Leamington Spa Piano Teacher – Michael Barker

La settimana was composed in the week beginning on Thursday 12th November 2020, and published in December 2020. The piece heavily references the style of the influential pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi. While each piece within the set of seven can be played individually, La settimana tells a single unified story. A complete performance lasts around 32 minutes. Watch me play it on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/LpVGvN_hAi4

Three virtuoso pieces composed in 2019: “Re and Mi” is a love story between the 2nd and 3rd degress of the scale; “Study in G” is a preparatory piece for students wishing to take on Chopin’s Ab major “Aeolian Harp” etude; “Another Study in G” was a commission for a ballet piece, reinvented as a solo piano work.

A standalone showpiece, “Glenapp Castle” was inspired by the building and grounds of the same name in Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland. The piece requires quite advanced technique (diploma level) including the ability to gliss in both directions on the black keys. A video of the composer playing “Glenapp Castle” is on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/7opwY1Pg9ms

Completed in December 2019. Playing well in this style requires reasonably advanced technique (around grade 8) and strong pedal control. There are videos of the composer playing these pieces on Youtube … Nocturne no.1 in Bb minor at: https://youtu.be/F7VBSfcRHls Nocturne no.2 in B minor at: