Looking back at 2025 - Helen Curtis Music
30 Dec 25
It seems to be true... I am not great at keeping up to date with blogs or website updates. The evidence shows for itself! In all things tecnnological I am somewhat inconsistent. I am however consistent in making music and in my piano teaching. My Hebden Bridge/Mytholmroyd music room, has been thriving with students of all ages coming along each week for their piano lesson. I am very lucky with my students, they are wonderful. This year several have had big personal successes with ABRSM exams, perfomances they have done, either as solo perfomances and also in group perfomances. Students continue to practice and continue to grow as musicians. I am a very proud teacher.
The piano is such a rich instrument. It has everything one needs for expression, creativity and intellect. It fulfills the senses in every way- it is tactile- the movement of the keys beneath the fingers, it fills the ears with satisfying sounds, it looks beautful to watch the movement of the keys under the fingers. It engages our minds in every capacity. Add to that vocals at the same time and WOW!
It is a difficult time for musicians as we grapple with technologial expectations and changes within the industry. It fills my heart when I can play a note and sing a note and be so fullfilled with my experience and with someone elses experience as a listener or as the player. Technology cannot replace the evolutionary human experience of playing music.
2025 held some personal challenges, as the other half (my sister, Louise) of original folk duo Calluna Sun could not play her instruments due to an injury. We had to ease off performances and rehearsing for a few months. We did however manage to write some new material, and towards the end of the year we spent time at Spirit Studios in Manchester and recorded 3 live tracks. We will be excited to release them and also a music video in the coming months. During August I spent a couple of days in London at The Premises with Charanga Del Norte at The Premises. We recorded 2 tracks including our new French/Cuban Gainsbourgh project. I also got inspired by Fungus in Autumn and wrote a new song inspired by this theme.
At the end of December I decided I wanted a new classical project and started learning Beethovens Piano Sonata No1 in F Minor. I am extremely inspired, and am absolutely loving learning it. I am starting with the 3rd and the 4th movement. Playing Beethoven feels like putting on an old pair of slippers, it feels so natural to play. I hear the music like spoken words. It suits me.
And so... on what is nearly the New Years Eve, going into 2026... I bid those of you who read this a happy and healthy 2026, with lots of music in your life xx