“Swinburne weaves an intriguing narrative that proves the power of music always prevails over life’s greatest hardships. In turns poignant, witty, insightful and thoroughly moving, this book is a must-read for pianists and music lovers.” Leon McCawley, internationally acclaimed concert pianist “A beautiful novel, musical in form and content, about political and generational divides and […]

Music lies at the heart of Caroline’s novel Khrushchev’s Piano (The Book Guild, 28 November). The story moves between the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War and the present day, following three generations of pianists whose lives are shaped, in very different ways, by the instrument. Each chapter is dedicated to a […]

Teaching the adult pianist: insights from music therapy practice – this article was published by Piano Professional Magazine, the journal of the European Piano Teacher’s Association (https://epta-uk.org). Read the article here (PDF download.)

Caroline’s been exploring the fascinating back story of the piece Moscow Nights – a one-time Soviet pop song which is featured in Khrushchev’s Piano. This is the wonderful 1958 performance by American pianist Van Cliburn. He played Moscow Nights as an encore, after his unexpected victory in the 1958 inaugural Tchaikovsky competition, to demonstrate his […]

Caroline’s second novel, Khrushchev’s PIano, will be published by The Book Guild in November. The book is a fictional re-imagining of the inaugural International Tchaikovsky competition held in 1958 in Soviet Moscow. In this version, the real-life winner American, Van Cliburn, is reinvented as a young British woman, Evie Mason. Diaries and newspaper reports from the […]

S. Rachmaninov : Prelude in Gb Major op 23 no 10 In advance of the publication of KHRUSHCHEV’S PIANO in November, Caroline has been learning some music by composers featured in the book. One central figure, Rachmaninov, received mixed reviews from the Soviet regime. He left his native Russia soon after the October Revolution of […]

People have been asking questions about Caroline’s forthcoming book, Khrushchev’s Piano! “How did you come up with the idea for a book centred on a piano?” Around a decade ago, I attended a piano auction in London. Surrounded by more than a hundred pianos – each with its own history, some spanning generations – I […]

On 29th January, Caroline was in conversation with Adrian Peel of the Cambridge Independent at Heffers bookshop in Cambridge. There was a good turnout including many local musicians and music therapists, and some lively discussion.  

Solo was officially launched on October 8th, in an event at London’s October Gallery. Caroline was in conversation with her writing tutor and mentor, novelist Shelley Weiner. The evening was made even more special by the wonderful music performed by members of the Cor8 horn ensemble. It was a night of lively conversation, music, and […]

What happens when a famous solo goes disastrously wrong in front of a huge audience? This is the premise of Solo, a new novel by author and musician Caroline Swinburne, which delves into the murky world of performance anxiety and the mental health struggles of classical musicians. In this guest blog post by the author, […]