Recent years have seen a real boom in online music learning platforms, and for good reason. 

Websites such as Zebra Keys, GuitarCompass, and InsidePiano have made it easier than ever for people to pick up valuable music skills from the comfort of their own homes, at their own pace and convenience. Compared to in-person practice sessions, remote lessons are also considered a more affordable option for learning how to play an instrument.

Founded in 2017, tonebase (and yes, it’s written with a small t) leans on the familiar concept of simple, easy-to-follow video-based instrument lessons. But, it also adds a Masterclass-esque twist; all the lessons in its library come from world-class experts. The platform has every right to boast when it comes to its line-up of instructors, which includes Philadelphia Orchestra’s concertmaster David Kim, Debussy connoisseur Jean-Yves Thibadeut, and guitar legend Pepe Romero — to name just a few. 

This “all-star” approach is a lot more than just an attention-grabber; it’s at the very core of tonebase’s mission statement. In the words of the platform’s co-founder Igor Lichtman, tonebase aims “to democratize high-level music education around the world”.

In this review, we’ll cover tonebase’s core features and major benefits, the platform’s ease of use, and pricing options, as well as list some user testimonials.

Table of contents:

1. Essential features and benefits
2. Ease of use
3. Pricing packages
4. User reviews and testimonials
5. Review summary

Tonebase: The Essential Features and Benefits

Back in 2017, tonebase started out as a classical guitar learning platform. Today, its extensive library covers lessons on piano, violin, and cello as well.

The platform hosts over a thousand video lessons on how to play these instruments, covering essential playing techniques and interpretation tips. 

Organized into courses, these lessons are made with various skill levels in mind; however, most of tonebase’s library will best serve intermediate and advanced players, not beginners. This is because many of the lessons presume the user already has a working knowledge of the instrument and technical skills of at least intermediate capacity. While the platform certainly also offers instructional material to help aspiring musicians build their skills from scratch, that kind of foundational work is much harder to successfully deliver and implement remotely. 

Still, those looking to iron out their technique will find plenty of useful guides for that, with core exercises such as scales, arpeggios, and etudes.

So, to get the best possible results out of tonebase, we recommend already having a grasp of your chosen instrument and an idea of the general direction you want to develop in. Then, you’ll be able to derive a ton of value from the platform’s experts’ talks, as artists such as Garrick Ohlsson and Augustin Hadelich share insightful tips and quality advice that can help you elevate your understanding of your instrument, or of a certain composer’s work. 

For example, we’re big fans of Sahel Redzic’s talk on Bach’s Cello Suite no. 1:

To learn more about tonebase’s guitar instructors and some of the best lessons there, check out our review of tonebase’s guitar course offer.

Smartly, tonebase has avoided becoming a classical-only learning platform. 

While the majority of the teachers on tonebase do focus on exploring pieces by Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven, the platform also offers interesting courses on how to play music outside the purview of the classical canon. Led by renowned artists like Laura Snowden and Gilles Apap, these lessons introduce users to extended techniques and unique styles associated with folk musics from around the world: from Irish fiddle to Spanish flamenco.

Try tonebase for yourself and get 30% off with our exclusive promo code: MORDENTS

Extra features

Apart from the video lessons themselves, tonebase also offers additional content to its users. This includes:

• piano, guitar, and violin focused blogs,
• piano and guitar focused podcasts,
• score libraries,
• lesson notes with key exercises and essential takeaways,
• and workbooks about topics ranging from tips on playing scales and arpeggios to pre-performance checklists.

Tonebase also pays special attention to nurturing and growing its online community. The platform’s instructors regularly host AMAs, and there are also live workshops and group challenges focused on studying pillars of classical repertoire – such as, for example, Bach’s Goldberg Variations. 

Find out more what tonebase’s piano lessons are all about in our review of tonebase for piano.

Finally, another thing that makes tonebase stand out from its competition is the friendliness of the website’s design.

Tonebase Ease of Use

Contrary to some other music education websites, tonebase’s user interface feels fresh, modern, and easy to understand. 

Each lesson is delivered through an interactive video; the right-hand side of the screen shows the score, while you can follow the instructor’s talk on the left. The videos also allow you to zoom in on the score or individual parts, take notes, or add bookmarks to important points.

Here is a snapshot of how it works and looks:

Special care has also been devoted to the lessons’ audio production. The crisp recordings of the instructors’ playing demonstrate a clear understanding of the importance of the course’s quality of sound. 

Take this lesson excerpt as an example:

Read more about tonebase for violin in our review of the platform’s violin courses.

Pricing Packages

Tonebase’s pricing comes in 3 subscription packages: Monthly ($49.95/month), Yearly ($24.95/month), and Lifetime (one-time payment of $695). There is a 14-day free trial available.

Subscriptions can be canceled at any time. However, the platform currently does not offer partial refunds on Yearly or Lifetime memberships after the 14-day free trial period.

Sign up now and get a 30% discount on your subscription with our promo code: MORDENTS

User Testimonials

Tonebase’s website already spotlights some of their most shining reviews – and you can check them all out right there. However, we also wanted to take a peek at what people in other corners of the web are saying, as well. 

Here’s what we found:

“Tonebase channel has been an amazing recent discovery. The amount of musical insight available here is astounding.” – sehetw, Twitter

“Tonebase has some really good videos. As a professional, I’m constantly revisiting basics and always honing in on little issues – and a lot of the basics videos are really great – especially as my teaching career gets deeper and deeper.” – Astrnougat, r/violinist

“I’ve just signed up and so far I’m really happy with the quality and variation of the videos. There’s a good range of players and composers to learn from. I’m a more advanced player and have already started on changes to my playing technique, phrasing and understanding of pieces. Would recommend.” – Calvin Beadle, Facebook

“Beautifully explained and so helpful for someone like me who has struggled with the guitar for 40 years !” – Sean Kavanagh, YouTube

“I’ve been a tonebase subscriber for about the past year or so. It is a fantastic platform in my opinion. They have an impressive roster of performers/educators. Some of the lessons are masterclasses and some of them are just tutorials on pieces by the performer. They regularly add new content. I particularly enjoy Garrick Ohlsson’s lessons.” – benjamink, Piano World Forum

“This is what a “masterclass” should be! Intimate, dynamic, and communicative. Not a “maestro” dictating to a muted student.” – stylewarning, YouTube

Tonebase Review Summary

• Tonebase offers over a thousand video lessons covering essential playing techniques, interpretation tips, and music theory for piano, guitar, and violin.
• The platform is best suited for intermediate and advanced players.
• The lessons are diverse, covering both classical and non-classical music.
• The website design is modern and user-friendly, with interactive videos that include a music score and presenter’s tape.
• Additional content includes blogs, podcasts, a score library, lesson notes, workbooks, and community forums.

Ready to try out tonebase for yourself and grow your music skills? Sign up now and get a discount on your subscription with our promo code: MORDENTS.

