The Piano Boat

08/07/2024

This month, The Piano Teachers' Course UK has just announced a new bursary in memory of Masayuki Tayama. If this is of interest to you or someone you know, please do get in touch.

08/07/2024

This afternoon’s concert in memory of Masa was a very touching and memorable occasion. We have recorded it and will be making it available for anyone who would like to hear it in exchange for a donation to Music on the Water.

Thank you so much to everyone who made this possible.

A little catch up after an amazing memorial concert, honouring the wonderful Masayuki Tayama.

15/05/2024

I would like to share these details below of a concert for Masa. Friends and colleagues will perform in his memory at the Elmitt Piano Academy, an establishment with which he had a long association and is run by one of the people most longstanding and influential in his life, and by extension a wonderful group of people who hold together the musical life of the place.

I (Rhiana) will also perform on the day, alongside others, all of whom have their own unique connection with and experience of Masa.

The proceeds will go to Music on the Water to help fund events which will be in association with The Piano Boat, beginning later this year.

Tickets available online: bit.ly/concert-for-masa

01/05/2024

This was filmed during on of the last cruises we ran in August 2023. Thank you so much Steinway & Sons UK.

19/04/2024

I do not want The Piano Boat to become solely a platform for my own thoughts and feelings, but this is in the interest of balance as these days do come and go, too, as well as those I have spoken about over the last month or so. I know it won’t last forever but this time is an important part in the story of The Piano Boat, so I hope you don’t mind me sharing it.

The poem, ‘Atlas’, by U.A. Fanthorpe:

There is a kind of love called maintenance
Which stores the WD40 and knows when to use it;

Which checks the insurance, and doesn’t forget
The milkman; which remembers to plant bulbs;

Which answers letters; which knows the way
The money goes; which deals with dentists

And Road Fund Tax and meeting trains,
And postcards to the lonely; which upholds

The permanently rickety elaborate
Structures of living, which is Atlas.

And maintenance is the sensible side of love,
Which knows what time and weather are doing
To my brickwork; insulates my faulty wiring;
Laughs at my dryrotten jokes; remembers
My need for gloss and grouting; which keeps
My suspect edifice upright in air,
As Atlas did the sky.

08/04/2024

Two of our lovely cruise guests from December 2022 very kindly sent me these photos from their visit! It's so special to see these, and I'm so grateful to have them.

With huge thanks to Mara Ashton and Richard Derwent for letting me share these images here.

Masa always delighted in calling us the 'dream team'. He laughed the first time I said it, jokingly, but then repeated it often with a twinkling grin that said how pleased he was to be a part of this team of two.

And it goes without saying that I am SO proud of what we created, and I am actually starting to look forward to the next chapter of The Piano Boat, remembering his legacy and continuing what we started together.

Thank you, as always, for the incredible support and patience from everyone here. It really means so much to me.

23/03/2024

I saw/heard some geese today and it reminded me of this day, trying so hard not to laugh - unsuccessfully! Masa found this so funny but his poker face was much better than mine!

This was recorded back in the summer of 2020. It’s hard to believe it’s almost 4 years ago now, which doesn’t seem so long, but my goodness, it’s a lifetime ago.

Thank you so much for all the kind words of support on my short video earlier this week. I’m so grateful for this wonderful community.

19/02/2024

I have finally been able to share an update from The Piano Boat, the full video of which you can watch on YouTube including Masa's performance. The link to that video is in the comments below, and this is just a short preview.

I hope to be able to share more news about our wonderful boat soon, and really want to continue this dream that we started together, somehow, and honour Masa's legacy. Thank you all for your patience, kindness and amazing support.

01/11/2023

I know many people will be wondering about the future of The Piano Boat at the moment. I first wanted to say a huge thank you for the emails, cards and messages I've received in the past few weeks. I know I haven't responded to most and I will at some point but I just wanted to express my immense gratitude for all the support. Even if you haven't heard back from me, I've read every message and they all mean a huge amount.

I know there is a general wish for The Piano Boat to continue and although it is still much too soon for me to consider running it with anyone else or in any other format, something may come up in time that allows me to properly honour all that Masa did here, and what we managed together. It is our proudest achievement.

For now, I am living on the boat with our two lovely cats, and a huge amount of support from those around me. It's a very special place and I'm so grateful for all I have.

It is a shame we weren't able to continue running the cruises for longer but I regret nothing and doing this together had huge implications beyond what I think either of us realised at the time; it wasn't simply running a business together that was important.

