playing works I love by other composers fuels my own desire to compose; and I feel that composing gives me an insight into the creative process that informs my choices when I play music by other composers
Author: The Cross-Eyed Pianist
Frances Wilson is a pianist, writer, music and arts reviewer, music PR, and blogger on classical music and pianism under the pen name 'The Cross-Eyed Pianist'
Lara Martins, soprano
My greatest challenge is probably having the ability – and the desire – to embrace wildly different repertoires and styles. The performing arts world loves categories and labels, but I resist being pigeonholed and constantly push the boundaries of what I sing. I am equally comfortable singing cabaret in an intimate music venue, arias in an opera gala, musical theatre on the West End stage, or contemporary music with a sixty- piece orchestra!
Alison Balsom, trumpeter
Keep listening to live music and going to concerts to remind you why this is such a brilliant, powerful, relevant, important, beautiful thing in a human’s life and why you should keep on searching for those memorable, spine tingling occurrences.
Nikolay Medvedev, pianist
Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music and who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life
Antoine Préat, pianist
I try to keep things as varied as possible (for my own sake). It’s very important to me to present programmes that make sense as a whole, with some kind of logic, and which provide continuity to the listener. I mostly pick works that I feel very strongly about when it comes to performing: there are many works I love that do not love me back!
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