Ballet Piano Podcast: Recent Episodes
Chris Hobson, Matt Gregory, Akiko Hobson, David Yow
Chris Hobson, Matt Gregory and Akiko Hobson sitting with a ballet master extraordinaire David Yow discuss playing for ballet class. The dos and the don’ts, the philosophy behind it and we’ll talk about our own experiences as we go along. Join us on our journey of ballet music and ballet class chat as we talk through this often underrated and misunderstood profession.
In this episode the team lift the lid on each other for the last time this season. It features on the spot questions designed to be light hearted. You get to hear team doing what they do best, bantering the house down. You’re gonna love it, until the next season, next year.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on each other for the last time this season. It features on the spot questions designed to be light hearted. You get to hear team doing what they do best, bantering the house down. You’re gonna love it, until the next season, next year.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on interpretation of music for set ballet exercises, as choreographed by David Yow. The pianists each play for David’s class exercise and discuss all the facets or marrying music to the movement. Always hilarious!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on interpretation of music for set ballet exercises, as choreographed by David Yow. The pianists each play for David’s class exercise and discuss all the facets or marrying music to the movement. Always hilarious!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on themselves and their idiosyncrasies when it comes to physical preparation for class. Anything to make life a little easier and to get the best out of one’s self. Grab that coffee as we always do and enjoy the hilarity that will always ensue.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on themselves and their idiosyncrasies when it comes to physical preparation for class. Anything to make life a little easier and to get the best out of one’s self. Grab that coffee as we always do and enjoy the hilarity that will always ensue.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on listeners’ questions. The team answer pertinent questions with honest and frank discussion based on what listeners want to know. It’s funny, but very informative, and perfect for pianists that want to get into the field.
This website is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on listeners’ questions. The team answer pertinent questions with honest and frank discussion based on what listeners want to know. It’s funny, but very informative, and perfect for pianists that want to get into the field.
This website is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on the life and career of music director Jonathan Lo. Currently at The Australian Ballet he has conducted at Northern Ballet, The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and now the world. He’s elegant and well spoken, and you’ll love what he’s got to say.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on the life and career of music director Jonathan Lo. Currently at The Australian Ballet he has conducted at Northern Ballet, The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and now the world. He’s elegant and well spoken, and you’ll love what he’s got to say.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on playing for pas de deux, the type of repertoire most desired, and the technicalities as a pianist you may need in order to play this class at vocational level and beyond. Lots of information and context is given, and some very funny pas de deux stories!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on playing for pas de deux, the type of repertoire most desired, and the technicalities as a pianist you may need in order to play this class at vocational level and beyond. Lots of information and context is given, and some very funny pas de deux stories!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on deeper communications in the ballet studio. It’s a heartfelt and personal approach to the discussion and everyone makes valid points. How can you get your point across whilst sparing everyone’s feelings, staying true to the piece, and having a good time? Find out here.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on deeper communications in the ballet studio. It’s a heartfelt and personal approach to the discussion and everyone makes valid points. How can you get your point across whilst sparing everyone’s feelings, staying true to the piece, and having a good time? Find out here.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team life the lid on the life and career of Jeanette Wong, the Head of piano at Birmingham Royal Ballet. It’s a really detailed look at the work involved heading the music department at one of the UK’s top ballet companies. It’s incredibly fun, but hard work at the same time. Jeanette handles it like a pro!
In this episode the team life the lid on the life and career of Jeanette Wong, the Head of piano at Birmingham Royal Ballet. It’s a really detailed look at the work involved heading the music department at one of the UK’s top ballet companies. It’s incredibly fun, but hard work at the same time. Jeanette handles it like a pro!
In this episode the team life the lid on what it’s like to play for the pointe class, and how it can differ from that of a regular class. Hilarious as always, it’s full of stories and banter as well as useful information that can be used teachers and pianists alike.
The sheet music for the Radetzky March can be found HERE and music for Lilac Fairy can be found HERE.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team life the lid on what it’s like to play for the pointe class, and how it can differ from that of a regular class. Hilarious as always, it’s full of stories and banter as well as useful information that can be used teachers and pianists alike.
The sheet music for the Radetzky March can be found HERE and music for Lilac Fairy can be found HERE.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on the life and career of revered ballerina Cynthia Harvey. From a small town in California to the heights of the world stage in ballet, she has done it all. She’s ballsy, firstly and totally loveable, and so witty!
In this episode the team lift the lid on the life and career of revered ballerina Cynthia Harvey. From a small town in California to the heights of the world stage in ballet, she has done it all. She’s ballsy, firstly and totally loveable, and so witty!
In this episode the team life the lid on…each other really! They reveal all the things about each other that the listeners might now know, making it insightful and funny at the same time. Grab a cuppa for this one. It’s really fun!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team life the lid on…each other really! They reveal all the things about each other that the listeners might now know, making it insightful and funny at the same time. Grab a cuppa for this one. It’s really fun!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on the celebrated improviser for dance, Cyrus Gabrysch. A man of few words, this episode unpicks his psyche and reveals what makes him tick, and as you will see, he has a sharp wit and great comedy timing.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on the celebrated improviser for dance, Cyrus Gabrysch. A man of few words, this episode unpicks his psyche and reveals what makes him tick, and as you will see, he has a sharp wit and great comedy timing.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team life the lid on what it means to be a good ballet pianist. A round table topical discussion based on experience and listener’s contributions with funny tales and anecdotes. We’re sure you’ll love it!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team life the lid on what it means to be a good ballet pianist. A round table topical discussion based on experience and listener’s contributions with funny tales and anecdotes. We’re sure you’ll love it!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In the episode the team lift the lid on life and career of Royal Ballet soloist, Petal Ashmole Winstanley. What an incredible life she has had, and this episode fully explores all areas. It’s a happy episode and a sad episode but has hope and optimism at the heart of it.