Thank you for all the kindness, patience and support, and know that this may not be the last you hear of The Piano Boat, but that everything needs time to settle as I adjust to a new life that I'm not quite ready for yet.

-Rhiana 💙

If anyone would like to make a donation in Masa's name, it would be so hugely appreciated by either of the two small charities that he was involved with. Below is a brief summary of both.
https://masa.muchloved.com/Fundraising

Music on the Water was set up to provide unique musical experiences set in the tranquility and history of the UK’s inland waterways, and is linked with The Piano Boat; as the name suggests, music and water were the perfect combination for Masa and he was absolutely thrilled to be able to mix the two in this unusual setting.

The Piano Teachers’ Course UK Trust supports the professional development of piano teachers in the UK and worldwide by providing training, workshops, bursaries and resources. Masa was the proud Director of the PTC UK and was passionate about raising the bar in teaching standards across the country.

24/09/2023

To everyone who has supported us and The Piano Boat,

I am writing with the very sad news that our incredibly talented, sensitive and awe-inspiring pianist and my beloved husband, Masa Tayama, has passed away this week.

He would want me to thank everyone for the amazing support we've received over the past few years which has enabled us to do this unusual thing of putting classical concerts on a canal boat - inspired by his love of both. It really was the perfect combination for him and I have loved every moment.

We have both been so proud of what we've created and achieved since launching The Piano Boat and I know he personally left a legacy of music that will live on. Beyond that, he touched the lives of so, so many people - many more than he ever could have imagined and tributes have poured in as a testament to his kindness, humour, generous nature and sharp mind.

The hole left in the lives of those closest to him is immense and for myself, I know it is something I will carry for the rest of my life - but I also know he would not want us to stay in grief for too long but just continue to honour him in our own way.

So from the very bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for all the support from everyone who has bought cruise tickets, joined the monthly Virtual Concerts that he was so proud of, supported us on social media and generally contributed to the creation of this wonderful entity which is The Piano Boat.

With sincerest gratitude,

Rhiana - and Masa

17/08/2023

9pm, More4 (UK)
Tonight's the night!

We'll be settling in with a (decaf) coffee at 9pm to indulge in watching ourselves on the big screen as this evening we'll be appearing on My Floating Home again!

Two years on, they came to catch up with us. More has changed again since the filming as that was over a year ago - but no spoilers! However, we are open for cruise bookings over Christmas now 😉

We haven't seen it ourselves yet so the anticipation is mounting!

10/08/2023

We've just released our Christmas cruise dates!

Join us in December 2023 or January 2024 for a limited number of cruises during the festive period. The winter is a magical time for cruising on the canals when they are so still and quiet, and everything just seems to slow down.

Treat someone - or yourself! - to a wonderful experience of mesmerising music, gentle cruising and sumptuous afternoon tea with all drinks included.

Find out more: https://www.thepianoboat.com/christmas-on-board

Review on TripAdvisor, December 2022:
5 stars - '1st class experience
This was our second visit to the Piano Boat, an early Christmas present from my lovely husband! What a wonderful and special afternoon it was, being able to experience the wonderment of Masayuki performing his beautiful and amazing piano recital in such an intimate and elegant setting. As if this wasn't in itself enough, we were then absolutely indulged by Rhiana's 1st class and delicious afternoon tea, (best I've ever had!) whilst sipping chilled prosecco and, for a few hours, allowing ourselves to feel that all is well in life.

Thank you so much Rhiana and Masayuki for creating such a fabulous experience. You are both so very talented in everything you do and we wish you all the very best in the future.'

Availability for Christmas 2023: https://www.thepianoboat.com/christmas-on-board

09/08/2023

A couple of weeks ago, we were delighted to sit down with Flo Lockheart, Editor of Classical Music Magazine, to discuss the journey we've undertaken in making a sideways leap from whatever a 'normal' day looks like as a musician, to starting this unusual and unprecedented venture.

The full article is now available to read: https://www.classical-music.uk/features/article/locks-and-liszt-how-the-piano-boat-brings-concerts-to-the-canals

28/07/2023

Somehow, this masterpiece seems to be not so often performed in concerts. Certainly, we're familiar with the 'Moonlight', 'Appassionata' and 'Pathetique' Sonatas, but do you know Beethoven's 'Tempest'?

This Sunday evening, Masa will present a reflective, powerful and uplifting programme of Rachmaninov, Beethoven and Gershwin, including the famous 'Rhapsody in Blue'.