Since its launch in 2017, tonebase has produced hundreds of high-quality music lessons taught by professors from top schools. At its core, the platform’s mission is to democratize access to high-quality music education, by allowing users to attend lessons by teachers from some of the world’s most prestigious institutions: Juilliard, Yale, Eastman School of Music, and more.

But can it replace in-person learning?

In this tonebase review, we’ll be taking a look at the platform’s piano lessons, additional features, pricing and user testimonials.  

Continue reading to find out more about tonebase for piano – and get a subscription discount with our exclusive code: MORDENTS

Tonebase Piano Lessons: Features and Benefits

The platform’s lesson library currently offers more than 350 lessons for piano players. 

While tonebase’s intention is to provide useful content for musicians of all skill levels, the majority of the lessons are of intermediate and advanced difficulty. For example, some of the first videos that pop up when you look at the lesson library are lessons on pieces like Beethoven’s Sonata Pathetique, Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, and Chopin’s Ballades.

So keep in mind: If you’re looking for a place to start your journey in piano playing and music making in general, tonebase might not be the best choice for that. While there are some amazing lessons there on piano fundamentals, we wouldn’t recommend them as the actual place to start building out your technique. However, you can still use these courses to help you refine your playing.

Once you have a firm handle of the keyboard, tonebase becomes a great learning tool. People looking for virtual piano lessons for intermediate players, or some advanced piano lessons online, are sure to find quality material they can use on tonebase. You can use it to either learn new pieces from scratch, learn about pieces you already know from a different perspective, or brush up on your knowledge of music theory and history.

Tonebase’s lessons UI is extremely accessible, well thought out, and easy to use. Each lesson is presented through interactive video which combines the presenter’s tape on the left-hand side of the screen and the music score on the right. Throughout the lesson, you can adjust small details if necessary: zooming in on the score, individual parts, adding bookmarks to specific sections, or even taking notes. 

But the user-friendliness of the lessons’ interface would mean nothing without the quality of the lessons’ content. The most important value tonebase has for its users is the greatness of its teachers (the number of which is truly surprising at first look). 

The platform includes lessons by international piano masters such as Jean-Yves Thibadeut, Penelope Roskell, Leon Fleischer, Boris Berman, and Garrick Ohlsson – the only American pianist to have won First Prize at the International Chopin Competition.  

Through lessons spanning anywhere between 5 minutes and a full hour, these piano greats unlock, by way of both discussion and demonstration, secrets hiding behind the staples of classical piano repertoire. Highlights include Seymor Bernstein’s walkthrough through Schumann’s Album for the Young, Jean-Yves Thibadeut’s teachings on Debussy’s Preludes, and there is also, of course, a treasure trove of insights on the music of Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, Ravel, Scriabin… 

With the lesson library continuously being refreshed and updated, you are also hardly ever at risk of running out of learning material.

Finally, apart from the actual lessons themselves, tonebase also offers other, complementary resources: 

• a library of scores for most (not all) of the pieces discussed in their lessons,
• lesson notes containing essential exercises, custom assignments and summaries of key information, 
• and handy workbooks you can use to improve your technique, such as tips on pedal playing, or scales and arpeggios.

In addition to this, tonebase makes an effort to build a community for its users and teachers. There are regular live workshops, monthly AMAs by special guests, and community challenges centered around cornerstones of classical repertoire, like Brahms’s waltzes or Bach’s Goldberg Variations.

This makes the platform a rich resource for piano lovers. Its greatest value, of course, are still the video lessons – but there is also plenty of quality extra content to keep users occupied.

Psst – For those who want to explore what the tonebase platform has to offer in more detail, they also have a pretty cool YouTube channel. Check out this lovely lecture by the great Seymour Bernstein on playing Beethoven:

Tonebase Piano Lessons: Pricing and Value

Tonebase’s pricing comes in 3 subscription packages: Monthly ($49.95), Yearly ($24.95), and Lifetime (one-time payment of $695). There is a 14-day free trial available.

Subscriptions can be canceled any time. However, the platform currently does not offer partial refunds on Yearly or Lifetime memberships after the 14-day free trial period.

Sign up now and get 30% off your subscription with our exclusive promo code: MORDENTS

Tonebase Piano Lessons: Reviews and Testimonials

Of course, no one expects you to just take our word for it. 

In addition to the 5-star reviews you’ll find on tonebase’s website, we’ve also compiled some testimonials from other corners of the internet:

Tonebase channel has been an amazing recent discovery. The amount of musical insight available here is astounding.

sehetw, Twitter

I’ve been a tonebase subscriber for about the past year or so. It is a fantastic platform in my opinion. They have an impressive roster of performers/educators. Some of the lessons are masterclasses and some of them are just tutorials on pieces by the performer. They regularly add new content. I particularly enjoy Garrick Ohlsson’s lessons.

benjamink, Piano World Forum

This is what a “masterclass” should be! Intimate, dynamic, and communicative. Not a “maestro” dictating to a muted student.

stylewarning, YouTube

Tonebase Piano Lessons: Review Summary

Tonebase is a robust learning platform offering great and insightful virtual piano lessons for intermediate players, as well as advanced piano lessons online. 

Its 350+ lesson library helps pianists refine their technique and improve their understanding of a certain style or composition: from Baroque to 20th century music.

If you want to expand your repertoire, pick up some new tricks when it comes to your technique, or just like hearing interesting new insights from world-class performers and professors, we definitely recommend tonebase. The platform is unparalleled in the number of experts it hosts and the quality of the lessons they provide.

Get indispensable insights from the comfort of your home – use our special discount code MORDENTS for 30% off when you subscribe to tonebase.

Mordents Magazine: How do you manage to stay on top of things between a concert career, maintaining a YouTube channel, and a lively social media presence? What does your daily routine look like?

AyseDeniz: As a typical artist, I usually don’t have a set schedule as inspiration comes at random times. I absorb a lot of energy from people, so keeping up with my social media followers is a blessing – especially as I’m super lucky to have such amazing fans from all around the world who support me and send me words of encouragement. However, social media & content creation is also a curse as you’re always behind a screen, and it’s very overwhelming because our bodies are much more in need of real humans. Performing live is nothing compared to a digital stream. It’s like a zoom meeting vs. a real meeting. Which would you prefer?? I usually change my schedule according to the upcoming shows projects or interviews, and most other times, I create my own projects to keep being productive and paving my own path! When I have someone to help me, it’s the most amazing feeling – having a team member is such a great way to get work, especially if they are passionate and not money-oriented! I have given my entire life to music, so it’s quite hard for me not to be doing music – I need to force myself to get out of my studio!!

MM: Looking back at your early start at music, how do you feel now? When did you first realize music was the career path you wanted to take?

AD: I wanted to be a pianist at age six and always imagined traveling the world performing… I did that, and I think the younger me would be super psyched about the adult me! I still want to expand my horizon and get into various sectors, including film and tech, so stay tuned for my upcoming projects!

MM: Your experiments with genre-bending have led to you going viral and brought you international fame. What were some of the first rock albums you remember growing attached to?

AD: Definitely The Wall by Pink Floyd!! That’s it… so meaningful deep, and creative. I also loved Nevermind by Nirvana.