You can purchase Petal's book from Amazon here - https://amzn.eu/d/8QyHw3c
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In the episode the team lift the lid on life and career of Royal Ballet soloist, Petal Ashmole Winstanley. What an incredible life she has had, and this episode fully explores all areas. It’s a happy episode and a sad episode but has hope and optimism at the heart of it.
You can purchase Petal's book from Amazon here - https://amzn.eu/d/8QyHw3c
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on life in the ballet studio where specific requests are made and how as ballet pianists you are expected to deal with them. Things such as specific tunes, rhythm and feel, time signatures, different accents. They are all valid and there are tricks to get around them. It’s hilarious and informative!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on life in the ballet studio where specific requests are made and how as ballet pianists you are expected to deal with them. Things such as specific tunes, rhythm and feel, time signatures, different accents. They are all valid and there are tricks to get around them. It’s hilarious and informative!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on the life and career of Anita Young MBE. A former soloist of The Royal Ballet, and a wonderfully eccentric person, she episode is a giggle from start to finish. Buckle up, Anita is about to take centre stage!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on the life and career of Anita Young MBE. A former soloist of The Royal Ballet, and a wonderfully eccentric person, she episode is a giggle from start to finish. Buckle up, Anita is about to take centre stage!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
This episode is a unique one. It features, Chris, Akiko, and Matt all playing musical examples, something which doesn’t happen very often. You will hear how the pianists play the same tune, but in very different ways.
An important skill as a ballet pianist is to be able to rearrange music to make it perfect for the dance, or simply to widen your repertoire by making one tune multifunctional. You can explore time signature, key signature, rhythm, feel, tempo, colour, harmony, and texture. They are all changeable which can make a class tune sound completely different.
Listen as the personalities come out and David is left guessing who’s arrangement belongs to who. An episode with a difference which you are sure to love.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
This episode is a unique one. It features, Chris, Akiko, and Matt all playing musical examples, something which doesn’t happen very often. You will hear how the pianists play the same tune, but in very different ways.
An important skill as a ballet pianist is to be able to rearrange music to make it perfect for the dance, or simply to widen your repertoire by making one tune multifunctional. You can explore time signature, key signature, rhythm, feel, tempo, colour, harmony, and texture. They are all changeable which can make a class tune sound completely different.
Listen as the personalities come out and David is left guessing who’s arrangement belongs to who. An episode with a difference which you are sure to love.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on playing for variation class in a ballet school context. It is a discussion episode with everything you need to know about this topic as well as candid discussion about the history of playing for variations and how music has evolved to keep up with the demands of ballet in today’s world. Always funny, always relevant.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcacastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on playing for variation class in a ballet school context. It is a discussion episode with everything you need to know about this topic as well as candid discussion about the history of playing for variations and how music has evolved to keep up with the demands of ballet in today’s world. Always funny, always relevant.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcacastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on Mavin Khoo, a great in the British dance scene as well as in Asia. This episode is poignant on many levels and you can hear that Mavin is completely in charge of his feelings, emotions, and view point. His life and career is completely explored. It’s a beautiful podcast.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on Mavin Khoo, a great in the British dance scene as well as in Asia. This episode is poignant on many levels and you can hear that Mavin is completely in charge of his feelings, emotions, and view point. His life and career is completely explored. It’s a beautiful podcast.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on the grand allegro waltz and that particular part of class. What we play, how we play it, and our ever evolving approach to playing the biggest part of class. It can be mined field thanks to the advancement of technique and athleticism.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on the grand allegro waltz and that particular part of class. What we play, how we play it, and our ever evolving approach to playing the biggest part of class. It can be mined field thanks to the advancement of technique and athleticism.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode, the team lift the lid on communication within the ballet studio, and it’s importance. From eye contact, visual communication, verbal communication, and everything necessary to build a rapport between teacher and pianist. It is helpful, informative, insightful, and of course hilarious.
Proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode, the team lift the lid on communication within the ballet studio, and it’s importance. From eye contact, visual communication, verbal communication, and everything necessary to build a rapport between teacher and pianist. It is helpful, informative, insightful, and of course hilarious.
Proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on the life and work of ballet composer Phil Feeney. With a career spanning decades, Feeney has twenty full length, and fifty short works to his name, and the team explore his process in this pod. It’s a beautifully sedate episode.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on the life and work of ballet composer Phil Feeney. With a career spanning decades, Feeney has twenty full length, and fifty short works to his name, and the team explore his process in this pod. It’s a beautifully sedate episode.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on times in the ballet studio where the job has gone horribly wrong. A pod full of horror stories, some funny, some serious, all valid. At the end of the day, we’re all human, and it makes ballet appear a bit more normal. Prepare to belly laugh!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on times in the ballet studio where the job has gone horribly wrong. A pod full of horror stories, some funny, some serious, all valid. At the end of the day, we’re all human, and it makes ballet appear a bit more normal. Prepare to belly laugh!
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on life as a new pianist. They have collated some useful tips and tricks for new pianists starting out based on their own knowledge and experiences. New pianists can definitely use this episode to fill their ‘tool’ bags with useful hints to get going.
The sheet music for Radetzky March can be found here balletpianopodcast.com/radetzkymarch
A brief sheet on dancers counts with musical examples can be found here balletpianopodcast.com/dancerscounts
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on life as a new pianist. They have collated some useful tips and tricks for new pianists starting out based on their own knowledge and experiences. New pianists can definitely use this episode to fill their ‘tool’ bags with useful hints to get going.
