While other composers wrote their pieces with quill and ink, Schumann composed using magic. His head was constantly filled with stories and daydreams, and every now and then, one of them would find their way onto a piece of paper – this is how he wrote his Kinderszenen.

Practicing away from your instrument might seem like a contradiction. If you think the only practice that counts towards your 5 hours a day are the hours spent beavering away in a stuffy practice room, it’s time to explore the power of mental practice.