MM: A decade since Pink Floyd Lisztified, do you think things have changed in the world of classical music? Has the internet brought the world much-needed democratization of genres, or did it only enforce more divisions?

AD: Absolutely – I think the purists have realized classical music has to adapt to new technologies, and it cannot be contained in a locked history box. The classical musicians are some of the most creative and talented people I met, and it’s so lovely to see them use social media to reach audiences worldwide! I think that the internet definitely brought democratization; however, I wouldn’t say the same about the streaming platforms – They are exploiting artists, and it’s unfair to put a classical artist with a pop artist and pay them by popularity. It should not be a popularity but a quality game.

MM: What’s currently on your playlist?

AD: My composition “Home” questions the meaning of home – what is it? Is it a city, a family, a house, a culture?

MM: When did you first take an interest in composing?

AD: I was always composing as a kid – I’d mostly improvise and then create piano suites with stories and write pop songs when I fall in love… however I was always very shy and scared of showing them to people. I should’ve been braver, but when you study classical music, you’re already playing Mozart, Bach, Beethoven at 9-10 years old, and you have such a huge benchmark that it makes you intimidated! I only shared my compositions after many years – when I accidentally finished a recording session early and had extra time in the studio. I ended up creating the Earth Prelude album, and it went to the top 10 in UK and USA, and Turkey iTunes Charts! Then I realized I could be myself and people like me for my music too!

MM: Unlike most composers, you don’t hesitate to share your writing process. In what kind of way does sharing your work with other people stimulate your composing? Does feedback you get on social media influence the work in any way?

AD: Absolutely – I create all my projects according to my fans! The more I engage, the more satisfied and inspired I get – when I make music all alone in a room, it’s the most lonely feeling!

MM: Can you share some Turkish composers with our readers?

AD: I would say Ulvi Cemal Erkin, Fazil Say, Toygar Işıklı and Pinar Toprak for film scores.

MM: Let’s talk a little about those fantastic music videos filmed in Cappadocia. You shared a lot of the behind-the-scenes experience in your vlog. Looking back now, what was that whole adventure like for you?

AD: Cappadocia is my favorite place on Earth… it was a blessing to be able to film there. I want to do it again!! We took a digital grand to go over hills and got stuck many times… there was also a grand piano in a hotel there and it was great to perform there as you don’t ever see buildings – just caves! It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

MM: Can you tell us a little more about how the idea for the Borderless Piano project first came to be?

AD: During the pandemic, all my concerts got canceled, and I suddenly had so much time and thought – what can I do to give back to my fans so they can also start learning how to play the piano… as they’re all global I called it Borderless Piano Academy! I’m happy to give a discount to Mordents’ readers for BorderlessPiano – (info@borderlesspiano.com with “MordentsVIP” in email subject)

MM: What are you working on at the moment?

AD: I’m working on a new piano album of waltzes!!

Follow us for more

• Instagram
• Facebook

11.The piano from Casablanca movie — $3,410,000

The piano behind Ingrid Bergman’s famous “Play it, Sam” phrase in Casablanca, was auctioned for $3.4 million in 2014.

This iconic instrument played a major role in the classic 1942 film, standing at the center of Rick’s Café and serving as a hiding place for Humphrey Bogart’s “transit letters”. According to the auction announcement, the lid of the piano had been modified so that Bogart could easily hide the papers under it.

Painted with Moroccan motifs, the piano is a beautiful piece of film history – although we never had a chance to listen to its sound. Actor Dooley Wilson, who played Sam, didn’t know how to play the instrument, so he mimicked the hand movements on the keyboard while a real pianist played offscreen.

10. The Heintzman crystal piano — $3,220,000

As its name suggests, this transparent masterpiece is made entirely of crystal and was built exclusively to be played in large concert halls. It was presented to the whole world in 2008 during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, where it was performed in front of a worldwide audience of almost a billion people. Designed by Canadian piano maker Heintzman, this exceptionally crafted instrument was prematurely retired after its only performance and sold at auction to an anonymous bidder for $3.22 million.

9. The Steinway Pictures at an exhibition — $2,500,000

Currently the most expensive piano available on the market, this superb instrument was designed, painted, unveiled, and played by Steinway master craftsman Paul Wyse. Its $2.5 million price tag, though high, is justified by the luxurious details of this work of art. Completing this piano took four years, which is Steinway’s first art instrument inspired by an actual musical composition.

The name of the piano refers to the composition of the Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition. Each movement is a musical interpretation of a painting by Viktor Hartmann, Mussorgsky’s friend.

This piano masterpiece features these paintings as well as the portrait of the composer – Modest Mussorgsky himself. The piano legs are Russian cuckoo clocks while the custom bench seat is carved in a Russian medieval folk style. The piano’s white and gold color scheme perfectly exemplifies the Imperial Russian style.

8. The Steinway Fibonacci — $2,400,000

To celebrate Steinway’s production of the 600,000th piano, master craftsman Frank Pollaro has created this magnificent piano. The piano veneer depicts the iconic Fibonacci spiral, crafted entirely from six individual logs of Macassar ebony, creating a flowing design that represents the geometric harmony found in nature.

The lines of the Fibonacci spiral on the top of the piano lid are extended to its unique curved base. The faux ivory inlay adds a stunning effect to the design, which also features unique patinated bronze detailing. In total, more than 6,000 hours of work over four years have been devoted to the creation of the Fibonacci, from conception to completion. It’s a true work of art that even Fibonacci and Mr. Steinway would be proud of.

7. John Lennon’s Steinway — $2,100,000

Surprisingly, this piano is just a standard faded brown Steinway upright that has suffered cigarette burns over the years. Considering that the song Imagine was written using this exact piano, it has become a historical monument.

Although John Lennon originally paid £1000 for this piano, George Michael acquired it in 2000 after winning an outbid between the Oasis brothers and Robbie Williams. He ended up paying a staggering $2.1 million, which pretended to become the highest price ever for a piano in the Guinness Book of World Records.

6. The Steinway Red pops for (Red) — $1,925,000

Red is one of the most eye-catching and dramatic colors out there. Red and white color schemes have always been a synonym for richness and lavishness.

Bono, the lead singer of U2, is the inspiration for this piano. He wanted a two-tone masterpiece that would star in the (RED) auction held in New York in 2013. It was for a charity that aimed to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in Africa. Bono’s hunch proved right and this piano was the most expensive item at auction, bringing in a whopping $1.925 million for the charity.

5. The Steinway Sound of Harmony— $1,630,000

Worth $1.63 million, this piano took four years to build, as it was specially designed for a Chinese art collector named Guo Qingxiang.

This eccentric design contains 40 different types of wood, ranging from ebony, rosewood to ash, which makes the sound of the instrument incredibly acoustic. The lid features a work of art by Chinese painter Shi Qi, and Steinway made sure everyone knew it was made by him, signing their name with crystallized gold, not silver ink like their other pianos.

