Welcome to the Collaborative Piano Blog

Whether you've made your way to this site via a search engine, a link from another site, or are visiting directly, welcome! My name is Chris Foley and I'm a pianist, teacher, and blogger who lives in Toronto. If you would like to read more about me, please check out my bio for more information.

I started this site in November 2005 to highlight the life, opportunities, basic knowledge, and career issues of the collaborative pianist, subjects I felt had been largely ignored on the internet until then. Collaborative piano, a term first used by pianist Samuel Sanders, encompasses the field of expertise previously known as piano accompanying.

In case you are new to the Collaborative Piano Blog, there are a number of ways to access the articles and links I have posted. Via the sidebar, you can check out a number of my previous articles on subjects such as piano playing and collaborative piano, grab some scores at Sheet Music Plus, and watch some cool videos. Scroll down to the bottom of any page and you can find blogs by other writers, see what's happening in the classical music blogosphere, or see what else I'm up to via FriendFeed. The search box on the top of the sidebar will also redirect you to what you may be looking for.

If you are enjoying this site and wish to receive updates without returning here all the time, you might be interested in subscribing to my site's RSS feed, either through a feed reader or via email.

I would also like to hear from you regarding the kinds of things you would like me to mention on this blog. Feel free to comment on articles (notice the comment button at the bottom of each article) or email me at collaborative piano {at} gmail dot com.

Thanks for visiting The Collaborative Piano Blog!

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Tin Alley String Quartet Wins Banff Competition

Congratulations to Melbourne's Tin Alley String Quartet for winning the 2007 Banff International String Quartet Competition. Comprised of violinists Kristian Winther, Lerida Delbridge, violist Justin Williams, and cellist Michelle Wood, the quartet will share the $20,000 first prize, tour North America and Europe, and record a CD at the Banff Centre. CBC Radio 2's Concerts on Demand has has recordings of all three performances, as well as performances of the other finalists on the concert archive.

National Singer Training Forum This October in NYC

Anne Choe, Artistic Services Manager of OPERA America, sends the following open letter about the upcoming National Singer Training Program to be held October 13, 2007 in New York City.

Dear Singer Training Professionals,

As you know, opera is a highly competitive field. Less than 5% of the singers who apply to the Houston Grand Opera, Metropolitan Opera, and San Francisco Opera young artist programs are accepted. While talent and solid vocal technique are foremost requirements, there is an array of other factors that contribute to the success of an opera singer. As experts in the field of vocal pedagogy and singing techniques you are a young singer's best resource for career advice, but how do you find the information to relay about their life beyond the voice studio?

OPERA America recently formed the National Singer Training Forum, an action oriented think-tank which is comprised of stakeholders in the field of opera (including voice teachers, young artist program managers, opera company administrators, and artist managers, among others) who are dedicated to the identification and development of aspiring singers. The Forum meets twice each year for extended facilitated discussion organized around specific topics. The objective is to strengthen mutual understanding, improve practices across the field, and encourage collaboration among the network of professionals who share a devotion to the art form.

We invite you to audit the discussion on October 13, 2007 in New York, NY. There is a $35.00 registration fee to audit the discussion. The registration fee includes a continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and a special 6-month trial subscription to Opera Source - OPERA America's comprehensive, online career resource for administrators, singers, technical/production professionals, teachers, and all creative and performing opera artists.

Please contact me via e-mail at AChoe [at] operaamerica dot org or call 212-796-8620 ext. 202 to register. Space is limited, so please register by September 14, 2007.

F. Paul Driscoll wrote about the National Singer Training Forum in a recent issue of Opera News. "A stimulating dialogue on the critical issues surrounding singer training has been inaugurated by Opera America, the national service organization for opera. In response to concerns voiced by academic institutions and by opera companies - and as part of its commendable ongoing mission to foster a sense of community within a highly competitive field - Opera America created the National Singer Training Forum. At Forum meetings in spring and autumn 2006, participants discussed ways in which stakeholder organizations in the opera field - teachers, companies, schools, artist managements - could work together to resolve issues, create change and advance shared goals. The Forum has recommended several action plans, including creating professional development programs to enrich voice teachers' understanding of the challenges facing today's emerging artists. Last month, Des Moines Metro Opera and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) offered a weekend workshop for voice teachers that provided its participants with insights about the demands of the Des Moines young-artist program and other intensive singer-training regimens. The next meeting of the National Singer Training Forum will take place in autumn 2007 in New York. In collaboration with NATS, voice teachers and singers will be invited to audit sections of the NSTF meeting and ask questions about terminology, concepts and partnerships. The discussion is sure to be lively, passionate and partisan - as any discussion about opera should be. "

I look forward to seeing you this fall.

Labor Day Links

Although I'm sure absolutely nobody is thinking about anything work- or practice-related on Labor Day, here are some links that will help you get back into the swing of things when you do decide to get back to work in a day or so.

Joshua Nemith has written the definitive guide on Post-Vacation Practice Sessions and how best to ease back into an effective practice routine.

