Junior Pianists Guild

As William Gillock would say it...

From an interview with William Gillock by Richard Rejino: "You cannot be an exciting or sensitive performer unless you have exciting and sensitive music to play."

"One of my teachers once told me: 'Melody is the essence of quality music.' The more I compose the more I believe it!"

From an interview with William Gillock by Martha Hilley, published in Clavier magazine: "Studying keyboard harmony is terribly important, and you can't do anything musically without analyzing. You have to know where the sentence starts and ends, to know where to save your big sound for the climax of the piece."

On judging, "One measure does not make or break a performance. Judge the whole performances."

From an interview with William Gillock by Richard Rejino: "Those who have written and would like to are the kind of people who have more ambition than talent. If you really want to write music, you will write whether you are published or not; the creative urge is something that has to come out. But one who wants to see his name on a piece of music or the potential composer who wants the opinion of someone else is not worth a second look. If you really have it, you know it without asking anybody else. You must have that deep, deep compelling urge to do it."

On using the pedal, "Was it well-timed? You have to pedal with ear."

From an interview with William Gillock by Martha Hilley, published in Clavier magazine: "If I had anything to say to teachers, it would be to make sure the primary point of playing is to express the music. Everything else is a means to the end. The top priiority is to communicate from the composer to your heart and the heart of the listener without going through a lot of obstructions. Make it direct."

In a letter to Becky Corley: "I believe more pupils have learmed to play well because of exciting literature than for all other reasons combined. If a piece seems worth the effort of learning, the pupil is more likely to give willingly - even enthusiastically - the time and thought necessary for a beautiful performance."