4.The Galaxy piano — $1,360,000

Looking at it, it almost looks like an invented instrument straight out of a Dr. Seuss book, but it’s a real piano, believe it or not. Galaxy Piano is the eighth-most expensive piano in the world, sold for $1.36 million.

This very futuristic piano was designed for those with an eye for detail, including a 24-karat gold-plated fiberglass body. It was also designed with an automatic lid and curved keys. This is a one-of-a-kind piano, which has only been created in five copies in total so if you want to acquire one, you will have to find the owners and make them a direct offer.

3. The Kuhn-Bösendorfer piano — $1,200,000

This piano is a work of modern art, the result of the collaboration between the Austrian piano manufacturer L. Bösendorfer and John Kuhn, a world-renowned glass sculptor.

Based on Bösendorfer’s Model 225, this limited-edition 2.5m black grand piano required over a year of work (it was unveiled in 2009) and around 100,000 hand-cut and polished glasses like jewelry. Arranged in diamond shapes, the glasses give the instrument a luxurious and elegant appearance.

2. The Steinway Alma-Tadema — $1,200,000

This beautiful piano has been around since 1887, by Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema, a name that is unfamiliar to most people. One hundred years later, the famous piano company Steinway and Sons have made a replica of the original piano, finished with an arched brass lyre, hand-carved body, legs, and cover. The piano is decorated with over 2000 pieces of mother-of-pearl, which adorns the exceptionally hand-carved case.

When the original piano was sold, it fetched $54,538, but later when inflation set in and caused almost everything to rise, Steinway’s replica hit the market and sold for $1.2 million.

1. Marilyn Monroe’s piano — $662,500

The piano of a famous Hollywood symbol, the radiant Marilyn Monroe!

The beautiful white lacquer grand piano pictured left belonged to the Hollywood star and was one of her most treasured and beloved possessions. It originally belonged to her mother Gladys.

After Marylin died, the piano ended up in the hands of another famous name who now cherishes this iconic piece of history, Mariah Carey, who purchased it for $662,500.

„Competitions are for horses, not artists“ is every badly-burnt musician’s favorite Bela Bartok quote.  

The 6-word soundbite isn’t just the funniest possible turn of phrase regarding the matter – it also captures the essence of a centuries-long debate within the classical music industry. 

The polemic in question should be well known to anyone who’s spent some time sweating anxiously in green rooms: what is the merit of music competitions, exactly, and is there any way for them to be judged objectively? 

More importantly – should objective judgment even be the point?

The Chopin Competition – what you need to know

The first edition of the International Chopin Piano Competition was held in 1927 in Warsaw. 

It is, to this date, one of the rare music festivals dedicated entirely to the work of one composer; born out of the desire to re-establish a studied understanding of Chopin’s importance that seemed to have been lost post-WW1. 

In the words of the Competition’s founder, Jerzy Żurawlew: “I often met with the opinion that Chopin is too romantic, makes the soul sentimental and disarms the listeners mentally. Some even claimed that for these very reasons Chopin should not be included on the lists of works for music school students. All these symptoms of a total lack of understanding of Chopin’s music were very painful to me… I decided to counteract them. As I observed the young people and their love of sports achievements, I found a solution: a competition!”

For those interested in more of the history of the Chopin competition, this online exhibition unveils a rich and fascinating story of rival national schools, continuous USSR supremacy, and perpetual Polish underperformance, prizes determined by coin tosses, and a certain judge’s love of donuts… But those are stories for another time.

The Chopin attitude – Then and Now

Even though he was widely recognized as an excellent pianist, after his move to France, Chopin largely tried to avoid the flashy Parisian concert scene. 

The composer’s uneasiness with public performance comes up repeatedly in his private correspondence – for example, in one of his letters to his family from 1848:

“My friends came one morning and told me that I had to give a concert, that I shouldn’t worry, just sit down and play. The tickets sold out a week ago, and the tickets are all for 20 fr. The public is signing up for a second concert (which I have no intention of giving). The court has requested 40 tickets, and in the newspapers they only wrote that I might give a concert, and they wrote from Brest and from Nantes to my publisher, to order places. I am surprised by such empressement, and I have to play today, if only for the sake of my conscience because it seems to me that I play worse than before…“

Adding onto this, one of Chopin’s students, Emilie von Gretsch recalled the composer saying that “concerts are never real music” and that “one must give up the idea of hearing in them the beauty of art.”

Instead of the glitz and glamour of the concert podium, Chopin found his place in the private salon circuit instead. 

In these prestigious gatherings, intellectuals and upper echelons of society mingled to share ideas and gossip over drinks and patisseries, with poetry and music performances underscoring the whole affair. In these venues, Chopin was given more repertoire flexibility and opportunity for innovation – which he used to test out his yet-unpublished pieces and improvise liberally. 

The essence of Chopin’s style seemed, in fact, highly unsuited to the showmanship of the stage. As most of his contemporaries and later scholars agree, his unique approach to the piano was marked by fluidity, sensitivity, and spontaneity – exactly the kind of characteristics impossible to accurately recreate, or judge objectively.

Some two centuries later, Marcin Stańczyk opined on one of the more remarkable characteristics of Chopin’s music: “Chopin’s rubato – suspension, sighing in music; an idiom and one of the greatest mysteries of the composer’s style.” 

Still, there was a sharp edge to Stanczyk’s point: “Almost two hundred years later, I look upon it with respect and admiration, although I realize that this look is from a long way away. That music will never and cannot be like it was. Although people have stayed the same, experiencing similar emotions, their lives proceed many times faster. Nowadays, there is often no time to reflect, to consider; we experience our emotions in haste, nervously, thronged by successive events. The idea of rubato has gone.”

This brings us to Chopin’s legacy today – and the question of how the Chopin Competition contributes to it.

Frederyk Through the Looking Glass

As it has been relegated through history, Chopin’s elusive interpretative style is considered inherently non-competitive; in line with the composer’s character, his music – it is said – looks inwards, despite the dazzling amounts of technical brilliance it requires.

The motif of Chopin’s expressive genius being lost to sands of time appears quite often in thoughts about the composer’s interpretative profile – as it survives today.

Alfred James Hipkins, Chopin’s travel companion, was blessed with a long enough life to observe how Chopin interpretation developed post-Chopin himself; in his words, the reception of the composer’s music became quickly bastardized once the great composer was gone, running through a stylistic filter of a wholly another kind – that of “pyrotechnic virtuoso Liszt”, which has since been adopted as de rigeur for aspiring young pianists (try to dispute this point, we double dare ya). The inherent nature of any competition itself, contrasted with essence de Chopin (what a great cheap perfume name that would make!), produced sort of an inevitable conflict after a few decades. The high standards of the jury became almost impossible to meet – and this led to a strange time for the festival during the last years of the 20th century when the 12th and 13th editions of the festival were – scandalously – left without a Grand Prize winner.

