Healthy Piano Playing
with Penelope Roskell
Penelope Roskell
Penelope Roskell is an international concert pianist and professor of piano at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She is the U.K.’s foremost piano teacher specialising in pianists’ injuries, having worked in this field for over thirty years. She is the Piano Advisor for the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) where she runs a cross-disciplinary pianists’ clinic with hand surgeon Mr Mark Phillips.
Penelope has written a major book on healthy piano playing The Complete Pianist: from healthy technique to natural artistry (published by Peters Edition, February 2020). Read more about it here.
Please note: Penelope is a pianist and piano teacher with many years' experience of working with injured musicians. She is not medically qualified. In the event of an injury, always consult a medical professional, preferably one with experience in working with musicians.
Piano Courses
Penelope teaches a wide range of courses, both in London and outside London through established venues like Pianissimi, Benslow, Chethams and Finchcocks.
She runs courses at her London Studio for pianists with small hands, advanced courses, courses for piano teachers and healthy piano playing.
Piano lessons
Penelope offers private piano lessons to individuals at her home in Stoke Newington, north-east London. Lessons normally last one hour and a half at a time to suit. She is able to offer lessons on Skype when travelling to London is not possible.
Penelope is also available to give consultation lessons to anyone seeking advice regarding lessons, teachers, courses, injuries, physical tension, applications to music colleges, repertoire, diplomas.
The Complete Pianist
The Complete Pianist: from healthy technique to natural artistry
Published by Edition Peters. The Complete Pianist covers all aspects of piano technique including posture, finger touch and tone production, chords, octaves, rotation, lateral movements. Also included are sections on mental preparation, effective practice, sight reading, memorizing; phrasing, rhythm, articulation, sound, pedalling, injury prevention and performance anxiety.
The book is suitable for pianists of all levels, from beginner-intermediate to professional performers and teachers. The book will be available initially as a print version with online videos demonstrating the techniques discussed.
Containing more than 500 pages of text, 300 videos performed by Penelope herself, and 250 newly-devised exercises, this is the most comprehensive book ever written on piano playing.
Available from 20 February 2020.
Yoga for Musicians
Penelope’s Yoga for Musicians DVD offers advice on warming up, sitting, use of the arms and shoulder, general muscular balance and relaxation.
You can now buy and watch my videos: Yoga for Musicians online with the Practising the Piano - Online Academy.
Reviews:
"In this DVD Penelope Roskell comes across as speaking with the authority of genuine personal experience and long and sincere study of her material"
Piano Professional
"This is a terrific DVD. Whether you’re a student or a seasoned pro, it will pay for itself immeasurably in freedom from aches, pains and tiredness. A remarkable source of information for all musicians"
Muso
The Art of Piano Fingering
The Art of Piano Fingering contains unique and enlightening explanations of how to finger in the most natural, ergonomic way to achieve melodic fluency and evenness. Entirely new fingerings are suggested for many scales and arpeggios. Essential reading for all pianists, piano teachers and piano students.
Reviews:
"A mammoth undertaking is displayed by Penelope Roskell… she goes deeply and intelligently way beyond any point reached before, carefully considering the practicalities and alternatives, laying ground rules, giving copious examples from the great pianists. I like the presentation, the premise and the price."
Classical Piano
