The most-read posts of 2025
The days are short, we’ve had our first snowfall, and holiday decorations have made their annual appearance. It’s the festive season—a time of celebration, and also a time to stop, look back over the year, and raise a glass of gratitude.
Thank you. Thank you for reading No Dead Guys and for caring enough about what I write each week to subscribe to the blog and to share favorite posts with friends and on social media. I thank my guest writers for sharing their wisdom, and the many composers and pianists who have been willing to answer all my interview questions. I’m grateful that I’ve met so many like-minded music lovers who care enough about the piano music of living composers to continue exploring this music with me. You warm-hearted fellow pianists are my de facto practice buddies when I sit down at the piano each day.
I hope you enjoy reading (or rereading) these most-read posts of 2025 and I wish you and your loved ones a wonderful festive season. I look forward to continuing our musical journey together in January.
Articles
The Best Ways to Sell or Donate a Used Piano
Every few months I’m contacted by someone who wants advice on how to sell or donate an old piano. This post outlines what I tell them.
How to Organize Your Practice Time
Repertoire, technical exercises, sight-reading—how do we get it all done when our practice time is limited? Here are my tips on how to make progress on everything every day.
One of the many myths I wish I could dispel is the undying belief that only talented people can play the piano. This post outlines why consistent practice frequently takes one further than undisciplined talent.
Interviews
New York Études: an interview with composer Jeff Beal
Jeff Beal is a five-time Emmy award winner whose music you’ve probably heard on multiple TV shows or films. His music blends sophistication and accessibility, jazz and classical, and in these piano solos, it finds a delicate balance between poignancy and warmth.
Forever Changed: an interview with pianist and composer Nat Bartsch
Australian composer and pianist Nat Bartsch discovered her own neurodiversity as an adult, and this awareness changed her relationship with music—both as a listener and as a creator. Forever Changed is a collection of lullabies written for neurodivergent individuals that speaks to listeners on all points of the spectrum.
Urban Impressionism: an interview with pianist and composer Dardust
Dario Faini—aka Dardust—is a gifted, sensitive pianist with shimmering technique who has found a way to create dramatic music without crossing over into crass sensationalism. Urban Impressionism is an example of his ability to bring out the best of the piano through his playing, elegant recording techniques, and tasteful electronics.
Guest Posts
How I Traded My Mercedes For a Hyundai: a guest post by Kristina Lee
Kristina Lee’s story spans cultures, continents, and life paths.Yet with all the change and uncertainty she experienced, Lee’s desire for a grand piano became a guiding light through dark chapters, and when it looked as if she’d lost everything, she gambled on the part of herself that knew she needed music in her life.
What’s the Point? A guest post by Laura Dean
What’s the point? Why do we play the piano in a society that assures us it’s a waste of time? Why do we continue to practice if we aren’t chasing goals? This open-hearted guest post by Laura Dean reminds us why playing the piano matters even when life seems to tell us otherwise.
I Am a Practice Room: a guest post by Dr. Dave Deason
Many odes have been written to the piano. This lighthearted guest post by composer Dave Deason glorifies the lowly practice room. It’s a humorous look at a place many of us spent hours of our time.
Photo by Bram Naus, courtesy of UpSplash