“Regarding the Competition – I think the overall level was really high, but true artists were not so numerous. This is a kind of trap: more and more talented young people from various parts of the world play the piano very well; the problem is that in many cases very little comes out of it…” –Nikita Magaloff, deputy director of the 10th Competition (1980)

“Those who could present themselves as virtuosos and as mature pianists, worthy of our 1st prize – have not come to Warsaw. This is worrying in itself, but the audience and observers’ reactions worried and surprised me even more. In many cases, people went into raptures at utterly dilettantish productions, and kitschy performances met with an enthusiastic acclaim. […] This is, unfortunately, a symptom of the times. Traditions and norms are falling into disrespect; the sense of ethics and responsibility is lost, and everything becomes permissible…” – Andrzej Jasiński (1995)

Artistic vs. Competitive Merit: An Impossible Union?

Interestingly enough, aspects of the issue were predicted the very first time the festival was held, by jury member Zbigniew Drzewiecki: “Setting clear-cut criteria for the so-called Chopin performance style is extremely difficult and may prove impossible. […] Any attempts to present unambiguous scientific-aesthetic guidelines are, from the artistic point of view, doomed to failure.”

While the Chopin Competition has always exhibited intuitive judging, which rewards both highly studied AND highly sensible performances (the roster of past winners should be a good enough indication of the judge’s intuition), the question remains – would Chopin ever be able to win today? 

Mordents Magazine: When did the organ catch your attention and what made you decide to give it a try? Was it a smooth experience?

Lukas Hasler: I started playing the organ when I was 10 years old. I was fascinated by the incredibleness and tonal flexibility of the instrument so I switched from piano to organ. In the beginning, I still had private tutors before I switched to the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz in Austria where I started studying at the age of 16.

MM: Tell us about your practice routine both at home or at the venue when you have the real organs.

LH: I don’t really have a practice routine. Some days I practice up to 8 hours at home and at university, on other days it’s much less. Especially when I’m on tour, you have to be very flexible with the practice times because you always come across new instruments in different settings.

MM: You also graduated with a master’s degree in cultural and media management at the University of Hamburg. What are your thoughts on how it’s going to help you in your organist career?

LH: My master’s degree in cultural and media management is certainly of help when it comes to planning, marketing, and contract negotiations. However, I have to say it’s always learning by doing.

MM: When you are on a tour and play on different organs, how long does it take you to get used to a new organ and all of the registration and the sounds of the new space?

LH: It always depends on the size of the organ and the space I play in. Usually, I have one day to prepare before the concert takes place. So it’s a pretty fast adaptation to a new instrument.

LH: And how different is playing in a cathedral or in a concert hall? What do you prefer?

LH: The main difference between a concert hall and a cathedral is acoustics. In a church, the reverberation is usually much longer than in acoustically dry concert buildings. This affects the tempo of my organ playing. It always depends on the repertoire, but I’d say I like both venues the same.

MM: Which venue caused your most favorite performance? Tell us about how you felt?

LH: I had two venues that caused the most favourite performances in my career so far. The first one at the cathedral of Los Angeles and the other one at the Philharmonie of Volgograd in Russia. The reason why these concerts have remained in my memory is the audience – they had been greatly affected by the music and the atmosphere was unique due to the special circumstances. I won’t forget these evening events.

MM: Is playing the organ getting more popular among young people? And are they coming to listen to your performances?

LH: Especially in Russia young people have a great affection for classical music. In my opinion, the organ is becoming more and more popular with younger people. The audience at organ concerts is noticeably younger, there are more and more people under 30. Many of my young followers on Instagram and Facebook come to my organ concerts because they saw my advertisement there. So I really have to say social media has another great impact on this development.

MM: What are the best and the worst parts of being an organist?

LH: The most exhausting thing for me is the time difference between the concerts when touring. Quite often you sit on planes for several hours between concerts and then have to adjust to a completely new instrument. That often demands a lot of energy and flexibility from you. On the other hand, I love meeting new people, places, and instruments and dive into foreign cultures. That is what makes my life so exciting.

MM: You are a composer, too. Tell us about “A portrait”. What’s the story behind it?

LH: “A portrait” is my debut album which I recorded two years ago. It is a journey of my musical preferences and an excerpt of programmes, that I enjoy presenting at concerts in Austria and abroad. My great admiration for Johann Sebastian Bach, the father of the instrumental genre “Prelude and Fugue”, is reflected here in the selection of pieces. As a result, works by Marcel Dupré and Franz Liszt are also played, which follow Bach’s musical tradition. Reflecting on the title of the CD, I have included short improvisations between the pieces on the chorale “Now thank all God”. These evocations span the spectrum from baroque to romanticism to contemporary and they are my personal splash of color in the programme of this CD.

MM: Who are your favorite organ composers?

LH: I don’t really have THE favourite organ composer but I adore Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy with his six sonatas for organ and of course Johann Sebastian Bach who is the most famous organ composer of all time.

MM: Share with our readers some not-so-popular yet magnificent organ compositions?

LH: There are some wonderful treasures in the modern organ repertoire. I am thinking, for example, of Thierry Escaich and his “Cinq versets sur le Victimae Paschali”. I can also observe that more and more young organists are composing great pieces for organ or writing wonderful transcriptions for the instrument.

MM: Do you have any hobbies?

LH: As an Austrian, I always try to go skiing in winter. In summer, I like mountain biking a lot and hiking in the mountains. I also extended walks. That’s where I get energy for new projects.

MM: What kind of music besides classical do you enjoy?

LH: I listen to all genres of music. From classical to jazz to pop. It is important to know what is going on in the music world.

MM: Tell us about your upcoming concerts and plans?

LH: Well, due to the pandemic my World Tour 2020 was postponed or partially canceled. Concerts in Australia, China, USA, and Europe would have been planned… For this year there are still some gigs planned, mainly in Europe and maybe also a tour in the US, if the health situation allows.

MM: Oh, and the last one: Are there any initiatives for organ shoes to be less ugly?

LH: LOL! I’ve been asked several times whether I could design “cooler” organ shoes. Maybe something will happen in the future. It is important that you feel comfortable in the shoes you use to play the organ, but of course, the look also plays a role. I advocate more colour! Organists have to be even more courageous in this regard!

Lighting round

Follow us for more

• Instagram
• Facebook

In her thoughtful interview with Mordents Magazine, Astanova shared her opinions on contemporary social media and the world of classical music, as well as the roots of her love for Romantic repertoire.

Mordents Magazine: Considering that many concerts are either delayed or cancelled due to the pandemic, have you started some new projects or discovered some new interests?

Lola Astanova: I’ve been spending a lot of time in the studio, recording several albums and working on my new repertoire. In a way, this “time off” has given me the opportunity to focus on making music without worrying about traveling and touring. So, I’ve stayed pretty busy and productive.

MM: What is the most interesting thing about you that we wouldn’t learn from your biography alone?

LA: I imagine there is more than just one thing. I am a very private person, some may even say reserved or shy. In a way, it’s the opposite of what I look like on stage or on social media, but I like it that way. You may even say there are two Lolas: one – the artist and performer, and the other – the actual person.

MM: You’ve mentioned in past interviews the immense influence of Vladimir Horowitz on you. Can you recall the first time you encountered the music of this great pianist?

