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Dr. Roberts is a world-class pianist and teacher. He is also a practising medical doctor. Further, he holds a PhD on the physical and perceptual aspects of touch. He is based in London and consults aspiring and professional pianists on advanced principles of piano performance and technique optimisation. Passionate about piano playing and its importance to individuals and society, he is equally passionate about helping pianists reach their potential – and push beyond it – through mindset reframing, cognitive focus and mechanical excellence whilst avoiding the pitfalls of misinformed pedagogy: substandard outcomes and injury.
He is frequently engaged to talk at universities, conservatories and conferences on the topic of Optimizing Pianism and welcomes enquiries from pianists who are 'stuck' – either with plateauing skills or who suffer from pain and injuries. |
Coaching Services
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Stop guessing (wrongly) with your pianism.
Use science to upgrade your skills.
Virtuosity is achievable.
Use science to upgrade your skills.
Virtuosity is achievable.
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5-SESSION
COURSE 
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5 x 75min sessions: 'Optimise Your Pianism' (£1000)
Understand how piano virtuosity works. 5 sessions, covering the key principles of optimisation: 1. Assessing Pianism: using the "3M Model of Pianism", identify strengths & weaknesses, understand how your perceptual biases affect your pianism, recognise your pitfalls & maladaptive practice routines. 2. Mechanics & Movements: optimise biomechanics & movements. 3. Memory & Learning: strategies for fast learning, quick recall and speed playing. 4. Musical Artistry: strategise interpretative skills to enhance sensory & emotional manipulation of listeners. 5. Practice and Process: reframe and upgrade pianistic mindset; maximise the maths and physiology of the learning process. |
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ONLINE MEMBERS FORUM
(coming soon) 
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Weekly 15-Minute Online Session (Subscription service)
Each week, a topic from Optimizing Pianism will be discussed. Stay informed. Learn how to solve pianistic problems and optimise performance by putting the best music-science information into practice. * Suitable for pianists and teachers. |
Presentations & Masterclasses
• Talk – Optimising Thinking and Process. City Ready Series. City of London School (CLS), Dec 2025
• Guest speaker – Savage Club, Melbourne, Oct 2025
• Masterclass - Xavier and Genazzano College, Melbourne, Oct 2025
• Guest Speaker – Rotary Club, Hawthorn, Oct 2025
• Presentation to Teaching Staff – Optimising Musical Learning. Scotch College, Melbourne. Oct 2025
• Masterclass - Piano Class. Monash University, Melbourne, Oct 2025
• Masterclass – Piano class. Australian National Academy of Music. Oct 2025
• Masterclass – Piano class. Melbourne Conservatory of Music. Oct 2025
• Masterclass – Optimising Performance - Channing Girls School, London. Sep 2025
• Masterclass – Optimising Practising. City of London School (CLS), London. Sep 2025
• Talk – Career advice. Channing Girls School, London. Jun 2025
• Workshop – 'Optimising Performance' (for college musicians). William Goodenough House, London. May 2025
• Book presentation – 'Optimizing Pianism (and anything else!) – Why guess when you can know? – Goodenough College, London, Apr 2025
• Presentation – Reframing Performance Pedagogy Class. Conservatory of Music, Melbourne, Uni. Mar 2023
• Masterclass – 'Optimising pianism – help from science'. Conservatory of Music, Melbourne, Uni. Aug 2022
• Presentation – 'Touch and Tone' – Elder Hall, University of Adelaide, Australia. Jul 2014
• Keynote speaker – "The Application of Science and Medicine to Piano Technique", 6th WA Piano Pedagogy Conference, University of West Australia. Apr 2012
• Masterclass – 6th WA Piano Pedagogy Conference, University of West Australia. Apr 2012
• Presentation – "The Application of Science and Medicine to Piano Technique", Faculty of Music, University of Melbourne. Apr 2012
• Workshop – Australian National Academy of Music, Melbourne. Mar 2010
• Presentation – "The Application of Science and Medicine to Piano Technique", Faculty of Music, University of Melbourne. Mar 2010
• Doctor for Australian Youth Orchestra. European Tour, 2004
• Guest speaker – Savage Club, Melbourne, Oct 2025
• Masterclass - Xavier and Genazzano College, Melbourne, Oct 2025
• Guest Speaker – Rotary Club, Hawthorn, Oct 2025
• Presentation to Teaching Staff – Optimising Musical Learning. Scotch College, Melbourne. Oct 2025
• Masterclass - Piano Class. Monash University, Melbourne, Oct 2025
• Masterclass – Piano class. Australian National Academy of Music. Oct 2025
• Masterclass – Piano class. Melbourne Conservatory of Music. Oct 2025
