Jean-Efflam Bavouzet

Luca Buratto’s success at the Honens Piano Competition has propelled him into the international limelight. The young Italian talks to Claire Jackson about his strategy for a long career, and how watching tennis has inspired his winning streak

Through all their scratches and crackle, early recordings have a lot to teach us about the art of 19th century pianism. Michael Spring urges pianophiles to open their ears to the past

Do music and politics really mix? Though culture often goes handin- hand with contemporary issues, Charivari takes a dim view of musicians who turn the concert platform into a political soapbox

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet’s irrepressible passion for music sweeps you off your feet, whether he’s discussing his own provocative reworking of classical cadenzas, the grammatical characteristics of a composer’s style, or why 2,000 recordings of Beethoven’s complete sonatas still wouldn’t be enough. Jeremy Nicholas finds himself bowled over by the Gallic charm and boundless enthusiasm of this unique and stimulating talent

Melvyn Tan’s career has taken him on a fascinating journey from his beginnings as a precocious child in Singapore to international acclaim as a pioneer in the art of playing period keyboard instruments. Today, he has returned to the modern piano, championing new music while remaining true to his classical roots. Robert Turnbull meets a distinctive, energetic musical personality as he celebrates his 60th year.

Dr Carol Leone challenges the orthodoxy of a one-size-fits-all approach to the piano through her advocacy of alternate‑sized keyboards that open up new horizons for small‑handed pianists

There are literally dozens of courses for amateur and professional pianists, but where do you go if you want to train as a piano teacher? Jennie Parke Matheson from EPTA UK introduces their pioneering Piano Teachers’ Course for newcomers to the profession and experienced teachers in need of a refresher

Whether you’re an accomplished soloist, a lapsed amateur or a rank beginner, there’s a world of piano summer courses offering the tuition you need. IP surveys some of this year’s most enticing options

Murray McLachlan offers some practical suggestions to help put the freshness back into your practice and avoid becoming jaded

Ignacy Jan Paderewski was a consummate musician and an influential orator, using his international concert tours as a platform for passionate speeches calling for the independence of his Polish homeland and the alleviation of the suffering of his countrymen in the interwar years. Benjamin Ivry examines the close relationship between music and speech in Paderewski’s artistic and political life

Ralph Vaughan Williams is hardly renowned for his piano music, but intrepid musical explorer Mark Bebbington has unearthed a discful of little-known works, from original piano solos to striking arrangements of familiar orchestral pieces. Jeremy Nicholas reports

Michael Johnson reviews an engaging memoir by Jacques Leiser, a doyen of artist management and friend, mentor and confi dante to some of the the most preeminent pianists of the postwar era

One of the most versatile pianists of today, Kathryn Stott’s extraordinary musical gifts first came to light in humble circumstances in northwest England, where early influences ranged from opera to soul music