LA: I was still a child, just starting out in music. My piano professor used to host these “listening parties” in her home, where she played the rarest and most wonderful piano recordings to her students. She had an incredible collection of vinyl recordings, and I distinctly remember hearing Horowitz’s recording of Chopin’s Sonata No. 2 for the first time. I didn’t know anything about him, but I was in awe, and he instantly became my favorite pianist.

MM: Aside from your dedication to classical repertoire, you also experiment with different styles – from electronic music over pop to your own compositions and arrangements. What draws you towards improvisation and composition?

LA: I think if you have it in you, you simply can’t not compose. Music is how I feel the world and how I express
myself. To be honest, I enjoy composing even more than performing someone else’s music, so going forward you will see me releasing more and more original works.

MM: By all accounts, you’re the classical music star for a new age. You’re forward-thinking and modern, but, still – very devoted to the music of the 19th century. When did you first discover your love for Romantic repertoire, and what inspires you in the works of Liszt, Chopin and Rachmaninoff?

LA: My love for Romantic music is also rooted in my childhood. Obviously, as any young pianist I had to play my fair share of Bach, Beethoven and Mozart, and I think their music is beautiful and timeless, but I was always leaning towards the Romantic composers. Their music gave me a sense of freedom, encouraged self-expression, and even in terms of temperament, I think, the Romantic repertoire is a natural match for my personality and performing style.

MM: You’re very inventive with your choice of performance venues. Your “Ocean Etude” video particularly stands out! How was that? Do you have some interesting anecdotes from concerts or from sets?

LA: Yes, there are stories behind almost every video shoot. For example, while shooting “Love Story” in Venice, it was so freezing cold that I literally had to wear a 40 lbs. fisherman’s coat and winter boots between each take. So, while in the video I am wearing a stylish short summer dress, the condition on the set were not so glamorous. During the shoot for “Ocean Etude”, my piano got hit several times by rather large waves and was almost devoured by the ocean. So, whenever you shoot outside, you can always expect the unexpected.

MM: You’ve performed all over the world. How different are audiences from different countries? Do
you notice any particular changes in your performance reception?

LA: I find that the audiences do indeed differ from country to country. For example, in Russia the public can be reserved at first, and you have to work hard to win them over, but once you do – they adore you. In Mexico people tend to be very passionate, excited, enthusiastic and they really love music. In the United States concertgoers are typically curious, engaged and always very appreciative of the performer. So it is true – each corner of the world is unique.

MM: In recent years, classical music has been steadily moving outside its traditional venues. Back in 2016, Los Angeles Youth Orchestra, led by Gustavo Dudamel, performed in the Super Bowl, marking this event as the first time in 50 years classical music was part of this sports event. You recently had the opportunity to perform as part of the charity tennis tournament Adria Tour. What was that experience like? How do sports fans compare to your regular concert audience?

LA: I love playing the “non-traditional” venues. Playing at sporting events typically generates high energy and
adrenaline pumping more than usual, which is something that excites me while I am on stage. The audience
in Serbia was very warm, indeed. I really enjoyed performing there and hope to return with a full scale concert soon.

MM: You’re, still, one of the rare modern performers who has leveraged social media to their success. You’ve obviously recognised the importance of social media in the contemporary world – why do you think most other classical musicians still resist it?

LA: I suppose it can be daunting, because social media is a mirror of sorts, which can tells you many things about yourself. And sometimes you may not necessarily wish to hear those things, because they can be hurtful, especially if those words conflicts with your own vision of yourself and the world. I think many classical musicians still live in their imaginary bubble, and operate based on some outdated and restrictive views, which are, frankly, no longer supported by reality. They act out of fear of criticism, they worry about phantoms like competitions or newspaper reviews, which once upon a time could make or break a career, but today are largely irrelevant. In my view, any artist has the right, if not the responsibility, to be fearless, to move forward, to adapt, to change, to challenge…in a way, that is the artist’s purpose in life and one can’t fulfill it out of fear.

MM: Since the nineties, there has been a rise in the trend of classical musicians experimenting with promotional strategies people usually associate with pop music. Violinist Vanessa-Mae, for example, was one of the first more prominent virtuosos to shoot extravagant album covers and film music videos. Of course, with the rise of social media, the backlash to those who choose this path has become more visible and direct. What would be your response to those who think bold fashion choices and a more diverse, dynamic approach to how you represent yourself somehow devalue the art-form?

LA: Today’s performance is not just about the music, but also about the visuals, fashion, etc. All those elements help to create an exciting and memorable experience for the audience. Any musician, certainly, has the right to only play sounds (and some do), but to me that would be like asking a film director to only stick to black and white silent movies lest they “devalue the artform”. I think it’s total nonsense. But in the end any artist can do what he or she chooses, and the audience can choose what they want to hear and to see.

MM: Where do you see the classical music world in 100 years in terms of “seriousness”?

LA: The music will survive for as long as humans will continue to feel. But the performance formats will most
certainly change with only a tiny “conservative” classical music segment continuing to exist like a museum piece, interesting mostly for educators and a small group of enthusiasts. Even today those types of performances are not competitive and can hardly generate excitement or ticket sales even among the older crowd, not to mention teenagers. But the new classical music formats will emerge, and the boldest, brightest and most fearless performers will define it and will ensure the genre’s survival. In fact, it is already emerging, and it’s an exciting time to be a performing musician today.

MM: How do you deal with the social media following you’ve amassed over the years? And you try to communicate with your fans as much as you can, which means you devote your time reading comments. Do different opinions affect you?

LA: Being on social media can sometimes feel like a full-time job. It does take a lot of time and effort to create
new and exciting content on a weekly basis. But I enjoy most aspects of it, and communicating with fans, reading and responding to comments is fun, so I try to do that as much as possible. As for different opinions – it really doesn’t bother me, because everyone is entitled to have one. As long as I know that what I do is quality – a negative or rude comment will never ruin my day.

MM: What do you think of the label “influencer”? Do you identify with it?

LA: I think of myself as a musician first and foremost. Still, I do recognize the fact that because of a large number of people that watch me, I have the ability to influence opinions and tastes. But I don’t necessarily like the term “influencer”, because over the past few years it’s gotten greatly diluted and devalued.
Nowadays any person with a few thousand followers on social media calls him or herself “influencer”, but
the truth is – very few people actually have an authentic and engaged social media audience. Many cannot create an engaging content, so they resort to buying fake followers, fake likes, etc. For some those stats create a real dependency and become like breathing, but I was never obsessed with numbers. My audience has grown organically over time, and I feel great knowing that every single person that follows me is there because they really are interested in what I do and we have a connection. Otherwise, I would simply consider it a waste of time.

MM: Your Instagram profile can be enjoyed not only as a selection of various classical music interpretations, but also as a digital fashion runway of sorts. What has been your favourite outfit you’ve worn for a concert performance so far?

