Videos

Lecture at the ‘Year of the Piano’  series  in association with Steinways at  Royal Holloway, University of London 2009

Employing the Wave Motion in Piano Performance
As part of the lecture, Cristine MacKie introduced ways in which kinetic chain theory, or wave motion may be used to initiate the forward trajectory of the performer’s body toward each of the accents in Em Um Berco Encantando by Villa Lobos (1918).

The Piano Forum at the Royal Academy of Music 2018

The piano forum was held at the Royal Academy of Music as part of the London International Piano Symposium in October 2018.  It was entitled ‘Who do You Think You Are’?   It began with a viewing of the film Madame Sousatzka (1988), which is based on the life and work of the formidable, but little-known teacher Maria Levinskaya. The objective  was twofold: firstly, to open up issues which are rarely addressed, and yet are familiar to most piano teachers, such as: the private emotions and health issues, which may arise during teaching, and which must necessarily be contained; and the difficulties which can often arise, due to the mind/body dualism, which still pervades performance and its teaching thereof; secondly, to encourage discussions on these and other issues peculiar to the piano teacher, supported by a  distinguished interdisciplinary panel comprising: Prof. John Sloboda, psychologist; Murray Mclachlan, concert pianist, Chair of the European Piano Teachers Association; Cristine MacKie, pianist, musicologist and author; Dr Sam Johnson, clinical psychologist, the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.  This was followed by a collaboration with psychologist Dr Helen Pote,  Royal Holloway, University of London, and the research paper will be ready to present as part of our ongoing programme in October 2019.

Piano Forum Part I

Piano Forum Part II

The Round Table at the Royal College of Music 2015

The round table was part of the programme of the London International Piano Symposium. It was concerned with two issues; first, that ideas controlling piano pedagogy and performance have been largely allied to the structure of Western thought, which nurtures a mind/body dualism; and second, that its practice continues to labour under the influence of a nineteenth century model of teaching. The discussion begins with a brief account of some of the reasons for this dualism and continues with discussions concerned with finding a way forward.

Round Table 2015