recommended by pianist magazine
When Pianist Magazine recently featured my Hey Presto! Piano Method in their Learning Guide, I felt both proud and reflective. The recognition is wonderful, but for me the story of this book is also the story of how I nearly lost the piano altogether.
The Injury Years
I first learned piano on my own, before studying with various teachers as a teenager. I was completely obsessed, especially with Beethoven’s sonatas and the big works of Liszt. Hours at the keyboard became whole days, and soon I was pushing far beyond what my body could cope with.
By the time I was doing A-levels, the injuries had arrived. RSI and tendonitis set in, and the burning pain would begin after just a few notes. I tried to play through it which was the worst thing I could have done and it only got worse. I was in and out of hospital, trying different treatments, but no one seemed able to help. It was a traumatic time, and eventually I had to stop playing almost altogether. On only 5 minutes a day I managed to obtain a high distinction in my grade 8 piano which would secure my university place.
Learning to Play Again
It wasn’t one simple fix. My teacher at the time, Mark Racz, helped me enormously to get back to the piano, but the truth is I’ve had to keep working on my technique ever since. Discovering freer ways to move, avoiding unnecessary tension, and constantly rethinking how I approach the instrument has been a lifelong journey. The problem never completely disappears but it taught me that playing well is as much about freedom of movement as it is about pressing the right keys.
Why Hey Presto! Exists
This is the real reason I wrote Hey Presto!. Traditional beginner books, I noticed, often delay the joy of sounding good until much later. For adults and older beginners, that’s often too late - motivation fizzles out. Add to that the fact that many methods don’t address technique in any meaningful way, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for dropout, frustration, and sometimes even injury.
I wanted to change that. In Hey Presto! the music sounds full and satisfying from the very first lesson. By introducing the sustain pedal straight away, students can create real atmosphere, not just “plink-plonk” exercises. And built into every piece are small, progressive elements of technique such as - rotation, circular motion, natural use of arm and wrist - so that healthy playing habits form organically.
Recognition
That’s why I was so delighted to see Hey Presto! praised in the Pianist Magazine Learning Guide, alongside the best-known self-learning books on the market. For me, it isn’t just a review — it’s recognition that the painful lessons of my own past can now make a difference for others.
If you’re looking for a way into the piano that helps you sound great from day one and gives you the kind of technique that will support you for year, perhaps Hey Presto! is where your journey can begin.
As many of you know, my Hey Presto! Piano Method was also written with adult beginners and older students in mind. I’ve been motivated by both injury prevention and the desire to keep students engaged from the very start. You can find out more about Hey Presto! here:
Hey Presto! Piano Method Book
And if you’d like structured video lessons with feedback, you can explore my complete online course: Adult Piano Beginners Online Course
Continue the Journey Together
If you’d like to connect with other learners, share experiences, and pick up weekly ideas, you’re warmly invited to join my Adult Piano Beginners Facebook Group — a supportive space for pianists of all levels and styles.
A huge thank you again to Penelope for her generosity in sharing these insights. I hope these tips will inspire your practice and remind you that technique and music are always two sides of the same coin.
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