LA: I have many favorites, but the one that stands out in my mind is my ‘Muse’ video outfit with huge custommade angel wings. Two wonderful theatre costume designers have worked for nearly a week to create those feather by feather and they turned out amazing. Another one was the Dolce & Gabbana dress made with Swarovski crystals, which I wore in my ‘La Campanella’ video. It was specially selected by maestro Dolce for this video and I thought it worked wonderfully.

MM: The audience has gotten to know you in spectacular, impactful stage fashion – at home you’re a little bit more relaxed, but in your casual videos you’re still wearing pumps and skinny jeans. What’s your style like off-stage and off-camera?

LA: I usually stick with one of two extremes: either the full-on glam look with high heels, perfect hair and makeup or the most basic, casual, no-effort-whatsoever look… (laughs). No makeup, my favorite comfy lounge clothes, and a braid. Usually, there is no in between for me.

Lighting round

Follow us for more

• Instagram
• Facebook

Johannes Brahms, Poco allegretto from Symphony no. 3 in F major, Op. 90

Otto Singer II (1863 – 1931), a German composer and conductor, wrote piano arrangements for all four symphonies of Johannes Brahms (1833 – 1897), including the Symphony no. 3 (1883).

In this particular example, third movement is performed by pianist Riccardo Caramella. Third movement Poco allegretto in C minor from this Symphony is the most popular one and the one most frequently used.
For example, in 1983 Serge Gainsbourg wrote his famous Baby Alone in Babylone for the singer Jane Birkin – and it is a theme from this movement that is used in the song.

P. I. Tchaikovsky, Theme from Swan Lake

This piano arrangement, written by pianist Karen Kornienko and inspired by Tchaikovsky’s (1840-1893) ballet Swan Lake (1876) is ideal for relaxing, winding down, and creating a fairytale-like ambiance.

P. I. Tchaikovsky, Valse (no.6) from The Sleeping Beauty

Resuming with Tchaikovsky, this Valse no. 6 from his ballet Sleeping Beauty, op. 66 (1889) is arranged by the great Sergei Rachmaninoff for piano (in 4 hands). 

When such enchanting music is arranged for a piano by a virtuoso of Rachmaninoff’s caliber, it inspires a desire to dance and play this piece (or call a friend and play it together).

Jean Sibelius, Valse Triste (op. 44, no. 1)

Valse Triste, op. 44, no. 1, is an orchestral piece written by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957). Initially, it was part of the incidental music he was writing in 1903 for the play Kuolema (Death). However, it superseded it’s original purpose – nowadays it’s far better known as a separate concert piece, and it ultimately became his signature piece and trademark. 

This beautiful and sad music, as the name itself suggests, Sibelius later arranged for the piano, and in this video you can hear the stunning performance by pianist Paul Barton. 

Sergei Prokofiev, Montagues and Capulets, from ballet Romeo and Juliet, op. 64

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) selected orchestral suites from his ballet Romeo and Juliet, op. 64 (1935), and made piano arrangements of those works and classified them as Romeo and Juliet: Ten Pieces for Piano, op. 75. They were performed betwen 1936-37, and are seen as seperate and independent piano work, rather than a „second hand“ score. 

Montagues and Capulets is Prokofiev’s most popular piano music – in this case, it is performed by Russian musician Sonya Belousova. 

Dmitri Shostakovich, Jazz Suite, Waltz no. 2

Jazz Suite, Waltz no. 2 (1938) is surely one of the most notable works of Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975). It’s from his Suite for Orchestra no. 1, and is arranged by an excellent pianist Florian Noack.

Take a seat, and let the music dazzle you.

Aram Khachaturian, Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia

This Adagio is from Aram Khachaturian’s (1903—1978) ballet Spartacus (1954),  act II,  where two lovers are celebrating their escape from the Romans. It is said to be one of the most popular compositions from the 20th century. 

This beautiful arrangement is also by pianist Paul Barton and represents a shorter version of the  original piano transcription of this piece – its focus is on the main theme.

Max Richter, On the Nature of Daylight

On the Nature of Daylight is part of the album The Blue Notebooks, written by contemporary composer Max Richter in the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He described this piece as a meditation on violence. 

This composition is used in Martin Scorsese’s film Shutter Island (2010) and in film Arrival (2016) by Denis Villeneuve. 

This piano arrangement of Richter’s work will bring you serenity and distress at the same time – it will not leave you indifferent, rest assured.

John Williams, Theme from Schindler’s List

And last, but not least –  a famous theme from Schindler’s List OST by John Williams, written for the homonymous film in 1993. 

Just as the film does not leave you indifferent, the music is a tear jerker in its own right. In this case, the music is arranged for piano by Charles Szczepanek. The pianist emulates an entire orchestra in his arrangement – every tone is in its place. 

Expect some tears and shivers whilst indulging in this iteration. 

Mordents Magazine: Hello Tianyu, how are you? How have you been spending your time recently? 

Tianyu Zhou: I am not too bad! I think at this point I am already used to the pandemic and I know how to deal with things better than when the pandemic just started. Currently, I have zoom classes, I practice and luckily I have lessons with my most beloved professor Arie Vardi whom I respect and adore very much. I go on set when I have photoshoots and commercial shoots. I have time to chill with my good friends, we chat, we make nice food and drink wine. What else… I watch Netflix, read sometimes and try to keep up with my daily workout routine. 

MM: Any hobbies you enjoy doing or new talents you discovered lately? 

TZ: I love watching movies – especially independent and arthouse films. I have a regular workout routine and I enjoy dancing hiphop very much. For new talents… thanks to Covid-19 I finally know how to cook properly. I used to hate cooking a lot… my way of “making food” before Covid was to just make a simple salad or sandwich where it doesn’t require using a pan or pot haha… but now I am proud of myself for being able to cook well. 

MM: Where would you like to travel first once the pandemic is over? And why? 

TZ: I would probably want to go back home to visit my mother and hang out with my close friends in Canada. I miss them a lot and I didn’t have the chance to see them for more than a year which is very unusual for me. The second choice would be having a spontaneous trip either to Paris, London, Florence or LA because I love the vibe and atmosphere in each city. 

MM: What would you change about classical music industry?

TZ: Less politics which is probably difficult to avoid… more opportunities for musicians to express their voices – not only through their instruments. 

MM: How would you grow classical music audience? 

TZ: Play concerts, create opportunities to have interactions with my audiences, Instagram and Youtube. 

MM: What’s the most interesting thing about you that we wouldn’t learn from your biography alone? 

TZ: I am not sure… really… besides being a musician, I have quite a lot of other interests and things that I do… so it is difficult to say. Perhaps … I also love acting a lot. I had training at the Vancouver Academy of Dramatic Arts and still take classes from take to time (online now). 

MM: Do you play some other instruments? If not piano, what instrument would you choose? 

TZ: I played violin in grade 6 in school and I also played a bit of drum in a high school band. As for now… if I have the chance, I would love to learn cello because I love this instrument so much, the sonority and projection of sound, the tone, the colour, there is so much about this instrument that I am fond of. 

MM: Do you play music other than classical? If yes, what kind? 

