Nicolas Namoradze on why pianists turn their ears off

Nicolas Namoradze is a pianist and composer who came to international attention in 2018 when he won the Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary. He serves on the faculty of the CUNY Graduate Center and deputizes at The Juilliard School.

Here are seven of his best tips, from the feedback he gave young pianists as a juror at the Piano Star International Competition, presented by Piano League.

1. Notice when you stop listening

Pianists do very often turn their ears off, because we have a very strong kind of kinesthetic response. So chamber music is one of the best medicines for this problem.

Nicolas Namoradze

Watch this moment (1:01:14)

2. Let chamber music teach you to listen

One really learns in chamber music how to listen. One is forced to listen not only to others but to oneself in a very different way.

Nicolas Namoradze

Watch this moment (1:00:35)

3. Right notes are not the same as listening

Especially as pianists, we do have a tendency not to listen to ourselves very well, because unlike with most other instruments, we have complete kinesthetic feedback regarding if we’re playing the right notes or not.

Nicolas Namoradze

Watch this moment (1:00:44)

4. Know the composer’s chamber music

One can familiarize oneself with a lot of repertoire that one really needs to be familiar with to understand the composers one plays in one’s solo repertoire. If you’re playing a lot of Beethoven, one really needs to understand his chamber music.

Nicolas Namoradze

Watch this moment (1:00:00)

5. Find teachers everywhere

Your teachers don’t only have to be your formal teachers, but can be anyone you listen to, anyone you play with. So we can find teachers and inspiration all around us.

Nicolas Namoradze

Watch this moment (59:48)

6. Start with a small duet

As soon as one starts playing the piano, one should just try to play with one’s teacher, a small duet or something like that.

Nicolas Namoradze

Watch this moment (59:09)

7. Playing with others makes you a better person

Working with other people, learning how to collaborate with them, makes one not only a better musician but a better person in general.

Nicolas Namoradze

Watch this moment (1:01:23)

Quotes are lightly edited for length and clarity. They come from Mr. Namoradze’s comments as a judge at the 2021 Piano Star International Competition. You can watch the full performances and feedback on the Piano League YouTube channel.