The sheet music for Radetzky March can be found here balletpianopodcast.com/radetzkymarch
A brief sheet on dancers counts with musical examples can be found here balletpianopodcast.com/dancerscounts
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on the life and career of ballet conductor Gavin Sutherland. Former music director at English National Ballet he began humbly in north of England and now enjoys international acclaim all over the world.
This episode is proudly produced and published by PodcastRecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on life as a new professional in the ballet world, specifically for ballet teachers. The team have collated some of their most useful tips and tricks for new teachers to help them get off on the right foot when it comes to working with live music for the first time.
A small reference sheet for musicians about dancers counts can be found at https://www.balletpianopodcast.com/dancerscounts
This episode is proudly produced and published by podcastrecording.co.uk
In this episode the team lift the lid on life as a new professional in the ballet world, specifically for ballet teachers. The team have collated some of their most useful tips and tricks for new teachers to help them get off on the right foot when it comes to working with live music for the first time.
A small reference sheet for musicians about dancers counts can be found at https://www.balletpianopodcast.com/dancerscounts
This episode is proudly produced and published by podcastrecording.co.uk
In this episode, the team lift the lid on their lives over the past year and a half, from job changes, career changes, working holidays, cruises, and much, much more. This episode also shares what you can expect from the season including round table topical discussions, and spotlight ‘In Conversations’. This episode is proudly produced and published by podcastrecording.co.uk
In this episode, the team lift the lid on their lives over the past year and a half, from job changes, career changes, working holidays, cruises, and much, much more. This episode also shares what you can expect from the season including round table topical discussions, and spotlight ‘In Conversations’. This episode is proudly produced and published by podcastrecording.co.uk
This is the final episode in the current season, and it is the audio recording of the livestream we did on Sunday 10th July. If you were unable to watch along, you can enjoy this episode and hear everything from that livestream, complete with us pianists playing ballet exercises for you. You can also watch the livestream on our website, www.balletpianopodcast.com.
Before we wrap up the new episodes and take our summer hiatus, we want to say a huge thank you to you, our followers, listeners, subscribers, and downloaders, for all your support, likes, comments, and interactions with us. We could not do the podcast without you, and our amazing colleagues, dancers, and fellow pianists inspiring us daily, and giving us brilliant ideas to make podcasts.
As always, let us know what you think, by emailing us, or by messaging the social media channels.
Have a glorious summer, and watch out for new episodes later in the year, with lots more fantastic content.
This week’s episode is with dance accompanist, Gill Civil. Her life and career is so off the wall and varied, and in this episode we get to learn all about her work in dance, as we put the spotlight on her.
From New Zealand originally, she has worked and lived in Australia, the USA and Canada, starting off her career in a punk rock band, working with Crowded House and Limbs Dance company, and playing for ballet classes throughout Australia, the USA, and Canada.
She is also a composer of her own music for ballet and contemporary, which is produced by her husband, Edwin.
This episode will not fail to entertain you with fabulous story after fabulous story about her life and career, which it seems is completely in the hands of fate and coincidence. So many glorious happenings, you won’t fail to love it.
You can find more about Gill by visiting her website https://pianomusicforballet.com
Let us know your thoughts on this episode and more, by emailing balletpianopodcast@gmail.com, or by visiting the social media platforms.
ポッドキャスト、史上初のライブ中継開催決定！
2020年7月10日イギリス時間15:00(日本時間23:00)
こちらのYouTubeリンクからサインアップできます。
https://youtu.be/adKRaxq4Pjg
メンバーのいつもの笑いの絶えない会話をライブで中継します。今回はライブという事で、リスナーからの質問に生で回答したり、今までを振り返ったり、ピアノ生演奏もあり！それに加えてメンバーそれぞれにサプライズ企画も用意していたり。。。ぜひぜひご参加下さい。メンバー一同、皆様にお会いできるのを楽しみにしています！
On 10th July 2020 at 15:00 BST, the podcast team will be doing our first ever live stream. Sign up https://youtu.be/adKRaxq4Pjg to watch us do what we do and join in the laughs. We'll be answering some of your questions, reflecting on the podcast journey so far, playing the piano and there'll be surprises in store for each team member!
See you there.
This week’s new episode is a funny one with all the team members, and we’re talking about some do’s and don’ts of the ballet studio in an episode we’re calling THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. It’s a very light hearted episode with some sincere sentiment, that we feel would make the studio more harmonious, if followed.
This episode is the first of two commandment episodes, and in this episode, David Yow takes the floor and leads us in his ‘ready to go’ tips for ballet pianists from the teacher’s perspective.
We’re not the oracle, nor have we ever claimed to be, but this episode offers some teacher’s advice for pianists, to help them in the studios.
We laugh a lot, and keep it very light, and we hope you, our listeners don’t take umbrage, and can relate, and see the funny side!
Kick back with a drink, and enjoy, and as always, we’d love to know what you think.
On 10th July 2020 at 15:00 BST, the podcast team will be doing our first ever live stream. Sign up https://youtu.be/adKRaxq4Pjg to watch us do what we do and join in the laughs. We'll be answering some of your questions, reflecting on the podcast journey so far, playing the piano and there'll be surprises in store for each team member!
See you there.
Thursday can only mean one thing, and it’s a brand new Ballet Piano Podcast. This week it comes in the form of an In Conversation with a current dancer of Sarasota Ballet, Andrea Marcelletti.
Andrea we feel, is rather a special dancer with a more detailed appreciation for music than most, and in this episode, we talk about his life and career in ballet so far, and where his appreciation for music came from.