TZ: I like to improvise a lot on the piano. I love creating different colours, a variety of moods and emotions without any restraint. I had the opportunity to improvise for a Chinese Drama “Forty-Nine Days·Memorial” directed by Zhang Li. I was given a few episodes to watch beforehand to know the story, the mood, the emotions, the sparks and my feelings towards the drama to build my thoughts. I love the process of it. The best thing about it was…there was absolutely no score and I feel so free to improvise my ideas on the keyboard. One thing I wish to play is jazz.

MM: Favourite/Least favourite composers? And why? 

TZ: My favourite composers are J. S. Bach and R. Schumann. I have always been very close to Bach’s music since I was very young. People tend to find his music hard to play at a young age but it was very natural and easy for me. I think his music is very modern and way ahead of his time. I never really struggle with Bach, his music always fits me like a glove naturally.

I also love Schumann very much. His music always leads me into another zone, a different sphere. His music is crazy, personal, innovative, complex, so much story that it is very difficult to describe by words. I think his music requires us to have intuition, imagination and spontaneity. 

I don’t think I have a least favourite composer… I probably just don’t play them as much… I think Chopin is the least comfortable for me to play because his music is simply difficult, in all kinds of ways.

MM: When you play the piece that you’re tired of (due to practice and frequent performance), how do you approach that emotionally? Does that piece still make you feel something? Which piece was that? 

TZ: There are a lot of pieces that I need to pick up or come back to, whether it’s for competitions or concerts. I either pick the pieces up very fast in a few days/week or prepare them ahead then drop it for a short while and again come back to it before my performances to keep it fresh. 

MM: What achievement are you most proud of? 

TZ: Performing J. S. Bach Goldberg Variations first half joint with other programs in the second half internationally. It was very demanding but I love to challenge myself and I did it. I was also very honoured to be invited to perform at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland for both President and the First Lady of China and Poland. I have never had a performance where I had to go through so many security checks haha… I was also very happy when I knew I was accepted to attend the Lucerne Piano Festival Masterclass a few years ago as they only accepted eight pianists worldwide. 

MM: How do you prepare mentally for Chopin Competition? 

TZ: It’s important to mentally prepare for something immense and important because nothing can go ahead of your Brain. Besides practicing of course, I read about Chopin, I try not to over practice and read the score and try to have a fresh mindset. I am happy that I could still find new things in some Chopin pieces that I have been playing for years. 

MM: Are you nervous? What do you expect? 

TZ: Usually I am not too nervous when I play concerts but because it is Chopin Competition so perhaps my blood will circulate faster haha… but really it depends on the day — how I feel, what time of the day I will be playing, my surroundings and etc 

MM: What are you going to wear?

TZ: Either a classy simple black dress or a jumpsuit and black YSL heels which have been my must wear for almost all my concerts. 

MM: What are you generally most afraid that could happen during live performance? 

TZ: This is a question that actually never really occurred to me before…to be honest, I am quite fearless when I walk up onto the stage to perform because I know I am well prepared. I think there is no point to be afraid of anything because — whatever happens on the stage happens. Sometimes you can’t control it… When it comes to noise from the audience, I would be lying if I said “I am not annoyed or bothered by this at all” but – in a live concert, anything could happen, it’s normal.

MM: How do you cope with negative reviews on your playing (both online and offline)? 

TZ: Well… I think it depends on how to take it, I usually cope quite well with them. If the negative review is in a way helpful, then sure I will take it into consideration but if it’s just rude, aggressive and hurtful for no reason then it’s no point to give a damn or care about it. 

MM: You are also a model. How did that happen? 

TZ: I was shopping for lipstick at MAC in Tel Aviv and their senior makeup artist Netta Szekely, who by the way is one of the most amazing makeup artists I have ever worked with happened to be there on that day helping to choose a lipstick and scouted me. I remember the first thing she asked me was “are you a model?” 

MM: Tell us a bit more about your modelling experience.

TZ: I absolutely love modelling and I think I am very lucky because I have always loved fashion and cosmetics so much and being able to step into this field without asking for it is just amazing, I am very thankful. I have been featured on fashion magazines and some of the brands that I have worked for/with are MAC, Natasha Denona, Biopeptix, Artlist Ltd and more. I have also been featured in commercials that have been broadcasted across Europe on TV and internet. 

MM: How do you balance music with these obligations? 

TZ: Time management is very important, as long as I know what I need to finish within a certain time frame then it’s all good.

I will give you an example of how my day would be like with both photoshoot and practice — I usually wake up around 5:30 am to prepare for my shoots where I would drink dark roast black coffee or Americano (no milk & sugar) then I would put on a face mask and do a simple 15 min workout. Sometimes I wish I could wake up slightly later but my face tends to be a bit swollen in the morning so it takes time for the coffee to kick in to help me to reduce my swollen face haha. Then I go on set… I tend to arrive around 8 A.M to start off with makeup and hair. The shootings usually take about 6-10 hours, it really depends on how many looks we need to accomplish on the day. Let’s say the shoot finishes around 4 PM, at latest 6PM… by this time I am already drained out but I would still force myself to go to the academy to practice for at least 2 hours. Then really.. by the end of the day, the only thing I want to see is my bed haha. 

MM: Do you think that unique fashion is important for a classical musician? 

TZ: I think this really depends on a person’s interest. Because I am also in the fashion field, I feel that it is quite important to have your own style – a dress code that could represent who you are as a person whether it’s on a daily basis or on the stage. This probably doesn’t refer to everyone but sometimes you can kind of tell the personality and the temperament of a person when you see their style of clothing. 

What’s your personal style? 

TZ: My “go to” daily look is a pair of good jeans with a nice shirt. I barely wear dresses… My style is quite simple in a classy, cool and chill way. I usually pair up my outfit with sneakers, sometimes ankle boots. I love accessories such as caps, sunglasses and scarves. 

Lightning round

What are your guilty pleasures? 

Good wine, Cuban cigarillos, dark roast coffee and cheese.

Choose a karaoke song you’d sing

Mmm… I haven’t been to karaoke for way too long so I am not sure what I would choose now but I would probably choose a song by Alicia Keys, Adele or Jay Chou.

Do you listen to other music than classical? What kind? 

I am a big fan of hiphop and R&B music. I also like jazz.  

Musical icons and influences?

For classical music, I was influenced a lot by Martha Argerich and Glenn Gould. 

Favourite non-popular piano pieces? 

Chopin’s Boléro is not played often compared to his other well-known pieces… but it is one of my favourite compositions of his. 

What orchestral work would you love to conduct? 

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1, 3 and 4. 

If not a musician, what else would you love to be?

Actress or a fashion designer.

Favourite fashion designer(s)

Karl Lagerfeld and Anthony Vaccarello 

Style icons

Audrey Hepburn 

Favourite model(s)?

My current favourites are Coco Rocha, Irina Shayk, Liu Wen… 

MM: What are some of your current goals, both when it comes to modeling and performing?  

TZ: At this point, especially during Covid-19, I am not thinking too far… I would like to achieve what is in front of me and complete them as well as I can.