After reading Cristoph Niemann’s recent article for The New York Times, “The Unexpected Solace In Learning To Play Piano”, we have been thinking about what personal piano practice brings. In the article, Niemann recalls the challenges and joys of why learning piano as an adult is the perfect quarantine activity and shares his newfound respect for professional pianists.

In these surreal times, one of the greatest comforts is a good book. We wish to share with you three books containing the writings of celebrated pianists to kindle your curiosity and love for the piano. The perspective from the keyboard is forever mysterious and magical, and in these three books the reader sees the inner workings of the brilliant minds of pianists. We hope that you enjoy these, which we certainly treasure.

As a continuation of our gardens e-blast two weeks ago, we turn our attention to the beauty of the rose and its connection to music. Portland, also known as Rose City, is ideal for growing roses outdoors due to its location within the marine West Coast climate region, its warm, dry summers and rainy but mild winters, and its heavy clay soil. This May, the Portland Rose Festival is #ParadingInPlace, and is asking members of the community to celebrate their Rose Festival spirit by choosing a theme, decorating porches and sharing joy to neighborhoods across the city.

Spring has come to bloom and we have been inspired by our gardens in this challenging moment. There is consistency to nature that is calming, and we’re getting our hands in the dirt! As we have been inspired by our gardens, we wish to share with you three musical works inspired by the idea that we can create our own joyful islands outside and find happiness in the flowers around us.

There is nothing quite as soothing as a beautiful meal paired with music. In celebration of Earth Day yesterday, we feel inspired to share three vegetarian recipes paired with relevant recordings. It is our wish that you, our dear community, are able to enjoy the beauty of spring through cooking despite these difficult times. These dishes are delicious and can be enjoyed by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. We hope that these recipes and recordings lift your spirits.

During challenging times, the interrelated art forms of music and poetry always find a way to lift our spirits. Sharing moving music paired with poetry with you, our dear community, brings us a deep sense of joy. We are grateful to share a curated list of music performed by three of our PPI artists with corresponding poetry in the hope that these pairings will bring a smile to your face.

At this challenging moment when we are all kept inside, we want to share the healing powers of music and cooking with you, our dear community. This cheer letter is focused on French composer and pianist Erik Satie, and his music and eccentric recipes. This "founder of Modernism" was the friend of Debussy and his work with Picasso, Diaghilev, and Cocteau placed him in the forefront of the hottest trends of that era.

During this time when many of us have hours of quiet time, we wish to share meaningful music with you all. We remember life-changing moments we have witnessed at recitals with our incredible SOLO artists. Music captures every human emotion and will continue to be an eternal source of joy for us; it is music’s job. With this in mind, we have found poignant music from past artists who have graced our stage and want you to indulge in their art once again.

During this challenging time, pianists and organizations are finding creative ways to continue sharing music with their audiences. We will continue to enjoy the gems of the classical music repertoire, but from our homes instead of the concert hall for now. Here are some great places to access world-class live-streamed music.

Critically acclaimed as the “dynamic duo of this generation” by san francisco classical voice, anderson & roe are a duo to remember. The work of these pianists is revolutionary individually, but putting them together is an experience like nothing else. They add a new, fresh edge to classical music in the 21st century. They continue to take the classical music world by storm, so certainly join us for our solo concerts on march 14 / 15 where they will put on quite the show.

Anderson & roe, legendary piano duo comprised of greg anderson and elizabeth joy roe, are known for their revolutionary performances, compositions and music videos. The remarkable musicians began their journey as musical partners in 2002, while attending the juilliard school. With five critically acclaimed albums spending weeks at the top of the billboard classical charts and emmy-nominated, self-produced videos with millions of views on youtube, the dynamic duo have made a name for themselves in the classical world.

Our most recent blog included three of our favorite performances by anderson & roe, the dynamic piano duo that will be performing in our solo series on mar 14 / 15.

Portland Piano International invites you deeper into the piano experience with Beyond the Score master classes. In these one-on-one sessions, our SOLO recitalists and Rising Stars openly share the insight gained from lives devoted to piano study and performance with advanced piano students and an invited, rapt audience: you!

Known for their adrenalized performances, original compositions, and notorious music videos, greg anderson and elizabeth joy roe are revolutionizing the piano duo experience for the 21st century. Described as and “the most dynamic duo of this generation” (san francisco classical voice), “rock stars of the classical music world” (miami herald), and “the very model of complete 21st-century musicians” (the washington post), the anderson & roe piano duo aims to make classical music a relevant and powerful force around the world.

In addition to our SOLO Series, Portland Piano International offers other important programs to continue the legacy of piano from generation to generation. In our Rising Stars program and Beyond the Score master classes, professional concert pianists share their insight gained from their lives devoted to piano study and performance with advanced piano students and an invited, rapt audience: you!