Concert Pianist & Trinity School Teacher | Advanced Piano Lessons in London on a Grand Piano

Find out more about Nicolas

• 1) When did you first develop a passion for music and your favourite instrument?

  1)I started playing the piano when I was seven, but I think I truly fell in love with it when I was around thirteen. It was almost like falling asleep: I never realised exactly when or how it happened. I simply reached a point where I knew I could not imagine my life without the piano. From then on, it became much more than an instrument, it became a way of thinking, expressing myself and understanding music.

• 2) Is there a particular type of music or artist that you listen to on a loop without it driving you crazy?

  2)Brahms would probably be my answer. His music never ceases to touch me, even after years of playing and listening to it. I find that I discover something different every time I return to it. There is an incredible combination of intimacy, depth, richness and structure in his music that I find endlessly fascinating.

• 3) Explain to us the most difficult or riveting course you could personally give to a student of music.

  3)One of the most challenging and rewarding things for me is when a student brings a piece they have been playing for a long time and have almost stopped being interested in. Rather than simply moving on, I like to find ways of looking at the piece from a completely different perspective: exploring new ideas, colours, characters and possibilities in the music.
  I think one of the greatest challenges in music is learning to move outside what we already know and what has become comfortable. Sometimes a piece that seems completely familiar can suddenly become exciting again when you learn to see it differently.

• 4) What do you think is the most complicated instrument to master and why?

  4)I would say the piano. We often think of it as one of the easiest instruments to start because you can press a key and immediately produce a sound. But that is also what makes it so demanding. The real challenge is learning to control every aspect of that sound, the touch, colour, articulation, balance and timing, so that the physical movements become completely natural and expressive. The piano is deceptively simple at first and endlessly complex at the highest level.

• 5) What are your keys to success?

  5)Engagement, passion and consistency. You need to be genuinely interested in what you are doing, passionate enough to keep going when something is difficult, and consistent enough to turn good intentions into real progress. I also believe that enjoying the process is essential: progress comes much more naturally when you are curious about the music.

• 6) Name three musicians you dream of meeting in your favourite bar in the early hours of the morning. Explain why.

  6)Hans Zimmer, Daniel Barenboim and Sergei Prokofiev. Apart from their extraordinary musical achievements, all three are incredibly intelligent individuals who used their intellect, imagination and curiosity to build very distinctive careers.
  
  I would love to ask Hans Zimmer how he thinks about sound, storytelling and emotion outside the traditional concert world.
  
  Daniel Barenboim has had an extraordinary life in music as both a pianist and conductor, and I could probably talk to him about music for hours.
  
  And Sergei Prokofiev, if we could somehow bring him back for one evening! His personality, imagination and completely distinctive musical language fascinate me. I would particularly love to ask him what he really thought about the pianists who played his music.

• 7) Provide a valuable anecdote related to music or your days at music school.

  7)I once played a concert at a university and, before starting, somehow forgot to check that the wheels of the piano were properly secured. A few minutes into the performance, I realised that the piano was very slowly moving away from me!
  
  It was a slightly surreal experience, but also a good reminder that as musicians we can become so focused on the big things: the music, the interpretation, the performance; that we sometimes forget the very small practical details. Since then, I have developed a much greater appreciation for checking everything before sitting down at the piano!

• 8) What are the little touches that make you a Superprof in music?

  8)Flexibility, empathy and a lot of energy. Every student is different, so I try to understand how they learn, what motivates them and what they want to achieve rather than using exactly the same approach with everyone. At the same time, I bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm to lessons. Whether someone is preparing for an important audition or simply wants to play better for their own enjoyment, I want them to leave the lesson feeling that they have genuinely discovered something new.