Joyce's World

One unique thing about being a pianist is that unlike other musicians, we don’t have to carry our own instruments around. This can be a great perk, as long as I meet a great instrument when I arrive at a new venue!

I’m home for the holidays, spending time with my “evergreens”: favorite classical pieces that never get old. These dear friends help me reflect on all that is good in life and anticipate the New Year. Here are some of my favorites – and what are yours?

Life is very full and rich: full of music and rich with friends. This week I’m celebrating both with the release of my first duo album on Avie Records with the incredibly talented violinist Augustin Hadelich. My good friend is with me now to help tell the story of how we came to play together and make this album of music by Franck, Kurtág, Schumann and André Previn

I have a pesky question about playing outdoors at summer music festivals… What to do when a bug lands on the keyboard and there’s no time to flick it off? If it’s on a key I need (which is always) do I skip the note or smash the bug with committed accuracy?

I have just returned to Melbourne, Australia for the first time since paying $700 in luggage overage, but more on that later… In my life on the road I keep learning new tricks for navigating airports to get to my engagements on time.

I arrived in Pasadena before my luggage did this past weekend, and had a few scary hours facing the prospect of going onstage in my yoga pants to play Ravel. But the airline delivered and I also made it through the first of six different concertos in a row over the next few weeks.