In case you're new to a collegiate music program, Kate Boyd offers some Tips for First-Year Music Students.

Zen Habits discusses How to Learn More and Study Less.

Read Pliable's posting about the music of Bach's distant cousin Johann Ludwig.

Charles Noble in Portland, Kyle Gann in Bangor (Wales, not Maine) and Alex Ross in Banff offer some insights on late August concerts.

Thinking of starting a blog this fall? Darren Rowse talks about beginning blogging tips if you're starting out and productivity tips to stay on track once you're underway.

And finally, a very happy blog birthday to Michelle Bennett's A Singer's Life, which turns 1 this September.

Huge List of Classical Music Organizations in the Toronto Area

Here is a listing of classical music organizations, ensembles, publications, and presenters located in and around Toronto. Since the field of classical music is a constantly growing and changing, I will add and modify this list continually over the next few weeks and months. If you have an ensemble that should be included in the list or notice an incorrect link to one of these organizations, please email me at collaborative piano [at] gmail dot com. Best wishes to everyone for a successful and profitable 2007-08 concert season!


A

Academy Concert Series
aimtoronto
All The King's Voices
The Aldeburgh Connection
Alicier Arts Chamber Music
Alliance for Canadian New Music Projects
Amadeus Choir of Greater Toronto
Amici Chamber Ensemble
Les Amis Concerts
Arcadia Ensemble
Arraymusic
The Art of Time Ensemble
The Arts & Letters Club of Toronto
Atelier S

B

Bach Children's Chorus
Bell'Arte Singers
Borderless Song

C

CBC Radio 2
Canadian Children's Opera Chorus
Canadian Contemporary Music Workshop
Canadian Electronic Ensemble
Canadian Music Centre
The Canadian Opera Company
Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra
Classical 96.3FM
Contact Contemporary Music
Continuum Contemporary Music
Counterpoint Community Orchestra

E

Echo Women's Choir
Esprit Orchestra
Etobicoke Centennial Choir
Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra
Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan

F

I Furiosi

G

Glass Orchestra
The Guitar Society of Toronto

H

Hannaford Street Silver Band
Harbourfront Centre

L

Luminato

M

The Madawaska String Quartet
Mooredale Concerts
The Music Gallery
Music on the Hill
Music Toronto
The Musicians in Ordinary

N

The Nathaniel Dett Chorale
New Music Concerts
Nexus Percussion Ensemble
The North York Concert Orchestra
Nuit Blanche Toronto

O

Oakville Chamber Orchestra
The Oakville Symphony Orchestra
Off-centre Music Salon
Opera Atelier
Opera in Concert
Opera Jeunesse
Opera York
Orchestras Mississauga
Orchestra Toronto
Organix
Oriana Women's Choir
Orpheus Choir of Toronto

P

The Parkdale Revolutionary Orchestra
Pax Christi Chorale
Prince Edward County Music Festival

Q

Queen of Puddings Music Theatre

R

The Royal Conservatory of Music

S

Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra
Sinfonia Toronto
Soundstreams Canada
Sound Travels

T

Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Choir
Talisker Players Chamber Music
Tapestry New Opera Works
Toca Loca
TO Live With Culture
Toronto Bach Festival
Toronto Chamber Choir
Toronto Children's Chorus
The Toronto Consort
The Toronto Early Music Centre
Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
Toronto Opera Repertoire
Toronto Operetta Theatre
Toronto Philharmonia
Toronto Sinfonietta
Toronto Summer Music Festival & Academy
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
The Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto
Toronto Wind Orchestra
Tryptych Productions

V

Via Salzburg
Victoria Scholars

W

Whole Note Magazine
Women's Musical Club of Toronto

Y

York University Department of Music

Bathroom Divas Alumni: Laura Landauer's Celine Speaks Featured in Globe and Mail

Fans of the second season of Bathroom Divas will remember Laura Landauer, the Celine/Cher/Elvis impersonator who was one of the final four singers on the show. This spring, Laura collaborated with playwright Sue Miner to write Celine Speaks, which showed in July at the Toronto Fringe.

Today's Globe and Mail features an article by Kamal Al-Solaylee on the phenomenon of Celine worship and two Canadian plays on the subject that have premiered this summer--Miner and Landauer's Celine Speaks as well as Saving Celine by playwright Mark Watty, currently showing at Montreal's Mainline Theatre.

Top Posts in August

Here are the 10 most frequently viewed posts in August 2007:

• Richard Bradshaw Remembered
• The Extreme Piano Guide, or 30+1 Ideas to Improve your Practice Time
• 10 ways of improving your sight reading skills
• The 5 C's of Learning Piano Technique
• 30+1 Ways To Help You Memorize Music Flawlessly
• 8 Ways to Improve Your Marks in RCM/NMCP Piano Examinations
• The Top 50 Classical Music RSS Feeds on Bloglines
• Degree Programs in Collaborative Piano
• What is Collaborative Piano?
• Required and Preferred Skills for the Collaborative Pianist