Loving referred to as ‘ the assistant’, Andrea as a student was always one step ahead of the teacher and pianist, and was able to bridge the communication gap when things weren’t going smoothly.
This episode is full of laughter and charm, as Andrea is beyond loveable and an adorable person.
We hope you enjoy, and as always, let us know your thoughts by emailing the podcast and the social media platforms.
We have a fantastically funny episode for you today, with a rather tongue-in-cheek title. In previous episodes, we have talked about introductions and what we need to get the exercise going, but what about our needs for the exercise coming to an end?
In this episode, we talk a bit about the structure of exercises so that pianists can identify when the end is coming, and we talk in depth about the things to look out for from the dancers and teachers, so you can finish playing when the exercise has finished.
There are various non-verbal cues that teachers use to signify if the exercise is about to come to an end, or if it’s repeating on the second side or in reverse. As with most of these episodes, there is laughter in abundance, where as you can imagine, things haven’t always gone right.
Let us know what you think about this episode by emailing the podcast on balletpianopodcast@gmail.com, or messaging our social media platforms! We hope you enjoy it.
It’s In Conversation week again, and we have a special guest who we think is very important within the dance world. it’s physiotherapist, Lorien Slaughter.
Lori was a former dancer having trained at The Royal Ballet School, and in this episode we talk to him about his journey form stage, to dancers’ clinic, and how he uses his dance science knowledge and experience to help him in his other job as a ballet teaching.
Lori also talks in depth about the various aspects of dance science and physiology, that can impact a dancer’s career, either in a helpful way, or not. We discuss, sociology, psychology, weight training, and many other outside influences.
Lori’s knowledge is vast, and we guarantee this episode is relatable for many people working in the dance industry, and well worth a listen. We have a feeling this won’t be the last appearance for Lori on the podcast.
Let us know what you think, by emailing us, balletpianopodcast@gmail.com, or by messaging us on social media.
This week’s new episode is a funny one, but with serious undertones. And it’s all about studio etiquette, the do’s and don’ts of the ballet studio.
Traditionally speaking, ballet is a physical art form, and a discipline, and over the centuries, how dancers, teachers, and pianists behave in the studio has evolved.
We discuss in this episode what we think are the most important aspects of studio etiquette that enhance the art form, both at training and professional level.
It’s quite a funny episode with lots of tongue in cheek stories with no offence intended whatsoever, but ultimately, it’s a look at how everyone can behave in the studio to make the experience of training and work, more fun and productive.
We’d love to know what you think about this topic, and to hear your stories of studio etiquette. Please do message us and we can share them on the podcast.
We have a fantastic new episode for you this week, another ‘In Conversation’. We were lucky enough to get together with dance pianist and silent film composer, living legend John Sweeney.
John has the most amazing career in dance accompaniment and silent movies, and we well and truly put the spotlight on him to find out about his life and career, from a person, who on the surface is rather understated.
John is also famed for his extremely varied and sophisticated improvising and that is the life blood of his work as an accompanist, and we ask him in-depth about his training and education in music that has shaped him and the way he accompanies dance.
We hope you enjoy this episode. Please let us know what you think, by emailing us at balletpianopodcast@gmail.com, and if there was anything you wanted to ask John, you can email your question and comment to us for a future episode.
The whole team are back this week with the addition of baby Hazel, to talk about preparing for, and playing for ballet assessments. It’s quite a niche topic within our industry, but it’s quite important and this episode is particularly insightful.
How does David choose the steps? How does he structure the class? How does he best exhibit the dancers in their best light? How do the pianists decide what music they are going to play? How is the assessment finalised and rehearsed? What happens on assessment day?
The team talk openly and candidly about the process from initial thoughts, the collaboration stage of marrying music and choreography, the definitive assessment, to the finessing of the work leading to the assessment day.
We hope you enjoy this episode, and as always there are some laughs! Let us know your thoughts on this episode and any others you’ve listened to by emailing balletpianopodcast@gmail.com or messaging us on our social media platforms.
We’ll see you on the next episode!
We have another fantastic episode for you this week, an ‘In Conversation’ with enigmatic, charismatic, and all round creative human, Rose Alice, the Artistic Director of International Arts Collective.
With an extreme physical ability and technique, she has captivated audiences all over the world from Europe, to China, and the USA.
We hope you enjoy this episode with the spotlight firmly on Rose, who always keeps it real, and who talks candidly about her serious highs and lows as an artist, and what fuels her every day. Listener discretion is advised, but nonetheless, you will love getting to know this very special “OG”!
Get in touch via our social media channels, or by emailing us at balletpianopodcast@gmail.com.
Have you ever been on a first date and experienced the sort of nerves you get when you meet someone for the first time? Well as a ballet pianist, and ballet teacher, working with someone you’ve never met before can feel just like that. And that’s what this episode is all about.
We discuss what it’s like to work with someone new for the first time. The sorts of things you might anticipate in a new colleague, the sorts of things you bring to a new partnership, and the little idiosyncrasies you try to read in each other that make your class go as smooth as possible. Of course there are funny stories, as you might expect from a ‘first date’, but we discuss the sorts of things you might want to look out for when working with a new colleague.
Why not get in touch if you are a ballet teacher, or pianist, and let us know your thoughts on working with somebody new for the first time. Message our social media platforms, or email us.
Another week, and another brilliant episode for you! This episode is in response to a message that came in from a follower on the Instagram account, and she wanted to know about how we play for men specifically, and how David chooses music for his classes, and what he likes to hear from music in his men’s classes.
We discuss as a general consensus that we would play a bit stronger, bigger with more space in the music to allow for the men to jump a bit higher, and execute more pirouettes, and to generally dancer bigger, as in general, men are known for that.
