano sonatas, six piano concerti, and other compositions for ensembles such as five saxophones and an orchestra (Op. 22) and a concerto for double bass (Op. 76). Despite his jazz influences, Kapustin did not identify as a jazz musician, stating, "I never sought to be a true jazz pianist... All improvisation, as far as I am concerned, is written down, and it is all the better for that; it is allowed to mature."
Read more about the composer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Kapustin
Kapustin’s compositions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_Nikolai_Kapustin
Extract from ‘Obit Nikolai Kapustin’
“Kapustin’s output, obviously, is anchored around music for his own instrument. ‘Now ten sonatas. And six concertos for piano and orchestra. And now a seventh, a Rhapsody for piano and orchestra.' All of them written, then, not to commission but for his own satisfaction? 'All my compositions were written for my own pleasure.' And was he able to perform the sonatas and get them known? 'I don't play by myself. But I play chamber music.' Have other pianists taken it up, then? 'Nikolai Petrov has recorded the Second Sonata, and he has done the Fifth Concerto for Piano and Orchestra. And someone else has done something, but I don't know who.' Even if he is only now becoming known over here, does the music have something of a reputation in Russia? Kapustin shakes his head: 'Nobody knows it. My music has been performed in Germany and Japan.' How come? 'They had the Petrov recording, and my own recordings, on vinyl – I recorded many of the pieces. I made four vinyl recordings for Melodiya – before they started perestroika! And now somebody has made a website about my music…’ Martin Anderson.
Read full article: https://toccataclassics.com/obit-nikolai-kapustin/
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