The Music Workshop Company Blog

Each month the Music Workshop Company publishes two blogs. One blog, written by the MWC team addresses a key issue in Music Education or gives information about a particular genre or period of music. The other blog is written by a guest writer, highlighting good practice or key events in Music Education. We hope you enjoy reading the blogs.

To contribute as a guest writer please email Maria@music-workshop.co.uk

Posts tagged “PIANO”

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Chaminade Flute Concertino

Posted on 13th April 2024 at 09:53

Cécile Chaminade was a prolific composer, publishing more than 400 pieces in her lifetime, as well as being a successful international touring solo pianist.

Perhaps her most well known piece is her “Flute Concertino in D Major” Op. 107, which is listed in the Model Music Curriculum, however her vast repertoire is well worth exploring. She composed piano pieces (solo and duo), Piano Trios, songs, a ballet, an opera and concerto style works.

In her many recital tours, Chaminade would feature programmes entirely made up of her own music.

On the 80th anniversary of her death, we explore her life and most famous piece. Our activity this month explores composition within limitations.

Image: Cécile Chaminade

Originally from en:Wikipedia en:Image:Cecile chaminade.jpg

Henrici, L. O. Representative Women. Kansas City, Mo.: The Crafters Publishers. 1913

Original source: What We Hear in Music, Anne S. Faulkner, Victor Talking Machine Co., 1913.

Fanny Mendelssohn Piano Trio Op. 11

Posted on 14th November 2023 at 09:24

Fanny Mendelssohn’s music is now reaching a wider public, having been overshadowed by her more famous brother, Felix Mendelssohn both during her lifetime and in subsequent years. Despite periods of her life where she was unable to compose, Mendelssohn established herself as a composer, conductor and performer in a largely male-dominated environment. Her life highlights some of the challenges female composers have faced throughout history.

We explore her Piano Trio in D minor, Opus 11, which is suggested in the Model Music Curriculum as a piece suitable for Year 5, and offer some activities to help you study the composition.

"Fanny-mendelssohn-9ba7472d-18ca-43cc-9f62-85362217db2-resize-750" by Wikiludiki is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/?ref=openverse.

A Short History of the Piano

Posted on 12th August 2020 at 12:07

The first piano was made some time during the late 1600s or early 1700s by the Italian musical instrument maker Bartolomeo Cristofori.

These early instruments were called clavicembalo col piano e forte, which translates as harpsichord with soft and loud.

This description is how the piano got its full name; the pianoforte.

The Piano Music of Chopin – Topping the Charts for 200 Years

Posted on 18th March 2016 at 14:30

For our guest blog in May, we’re looking forward to an update from AQA. We heard from the exam board last year and they’ll be updating us on recent GCSE, AS and A level developments.