We share our stories of times in the schools and companies were playing for men has been a challenge, because of the advancement in technique, and the real need for your “grandest” waltz, and then when choosing tunes for men’s class can really lift the mood to juxtapose that heavy playing throughout.
We really pull on our personal experiences in this episode to highlight what we mean, and we hope we’ve been clear enough
We bring you another gem of an episode this week, an “In Conversation” with the Artistic Director and CEO of Scottish Ballet, Christopher Hampson. Recorded in November 2020 during the pandemic, and on Zoom, this interview is pertinent to that time and climate, but we hope you enjoy it nonetheless.
We celebrate the life and career of Christopher Hampson, from fairly routine training at the Royal Ballet School, to landing a dancing job at English National Ballet, to freelance choreography and teaching, and finally being offered the top job at Scotland.
We ask him about his process of creating a new ballet, from choosing music, creating movement vocabulary, to telling the story, and then onto his programming of works at Scottish Ballet, and how that goes hand in hand with the other side of his job where he leads many departments as CEO, such as Outreach and Education.
Chris is a wonderfully eloquent person with a measured manner, and you’ll love this episode. We hope you enjoy it.
We asked you to provide some questions of ballet and music topics that you wanted answering, and we did! We also ask questions of each other, things about ballet and music we wanted to know from each other’s perspective, and it is very revealing and insightful.
As is often the case on the Ballet Piano Podcast, you can expect lots of laughter, and bickering from the Hobsons, but it’s all in good fun and light humour. We answer your questions as honestly as possible, to the best of our knowledge and experience.
Have we a got a fantastic episode for you this week?! A brilliant ‘In Conversation’ with James Barton, originally recorded in October 2020.
James has had, (and is still having) the most wonderful career having started as a Junior Associate of the Royal Ballet School, trained at Elmhurst school, and graduated into Birmingham Royal Ballet, performing on the west end stage, and then becoming ballet master at Scottish Ballet, he has done it all.
James has worked some of the best people in the business from Gillian Lynne to Christopher Wheeldon, and the stories he can tell will leave you warm hearted. He has an effervescent personality and that really comes through in this episode with the many hilarious tales he has to tell, and the many one liners that roll off his tongue.
Thursday can only mean one thing…a brand new episode! And this week, it’s all about when tunes go wrong. Call this a horror stories episode if you will!
We have quite an in depth discussion about choosing music you think is going to work for your exercise, but turns out when you play it, it is way off and you have to think on your feet about how you’re going to get out of it.
As pianists, sometimes we choose something we think is right, but the teacher wants something much quicker or slower, and that can dramatically change the music you have chosen to play. Then what do you do?
We talk about examples of tunes that only work in specific settings, and of course when it’s fallen apart, and David enlightens us from a teacher’s perspective how it feels when he’s presented with music he wasn’t expecting, and how he deals with such situations.
It’s that time of the week again where we bring you a brand new episode, and this week it’s another ‘In Conversation’. It’s the turn of living legend, Karen MacIver.
We talk to Karen about her life and career in ballet, silent movies, composing, and her authorship of two books about her approach to accompanying dance.
It’s a very interesting episode with so much knowledge, insight, and thought provoking words from Karen about her theory behind accompanying the ‘moving image’. We feel very lucky we get to share her wisdom, and experiences with you all. You can find out more about Karen and her work by visiting her website, https://www.artofclass.online/.
We bring you a technical episode this week, and it’s all about counting music where the strong beat is not where you expect it to be.
Some tunes do not start on the first beat of the bar, and as a result counting them for dancers can be tricky. And so, in this episode we discuss how we overcome this and metaphorically move the bar lines in the music, and play in such a way that makes it easier to hear the strong beat of the melody as the strong beat of the bar.
It’s quite a weird concept to understand, but we hope this episode will help you when counting music when the strong beat is not easy to find.
We also talk about how the use of the introduction can help as a way of shifting the melody so that again, the obvious beat in the melody lines up with the strong beat of the bar, and the dancer’s count.
If you are a dancer, teacher, or pianist, we would love to know your thoughts on this. So please get touch to tell us how you relate to this situation, and what you did to overcome it.
Lovingly referred to as ‘The Godfather of ballet music’, Jonathan has been involved in the world of ballet and music since the mid 1980’s and his knowledge and experience is unparalleled.
Jonathan has affiliations with every major ballet company in the UK as well as The Royal Academy of Dance, and the world renowned International Ballet Masterclass in Prague.
In this episode, we talk to Jonathan about his life and career at the RAD, English National Ballet, the Prague Masterclass, the lengthy process of writing his PhD, and his freelance career.
Jonathan has the most amazing analogies for everything, and this episode is littered with funny one liners, and quips. I guarantee you’ll love it.
We are discussing the use of tempo rubato, and whether there is a need for it, and if so, when and where in ballet class.
The literal meaning of tempo rubato is ‘robbed time’, and refers to expressive and rhythmic freedom, by slightly slowing down and speeding up at the discretion of the musician as they play.
We talk about where rubato can be useful and how it can help dancers in their technique and artistry, but as David will state very clearly, it can also hinder greatly in dancers that are not advanced and don’t have that understanding of their technique and musicality.
We like to think of this as one of the jewels in the crown of Ballet Piano Podcast. It’s an In Conversation with legendary conductor and music director, Richard Honner.
With over fifty years of work in the theatre, we delve into Richard’s life and career from humble beginnings as an administrator at the Royal Opera House, to his work with Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet, through to the inception of the ‘Piano for Dance’ course at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
You won’t fail to be taken over by Richard’s soothing tone, and warm charm and wit, and this wonderful episode is so insightful and funny, and you really get to learn in depth about a person who has lived and breathed ballet music, and shaped dance accompaniment.
