Piano music, performance and composition all came into a ‘Golden Age’ during the Long Nineteenth Century (Hamilton, 2007). There was an undeniable goldrush across all areas of pianism, from pedagogy, performance practices of the piano as a solo and chamber instrument, to the role and identity of the pianist shifting from pianist-composer to idol and entertainer. Not only during the nineteenth century was there a burst of activity, but contemporary scholarship has similarly blossomed around this period of the piano’s history (Timbrell, 2006). Performers and musicologists alike are drawn to the changing notion of pianism that came from the nineteenth century. The effect it had on methods of composition, performance, and pedagogy – without reference to the technological aspects of the period – are immense (Gooley, 2004; Samson, 2003).
This virtual conference brings together the expertise of performers, researchers, and pedagogues, and attempts to answer why the late nineteenth century was such a flourishing time in the history of pianism. While there are many texts that investigate individual elements of pianism, there are few that invest all the changing aspects of pianism. This day attempts to bring scholars together with the immense knowledge of performers and pedagogues. By inviting various experts to discuss pianism during the late nineteenth century, we aim to unite scholars, performers and teachers under the umbrella of ‘research’ and create space for further interdisciplinary investigation into this topic.
The conference will feature papers from:
- Professor Natasha Loges (Royal College of Music)
- Professor Neal Peres Da Costa (Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney)
- Dr Anna Scott (Leiden University)
- Professor Dana Gooley (Brown University),
And interviews with distinguished pianists:
- Professor Vanessa Latarche (Royal College of Music)
- Danny Driver (Royal College of Music), and
- Stephen Hough
Further names will be announced soon!
Papers and interviews will be available to delegates online a week prior online, with a the event culminating in a Live Q&A on 4th March, 4pm British Standard Time. For further details, please visit the registration page, email ellen.falconer@rcm.ac.uk, or tweet us @Pianism19C #19CPianism #Pianism19C