Episode 69 – It’s Not About the MoneyWelcome back to Piano, finally, the podcast of one bloke learning piano later in life. This week’s episode was planned and drafted on the train to Sydney—an unusually productive commute at $6.90 each way!🎧 YouTube and Podcast – 19th International Chopin CompetitionStage One of the 19th International Chopin Competition has finished, with forty pianists progressing to the next round. I’m following Anthony Ratinov, runner-up in Miami and a recent guest on Ben Laude’s Late Cho(pin). You can catch his first-round performance here, and find more interviews and highlights on the Chopin Institute YouTube channel. For extra insight, check out Ben Laude’s Patreon recaps and a short discussion between Ben and Ratinov here.📝 Essay – It’s Not About the MoneySome approach music as a business, others as a passion. I fall into the latter group. While lessons, instruments, and concert tickets all cost money, for most of us learning later in life, the goal isn’t profit—it’s progress. Playing music for joy rather than financial return changes how we value practice and performance. Attending concerts, connecting with like-minded people, and encouraging students to pursue music for its own sake all reinforce the same truth: music’s real worth isn’t measured in dollars.🎼 Review – Piano Glory Music FolderLike Bill Hilton, I’ve rediscovered the benefits of paper scores. Digital versions are convenient, but writing on real paper feels more connected. Enter Piano Glory, a Sydney-based company creating sturdy music folders that hold pages without plastic sleeves—no reflections, easy annotations, and durable construction. Each folder holds up to forty pages, includes adhesive tabs and a pencil holder, and stays open on the stand. Not cheap, but beautifully designed and worth it. Check out Bill Hilton’s video that inspired the switch here.🎶 Coming UpNext week: the Blue Mountains Musical Society’s production of Legally Blonde (details here), and I’ll be starting the new term with Devi, tackling more Grade One pieces. Also, if you’re near the Blue Mountains, catch Devi performing later this month with the Khyal Trio (event info).The contents of this podcast were entirely generated by a human. These show notes, however, were created by ChatGPT.Send me a text message.You can contact me: via email at [email protected]; this is probably the best option the show website, www.pianofinally.show Instagram and Threads @pianofinally and on YouTube all the podcast directories - list here's the RSS feed Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast are affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

Ver todos los episodios