We are bringing you a brand new episode today which focuses on the use of show tunes in the ballet class, and ask the question; how many show tunes is a show tune too many?
We talk about how musical theatre tunes can help dancers phrase movement and choreography, with the use of recognisable melodies that they know, and how the association of show tunes with the musicals they are from, can help a dancer evoke emotion, character, and style into their technique and artistry.
We reveal the show tunes we love to play and hear, and as always, this episode is littered with good humour and funny anecdotes.
We hope you enjoy it, and thank you for continuing to download, like, and share our episodes.
We’re so excited to bring you this new episode after what feels like forever since we recorded or shared with you, but we’re back with a mini series of ‘coffee break conversations’ about ballet studio etiquette.
Enjoy this episode where we dissect the past year, and round it up, and share with you our plans for 2022, both professionally and personally.
Occasionally we will be dropping 'in conversation' interviews with some leading people in the world of ballet. We'll be talking to them about their lives, careers and as always - there'll be funny stories along the way.
This episode is with podcast team member, David Yow, former principal of Birmingham Royal Ballet.
In this episode featuring the whole of the podcast team, we talk about what consists of an introduction for a ballet exercise, and the sorts of things you might play for an introduction. We also talk about the difference between dancers counts and musicians counts, and how this can affect what you may give as an introduction. We talk about the different kinds of introductions including those belonging to complex time signatures.
There’s always funny stories on the podcast, and this episode is no exception.
This episode is all about the misunderstandings that can happen in a ballet class, including timing, tempo, time signatures, and also when things have been miscommunicated by the teacher or the pianist, and you end up in a sticky patch. Listen as we regale you with our tales of when it all went wrong, and how we got out of them.
We learn from both the teacher and the pianist how best to overcome some of the most common communication issues, through their stories, knowledge and experience. As always, it’s filled with laughter, advice, and joviality.
We bring you an exciting new episode this week, hosted by Matt, and it’s about playing for repertoire, solo, and variation class.
As Chris and Akiko have the most experience with this side of the job, they share with us all the insightful information about what it’s like to play those colossal ballet scores, and how they cope with the different environment of a rehearsal room instead of a classroom.
As always, there’s an anecdote or two, and it’s a very interesting episode with the husband and wife team.
It’s one not to be missed, and we hope you enjoy it.
In the absence of David Yow, the three pianists bring you a Hot Topic episode very close to our hearts, and an essential skill required to becoming a successful ballet pianist. We are discussing how we arrange existing pieces of music to make it suitable for a ballet class, and ballet phrasing.
We also talk about the ways that musicians count their music, and how different that is for dancers. And how important it is to recognise both in order to understand what the dancers and teachers mean when they count their exercise and the music.
As always, there are funny anecdotes and humour in this episode and we hope you enjoy it. Do give us a little review on Apple podcasts, and follow our social media channels for all the latest content from podcast HQ!
In this episode, we are talking about how we choose what we will play for class, the many ways you can build your repertoire, and where you can gain inspiration for choosing the tunes you play.
Choosing the right piece of music is essential, so we hope you enjoy this episode filled with useful tips and as always, funny anecdotes!
In this episode, we reflect on the first series of episodes since the podcast’s inception in February 2020, and we talk a bit about what we have learnt from producing the podcast, and the journey we have been on individually, and as a team.
We also talk about the current climate of Covid-19 in the UK, and how it has affected the ballet world in our own country, and globally, and how through the wonders of modern technology we were able to provide live music for classes that required it.
We also announce our future plans for the podcast, including a mini series of hot topics featuring playing for pointe work, contemporary class, variation class, building your repertoire, and many more. And we are working towards our next big series, which will be ‘In Conversation’ with some of the leading people in the ballet world, from other pianists, musical directors, dancers, choreographers and teachers. We can’t wait to bring that to you.
Also, look out for The Ballet Piano Podcast Album. We have recorded thirty tracks of music suitable for all the exercises in a ballet class, which will be available for download very soon.
So, enjoy this episode, and be sure to check out our social media channels for the newest updates and news!
We hope you enjoy this penultimate episode in the ballet class series. It is the second instalment of the Q&A episode where we continue to answer questions sent in to us via email and the social media channels. This episode is slightly lighter hearted with lots of funny anecdotes.
Find out what brand of shampoo David Yow uses, and how the dream team of Mr. and Mrs. Hobson met and fell in love. There are, as always plenty of funny stories relating to our jobs in the world of classical ballet, and it’s an opportunity to learn even more about the team.
We hope you enjoy this episode in which the team answer your burning questions that have been sent in over the past few weeks. Some are serious and informative, and some are light hearted and fun, but most spark a memory or an anecdote relating to a personal experience. In this episode, you’ll get to learn a bit more about the team, as they discuss the questions and relation to their careers in the ballet world.
This is the first episode of this kind, and the first of two Q&A episodes from Ballet Piano Podcast. Enjoy it, and look out for the second episode also.
Listen to this week’s episode all about virtuosity and the impressive tricks the dancers perform in the studio and on stage. You’ll hear David talk about the various steps and tricks that are considered virtuosic, and the pianists talk about the music typically used to accompany this section of class. It’s what is better known as the ‘coda’, the encore if you like and comes right at the end of class.
This episode contains some funny anecdotes from the team as well as important information for novice pianists about playing for the coda for the first time, and how to gain confidence in the early years of playing for class.
In this episode, the team primarily discuss the biggest jump of all, which is grand allegro, but before that, David briefly rounds up the medium allegro and talks about how he as a teacher, bridges that gap between medium and grand allegro.
