Blog Review- The Collaborative Piano Blog

Blog Review- The Collaborative Piano Blog

By: Marilyn Terzi

http://collaborativepiano.blogspot.com/

The Collaborative Piano Blog is a blog that focuses on the art of Classical Piano, specifically piano in ensemble. The title of the blog does not do it justice; from the tremendous amount of varying information it contains, it should be called Piano 101! Chris Foley is the sole writer of the blog, and as the extensive content of his blog clearly expresses, he is also professional pianist, music professor, and a vocal coach. With posts dating back as far as 2005, The Collaborative Piano Blog has accumulated over 1,600 articles, and is constantly updated.

The posts discuss everything from the very basics of collaborative piano, to the skill set required to pursue a career in music, as well as tips on effective practicing methods. The posts are formatted in sequential order for the typical beginner pianist, which I found to be very organized and helpful when trying to navigate through specific topics. Although the blog generally discusses information that applies straight to the public, many times Foley begins his posts with a personal experience of his that relates to the topic, and I found this very effective when reading and learning from the posts.

The website design itself is simple, yet appealing to the eye. While some might say it appears to be too simple and perhaps a little bit dull, from my first impressions of the site, the design reflected the content of the blog perfectly well. With its black and white font tone resembling the colors of the piano keys, and the subtle pops of red adding some energy to the design, the appearance of the website is very classy. If the font of the text was to stand out and pull the reader in a little bit more, that would be an effective addition to the design.

The blog is very easily accessible, and Foley is very open to comments and concerns regarding his website. There are usually 20-50 comments on each post, consisting of questions, gratitude, and admiration. Foley seems to be very active in his quick replies to the many comments left on the posts, and from his responses it is clear that he is passionate about what he does and that he wants people to succeed. The Collaborative Piano Blog is an invaluable tool for aspiring musicians of any age, and it should definitely be taken advantage of!