The piano is an unusual musical instrument in that all ten digits of the performer can be used to sound different notes simultaneously. Fingers need practice, and practice makes perfect. Working hard to build strength and dexterity is part and parcel of every pianist's story, and just as in sport, exercises are a necessary evil. But what can start out as a chore when young can eventually become a pleasure when technique is more advanced and exercises turn into Chopin or Moskowski Etudes – written and designed for developing technique but also being very beautiful music. Featuring Lucy Parham, Gwilym Simcock, Richard Sisson and David Owen Norris

There's an art to choosing and performing an encore, even for the world's top pianists. Being invited to return to the stage calls for a choice that complements but doesn't upstage the programme the audience have just heard. And it mustn't keep the orchestra sitting too long with nothing to do. It must be prepared and yet feel like a spontaneous treat. Above all, it's a pleasure. Featuring Lucy Parham, Stephen Hough, Lang Lang and Angela Hewitt.

The piano is rare in that it's an instrument that can be played by two people at the same time. The intimacy of sharing a stool and playing shoulder to shoulder can make for a very pleasant experience. And there are many great pieces of music composed for piano duet. Views from the stage and from the rehearsal room come from David Owen Norris, Pascal and Ami Roge and the Labeque sisters.

Competitions are a vital part of many classical pianists' careers. They are a testing ground, and a way to get noticed in a crowded field. But are they an exciting way to make a name as a young musician, a necessary evil, or are they in fact not necessary at all?

This is an energetic and rhythmic style of piano playing that originated in the Southern States of America in the early 20th century. The rumbling left-hand rhythm was often used to evoke trains and railroad travel, and the buoyant energy of the music was popular to dance to in the juke joints and barrelhouses. Famous early exponents included Jelly Roll Morton, Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis.

The action, or hammer mechanism, is the defining development in the history of the piano. It is the complex mechanical balancing act connecting the pianist to the strings, from the key to the hammer, allowing minute control of loud and soft, allowing each pianist to express themselves in their own unique way.