The listeners learn from David that pretty much all the jumping steps can be done at the various heights, those being terre à terre, close to the ground with the feet barely leaving the floor, petit sauté, with slightly more jump and stability, petit allegro where the jumps begin to move from the spot and travel. After that is the medium allegro where the jumps become noticeably larger and more intense, with more height and more travel. And the biggest jump of all is the grand allegro, where dancers travel the most, gain the most height, and show off their impressive technique and flair!
David emphasises the importance of the use of demi plié, and how that at this height of jump it is crucial for landing softly, and how the intensity of the take-off requires a slower tempo, more space in the music and generally bigger music than previously used, to create the sensation of being air born.
David also teaches the listeners of the different categories of jumps, which are two feet to two feet, two feet to one foot, one foot to two feet and one foot to one foot. All the jumps can be categorised into one of these. David lists the endless steps that can be used in the medium allegro.
In terms of music, the team discuss that in the jumping section of class, all the range of speed and dynamics are used from the smallest terre à terre, to the biggest grand allegro.
In this episode, the listeners learn about the division of ballet steps at medium allegro for men and women. Men are generally more muscular and jump in a different way, and ballet repertoire lends itself to tailoring the steps for men and women. But ultimately as the dancers reach grand allegro exercise, they are trying to cover a lot of space, and everything to the extreme facility and maximum push.
The team digress slightly into the ways terminology differs around the world depending on training and school of thought, and how steps are called different things depending on where you dance. Also, listen out for the very famous “lame duck” step and how according to David, the urban myth of someone doing it badly conjured up that image and the slang name was born.
So, the music for grand allegro, the team agree that big waltzes are generally used, but that allegro meaning quick, is really the antithesis of the what you should be playing. Music for grand allegro, should be big, expansive within the tempo, use of octaves, and also maestoso as Chris quite rightly says.
The pianists discuss the technicalities of playing for grand allegro. The importance of the volume of the music in encouraging the dancer to jump as high as possible, and where possible, the pianist is trying to emulate an orchestra by creating a big wall of sound. The size of the music is going to help the dancers sail through the air.
The pianists talk about the plethora of waltzes that can be used for grand allegro from Strauss to Richard Rodgers, as long as the waltz is as rousing as possible. And the way the pianists accompany the grand allegro, being sensitive to the dancer’s take-off and landing is very important. There has to be a harmonious marriage between dance and music, throughout the class, but particularly in the climactic grand allegro.
The episode finishes with a couple of funny anecdotes and lots of laughter. Get comfortable, because this is a long one!
In this episode, David teaches the listener how dancers begin to jump in ballet class, and he explains in great detail how dancers prepare to jump through the use of the plié exercise, and some plié relevé exercises.
David also tells the listener the different positions that dancers jump in, the basic positions of 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th, and he quickly gives an example of the type of exercise he would set for a first jump, or warm up jump.
The listener learns from David the multitude of steps that can be included in small jumps and medium jumps, Changement, Jeté ordinaire, Soubresaut, Assemblé, Sissone, Echappé Suaté and many many more.
The pianists then begin to discuss all the possible music that can be played for jumps, of which there are many different time signatures and styles of music that can be used. But ultimately, the team agree that at this point in the class when the dancers are fully warm and stretched and pushing their bodies, that there is a lot of fun to be had with the music.
The listener also learns in this episode what the pianists like to play for jumps, which reveals things about their character and personality that they’re able to bring to class.
Matthew mentions quite importantly the technical element of being able to play a secure stride in the left hand, which gives the dancer the tempo and mitre to dance against, and an inventive melody in the right for decoration.
The team discuss the different tempi that are associated with different steps, as some steps go hand in hand with different tempo, and listen out for David’s “preparing the undercarriage to land”!
Listen to this episode where the team talk in depth about pirouettes! David, the podcast ballet expert breaks down a pirouette exercise into its basic form, and teaches the importance of ‘spotting’ to aid multiple turns, and arm positions to help with the balance.
The pianists talk about what types of music you can use for pirouettes and the listener will learn that there are many styles that can be used for this exercise with varying accent. The most common style of music generally used is the waltz, but you can play mazurkas, landlers, jazz waltzes, Viennese waltzes and many more.
The team talk about the importance of tempo and mitre and how pirouettes are quite rhythmical, and how adhering to a strict rhythm and obedience with the music will help the dancer achieve better pirouettes.
David asks the pianists about the necessary stamina required at this point of the class to play big and support the dancers, having played for an hour up to this point, and the pianists digress onto ballet class etiquette and all the variables that can affect the way you play for class.
The pianists get cheeky talking about ways in which they draw attention to themselves as a live pianist to politely remind dancers to comply with class etiquette.
This is the first episode in the series where the team have recorded separately in lockdown. The vocals have cleverly been mixed together by Chris Hobson. This is due to the global pandemic of Covid-19. We hope the quality has not been compromised too much!
The team quickly address the current climate of Corona Virus and briefly discuss how they are still able to keep producing episodes remotely through the wonders of modern technology, and how they are coping with the self-isolation individually.
As usual, the team throw to David initially to talk about the similarities and differences between the barre adage and centre adage, and how in the centre there are very little restrictions because there is no barre, and more space to move and exploit all directions and lines possible. David also reveals how he loves the music to be slightly grander than the barre adage.
The team also discuss the steps that can be included in the adage as a way of preparing for turns and jumps that happen later in class. For example, promenades in the adage become pirouettes in those positions, and jumps such as fouetté sauté can be rehearsed slowly in the adage.
For music, the team all agree in this episode that the quality of the adage music in the centre is similar to that of the barre adage, namely slow, legato, full textured, and sensitive to the choreography.
