Episode

#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
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1:26:28
Published: Tue Jul 19 2016
Description

Nicholas McCarthy (@NMcCarthyPiano) was born in 1989 without his right hand and only started to play the piano at the age of 14. He was told he would never succeed as a concert pianist. Fortunately, the doubters were wrong. His graduation from the prestigious Royal College of Music in London in 2012 appeared in press around the world, as he became the only one-handed pianist to graduate from the Royal College of Music in its 130-year history. Nicholas has now performed extensively throughout the world, including the U.K., U.S., South Africa, South Korea, Japan, Malta, and Kazakhstan. He has also played alongside Coldplay and given a rendition of the Paralympic Anthem in front of an audience of 86,000 people and half a billion worldwide viewers. His first album, entitled Solo (Warner Music) features 17 stunning pieces of left-hand repertoire spanning three centuries and has been released around the world to great acclaim. This was a blast of an interview, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Thanks for listening. Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.fourhourworkweek.com/podcast. This podcast is brought to you by Gymnastic Bodies. This is the training system that I am most obsessed with at the moment. Coach Sommer appeared on a previous episode of the podcast, which turned into a sleeper hit. He is the former USA national team coach for men's gymnastics and creator of this bodyweight-based training system. I'm not easily impressed, and I have been completely blown away by the sophistication and the elegance of his programming. I have been using Gymnastic Bodies for just a few months now, and I already feel more flexible and stronger than I have in years. Check out GymnasticBodies.com/tim, where you'll find the Fundamentals course for diagnosing your weakest areas, those you can tweak for fast improvements. It is incredible. Take a look at GymnasticBodies.com/tim for more details and a large discount. This podcast is also brought to you by 99Designs, the world's largest marketplace of graphic designers. I have used them for years to create some amazing designs. When your business needs a logo, website design, business card, or anything you can imagine, check out 99Designs. I used them to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body, and I've also had them help with display advertising and illustrations. If you want a more personalized approach, I recommend their 1-on-1 service. You get original designs from designers around the world. The best part? You provide your feedback, and then you end up with a product that you're happy with or your money back. Click this link and get a free $99 upgrade. Give it a test run.***If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Visit tim.blog/sponsor and fill out the form.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chapters
Nicholas McCarthy, the only one-handed pianist to graduate from the prestigious Royal College of Music, shares his story of perseverance and hard work as well as insights on overcoming doubt, finding inspiration, and achieving success in this episode.
00:00 - 07:07 (07:07)
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Music
Summary

Nicholas McCarthy, the only one-handed pianist to graduate from the prestigious Royal College of Music, shares his story of perseverance and hard work as well as insights on overcoming doubt, finding inspiration, and achieving success in this episode.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker recalls a teenage pianist's performance and reflects on the difference in experience between professionals and amateurs.
07:07 - 12:28 (05:20)
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Music
Summary

The speaker recalls a teenage pianist's performance and reflects on the difference in experience between professionals and amateurs.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker recounts her journey of exploring and learning about classical music to become a successful pianist, emphasizing the importance of taking advice and listening to different composers to broaden one's repertoire.
12:28 - 22:37 (10:08)
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Classical Music
Summary

The speaker recounts her journey of exploring and learning about classical music to become a successful pianist, emphasizing the importance of taking advice and listening to different composers to broaden one's repertoire.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The right hand technical difficulties and left hand rhythm tradition in piano playing can create challenges for left-handed piano players, who must adapt to the predominantly right-handed design of the world.
22:37 - 31:04 (08:27)
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Piano Playing
Summary

The right hand technical difficulties and left hand rhythm tradition in piano playing can create challenges for left-handed piano players, who must adapt to the predominantly right-handed design of the world.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The left hand piano repertoire has been around since the 19th century when concert pianists started to explore this unique style.
31:04 - 40:04 (08:59)
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Left Hand Piano Repertoire
Summary

The left hand piano repertoire has been around since the 19th century when concert pianists started to explore this unique style. The most famous left hand piano piece is Ravel's piano concerto for the left hand.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
A one-armed individual shares a cooking tip of using a sandwich bag to support an onion while slicing it with their left hand, which was a surprise to their friend who thought they were cooking with one hand.
40:04 - 44:25 (04:21)
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Cooking
Summary

A one-armed individual shares a cooking tip of using a sandwich bag to support an onion while slicing it with their left hand, which was a surprise to their friend who thought they were cooking with one hand.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
A musician talks about the challenges of creating a personal brand as an artist, as it is not taught in music schools.
44:25 - 50:13 (05:47)
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Personal Branding
Summary

A musician talks about the challenges of creating a personal brand as an artist, as it is not taught in music schools. She mentions the difference in attitudes towards self-promotion in different countries she has visited.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker reflects on times when he has listened to negativity in the classical music industry, but emphasizes the importance of ignoring stereotypes and pursuing your passions.
50:15 - 58:35 (08:19)
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Classical Music
Summary

The speaker reflects on times when he has listened to negativity in the classical music industry, but emphasizes the importance of ignoring stereotypes and pursuing your passions.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses the importance for artists, especially in the music industry, to invest in themselves and their craft, citing personal examples of playing free concerts to build a fan base and investing in producing their own CDs.
58:35 - 1:04:33 (05:58)
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Music Industry
Summary

The speaker discusses the importance for artists, especially in the music industry, to invest in themselves and their craft, citing personal examples of playing free concerts to build a fan base and investing in producing their own CDs. They also highlight the need for organizations to recognize the value of unique and diverse musicians.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The host and guest discuss how to explore lesser-known classical musicians and composers and dispel misconceptions about classical music being boring or inaccessible.
1:04:33 - 1:14:25 (09:51)
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Classical Music
Summary

The host and guest discuss how to explore lesser-known classical musicians and composers and dispel misconceptions about classical music being boring or inaccessible.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Nick Page mentions his passion for interior design and talks about how he loves to help friends and family with decorating their homes.
1:14:25 - 1:18:13 (03:48)
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Interior Design
Summary

Nick Page mentions his passion for interior design and talks about how he loves to help friends and family with decorating their homes. He also discusses the challenges of promoting books during press tours.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker discusses their appreciation for design companies and reading about ordinary homes.
1:18:13 - 1:23:53 (05:40)
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Design, Reading, Skincare, Organic
Summary

The speaker discusses their appreciation for design companies and reading about ordinary homes. They also mention their liking for Neil's Yard, a brand of natural and organic products in the UK.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss sends out a short email every Friday where he shares the coolest things he's found or has been pondering over the week, including gizmos, gadgets, and new music discoveries.
1:23:53 - 1:26:26 (02:32)
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Podcasts
Summary

Tim Ferriss sends out a short email every Friday where he shares the coolest things he's found or has been pondering over the week, including gizmos, gadgets, and new music discoveries. Show notes and links to everything discussed in the podcast can be found at 4hourworkweek.com/podcast.

Episode
#174: The One-Handed Concert Pianist, Nicholas McCarthy
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show