• Masterclass – Optimising Performance - Channing Girls School, London. Sep 2025
• Masterclass – Optimising Practising. City of London School (CLS), London. Sep 2025
• Talk – Career advice. Channing Girls School, London. Jun 2025
• Workshop – 'Optimising Performance' (for college musicians). William Goodenough House, London. May 2025
• Book presentation – 'Optimizing Pianism (and anything else!) – Why guess when you can know? – Goodenough College, London, Apr 2025
• Presentation – Reframing Performance Pedagogy Class. Conservatory of Music, Melbourne, Uni. Mar 2023
• Masterclass – 'Optimising pianism – help from science'. Conservatory of Music, Melbourne, Uni. Aug 2022
• Presentation – 'Touch and Tone' – Elder Hall, University of Adelaide, Australia. Jul 2014
• Keynote speaker – "The Application of Science and Medicine to Piano Technique", 6th WA Piano Pedagogy Conference, University of West Australia. Apr 2012
• Masterclass – 6th WA Piano Pedagogy Conference, University of West Australia. Apr 2012
• Presentation – "The Application of Science and Medicine to Piano Technique", Faculty of Music, University of Melbourne. Apr 2012
• Workshop – Australian National Academy of Music, Melbourne. Mar 2010
• Presentation – "The Application of Science and Medicine to Piano Technique", Faculty of Music, University of Melbourne. Mar 2010
• Doctor for Australian Youth Orchestra. European Tour, 2004
Articles and Interviews
Interview (Sep, 2025) with Laura Panther (Australian National Academy of Music) - "ANAM, pianism and the seeds of Optimizing Pianism."
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Link here... |
Article (Sep 2025) – Channing Girls School
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Interview - "Hitting the right notes" (Sep, 2025). Alumni interview for The University of New England.
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Link here... |
Interview (Mar, 2025) with Olivia Ho (William Goodenough College, London) - The origins, purpose and inner journey of Optimizing Pianism
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Academic
• Reviewer of articles for Journal of Music Research Online, 2025-
• Fellow, Royal College of Anaesthetists (FRCA), UK. 2018
• PhD - ‘How the pianist’s touch affects tone quality – a review of performance-based and scientific literature with applications to piano practice and performance’, University of New England, Australia. 2015
• Masters (Music) – Dissertation: 'Symbolism in the late works of J.S.Bach', University of Melbourne, Australia. 2006
• Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), University of Melbourne, Australia. 2002
• Associate of Music Diploma, Australia (violin), Australian Music Examinations Board. 1993
• Licentiate of Music Diploma (with distinction, piano), Australian Music Examinations Board. 1992
• Fellow, Royal College of Anaesthetists (FRCA), UK. 2018
• PhD - ‘How the pianist’s touch affects tone quality – a review of performance-based and scientific literature with applications to piano practice and performance’, University of New England, Australia. 2015
• Masters (Music) – Dissertation: 'Symbolism in the late works of J.S.Bach', University of Melbourne, Australia. 2006
• Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), University of Melbourne, Australia. 2002
• Associate of Music Diploma, Australia (violin), Australian Music Examinations Board. 1993
• Licentiate of Music Diploma (with distinction, piano), Australian Music Examinations Board. 1992
Scholarships & Awards
• Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) for PhD research, Australia. 2010-13
• Ian Potter Cultural Trust: grant for investigation on the application of science to musical injury prevention. 2011
• Ian Potter Cultural Trust: grant for investigation on the application of science to musical injury prevention. 2008
• Michael Kieran Harvey Scholarship, Australia. 2006
• Ian Potter Cultural Trust: grant for investigation on the application of science to musical injury prevention. 2006
• Australian National Academy of Music, full-residential scholarship. 1998-99
• Pearis Rodger scholarship, University of Melbourne. 1996-98
• Northcote Trust scholarship. 1994
• State Premier's Award for Music, Victoria, Australia. 1994
• Ian Potter Cultural Trust: grant for investigation on the application of science to musical injury prevention. 2011
• Ian Potter Cultural Trust: grant for investigation on the application of science to musical injury prevention. 2008
• Michael Kieran Harvey Scholarship, Australia. 2006
• Ian Potter Cultural Trust: grant for investigation on the application of science to musical injury prevention. 2006
• Australian National Academy of Music, full-residential scholarship. 1998-99
• Pearis Rodger scholarship, University of Melbourne. 1996-98
• Northcote Trust scholarship. 1994
• State Premier's Award for Music, Victoria, Australia. 1994