The pianists talk about how they accompany the centre adage in a different way than they would the barre adage, with more sensitivity to the individual dancer’s wants and needs as they stand unaided in the centre, and perhaps need more space in the music.
Listen out for the metaphor of Haagen Dazs ice cream, whereby you save it for a special occasion and it should be luxurious and used sparingly and expensively.
In this episode, David discusses the importance of barre work and how it prepares the dancer for the centre, and how many of the steps and exercises from the barre can be done in the centre.
The team also talk about the centre work being more performance based as if being on stage, with the freedom to move and change direction and transfer weight.
As with most of the barre exercises, the pianists discuss the importance of playing with a little rubato as you begin to accompany dancers in the centre, helping them achieve the steps and exercises without the constraint of music in a strict metre.
The pianists also reveal to the listeners some of the tricks they use to keep their repertoire fresh and interesting, and to avoid repeating themselves musically, along with some funny anecdotes as usual.
David poses many questions to the three pianists, about how they keep the flow of class going through the musical interpretation, what they think about when they aren’t playing, ways to keep the dancers entertained and inspired, as well as personal challenges involving technique and broadening repertoire.
We learn from this episode how mischievous Chris can be during class, always pushing the envelope and testing the teachers and dancers, to keep them listening and learning!
In this episode, David Yow talks us through what dancers experience as they transfer from barre to centre, with this first exercise which is a centre port de bras.
He educates us on the literal translation of port de bras, and how port de bras enhances the footwork to create a complete look for ballet. David teaches verbally how to find the basic arm positions, and talks through some standard port de bras sequences.
The pianists discuss how they adapt their repertoire for this particular exercise and how they sensitively help dancers find coordination, épaulement, and head alignment through music.
The podcast team reference the late Sir Fredrick Ashton, who was famous for port de bras and David uses a ‘tree trunk’ analogy to explain how imperative the back is for aiding port de bras.
Musically, the pianists discuss their different approaches to this exercise, and listen out for some anomalies, such as unusual introductions, and even a Mazuka for port de bras!
Listen to this episode where we celebrate reaching the last barre exercise, and lift the lid on Grand Battement and Grand Battement en cloche!
In this episode David gives a brief lesson on the difference between Grand Battement and the en cloche, and gives an example of how he would sing this exercise when he’s setting it for the dancers and pianist.
Listen to the three pianists as they discuss what they are looking for and listening for so they can choose the correct piece of music, and the importance of two very different tempi depending on where the accent is placed.
The podcast team then discuss some of the celebrations and the pitfalls of Grand Battement and how they help the dancers complete their barre successfully and get ready for the centre.
Listen out for the “gun shot” analogy and other comical anecdotes from the team.
In this episode we're lifting the lid Adage and Rond De Jambe En L'air. We talk about being indulgent and inspirational, what we love to play, why we love to play it and more!
This week we're lifting the lid on the frappe exercise. We're striking the match on quick codas, 2/4 and occasionally tarantella. As always #DavidYowOfInstagram explains how this exercise is put together, its purpose and the choreographic intricacies. As usual we'll deviate from the subject matter slightly and open up the floor to each other for questions, queries and stories - and also a chance for Chris to confess his love of 80s music and TV themes!
From the bottom of our hearts, we hope that this email finds you and yours in good health. In the latest of our pre-recorded podcasts, we’re bringing you our discussion on Fondu.
We describe this in many different ways - the eloquent #DavidYowOfInstagram describes it as melting chocolate over ice cream, Matt describes it as sensual, Akiko describes it as spacious and Chris describes it as ‘when sex first comes into the ballet class musically’. We talk about how a fondu can be sexy because the musicality and the movement is unlike something that we’ve had yet during the class.
After talking through how you perform the exercise as a dancer, why a habanera and not a tango is what we want - conversation wander into our ‘greatest hits’ and for once stay pretty much focused on the podcast episode subject!
We hope you enjoy this episode and hope that you stay happy, healthy, and safe.
With all our love,
Chris, Matt, Akiko and David. xx
StayAtHome
In this weeks episode we’re lifting the lid on Rond De Jambe à Terre. We know that rond de Jambe means rounding of the leg but there’s so much more to the exercise than this. We introduce a port de bra and a balance on the end and discuss how you can support this musically through time signatures, melodies, accompaniment and of course - humour.
Further discussions include confusion between dominant and tonic cadence when a tutor once thought Akiko said gin and tonic and realising that Chris and Akiko both initially learnt ballet terminology behind the piano using a free app downloaded from the internet! All that and more in this weeks episode.
In this episode we're lifting the lid on Glissé and Jeté. We also throw in pique for good measure. Glissé and Jeté are the first exercise where quicker tempo and accents meet in a beautifully crispy, quick and fun exercise. We also discuss how teachers can use pianists experience and musical knowledge and pianists being the unsung hero in a ballet class!
All that and more on this episode.
In this episode we're talking about the minefield that is the tendu exercise. We o-en up about our favourite musical styles, David talks us through how he would set the exercise and we all chat about being indulgent to support the tenduness of a tendu exercise.
When one thinks of ballet - one of the first movements that would come to mind is a plié. However - what is it? What is its purpose? Should it be on a 3/4 or a 4/4 and find out why Chris is having an affair with this particular exercise. All that and move in this episode of the Ballet Piano Podcast.
We discuss the first exercise of virtually any ballet class - Warm Up. Why is it so scary and why are there so many variations on a theme with this exercise? What music would you play and how would you approach it musically? We discuss all this and more in this episode of the Ballet Piano Podcast.
Welcome to the Ballet Piano Podcast. On our first episode we say hello and talk about how we became ballet pianists.