We hope you'll join us to round off the weekend with a Virtual Concert!

This comes at 6pm, after we've finished the day's Afternoon Tea Concert Cruise!

Concert tickets: https://www.thepianoboat.com/virtual-concerts

20/06/2023

What face do you make when one of your guests says they cancelled a booking at a world-renowned department store for afternoon tea to come to you instead, as they were told it's 'the best afternoon tea I've ever had'?

😱🤯🥳🥹😁

To lift the flavours in a lighter summer touch, the chocolate pot you see here has been replaced by an incredible moreish lime posset with ginger shortbread.

Oooooooh...

Will you join us for a summer Afternoon Tea Concert Cruise?
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thepianoboat

06/06/2023

This was our Sunday afternoon! Glorious sunshine and a fabulous reunion for a group of students from The Piano Teachers' Course UK. One member fancied giving us a hand with the locks on the way back!

04/06/2023

Haven’t we been fortunate with the weather? We’ve just finished our last cruise of this period before we start again with the last two weekends in July - which are already filling up!

Thank you to all our lovely guests over these past couple of weekends, some who have travelled quite a distance!

Onwards to the next ones!

31/05/2023

Gift Vouchers back on the website 🎉

Valid for 18 months after purchase, they are the ideal way to treat someone to one of our special and exclusive Afternoon Tea Concert Cruises. With a maximum of 10 guests on each cruise, we can promise a unique and memorable afternoon with tranquil cruising, mesmerising music and indulgent food.

We hope The Piano Boat will be part of your summer! 😉

Do get in touch with any questions at all - we're a very small business run entirely by wife and husband duo, Rhiana and Masa, so all enquiries come directly to us!

https://www.thepianoboat.com/gift-vouchers

31/05/2023

We had a fabulous day at the Crick Boat Show on Monday! Following a weekend of beautiful, sunny cruising, we drove up to go and look at other people's boats for a day.

Thank you to everyone who stopped us to say hello - we felt like real celebrities being asked for photographs! 😄

Hope to see you all again next year!

Meanwhile, we're back to cruising this weekend so fingers crossed for continued blue skies and balmy weather.

13/05/2023

Hungry?

Before every cruise, I (Rhiana) send an email to all the guests with travel and boarding details. I always wonder whether to include, 'Don't eat too much before you come as the afternoon tea is pretty substantial!'

6 sandwiches, a scone and three cakes... It doesn't sound like a huge amount but we've (jokingly) talked about having a Wall of Fame for the select few who manage to finish everything!

With a huge thanks to Leiths School of Food and Wine for the absolutely eye-opening course I completed there almost three years ago. Honestly, we couldn't have run the cruises without it!

12/05/2023

Hello!

Here we are, on the stern deck of The Piano Boat in the summer of 2021 (taken by one of our lovely guests). It feels like the past two years have just whizzed by in a flash!

Although we can't guarantee that the weather will always be as pleasant as it was on this particular day, we can reassure you that the music will be spectacular and the food indulgent!

We have some availability for our upcoming cruises at the end of this month and beginning of June - perfect for a celebration, special occasion, or just a day out to remember!

Any questions, let us know!

https://www.thepianoboat.com/afternoon-tea-cruises

07/05/2023

Practising for today's Virtual Concert at 4pm!

Have you guessed what the piece is yet? We know some of you have got it already...

We hope you'll join us on board this afternoon!

https://www.thepianoboat.com/virtual-concerts

05/05/2023

Here's a challenge...

Can you work out what this piece is? You might be able to guess the composer but we could say it's one of his lesser-known works!

Concert this Sunday featuring the whole piece, amongst others!

No cheating by looking at the website first!!

https://www.thepianoboat.com/virtual-concerts

04/05/2023

For those who know, this probably won't come as a surprise. For those who don't, can you guess what - or who - Masa is a fan of?!

Just because it is May the 4th...

May the Force be with you.Apologies yet again for the inactivities on this Channel; we are looking to resume shortly!

25/04/2023

Amongst all this blue, can you spot the burgundy boat?

We're fortunate to have a little rowing boat belonging to a friend, and have talked for a long time about taking a picnic and rowing a short way down the canal. Perhaps it will happen this summer!

Speaking of picnics... and cake... we enjoyed a sumptuous yuzu and mango cake on Sunday (not made by Rhiana this time, but the kind of cake that makes you keep going back for another sliver) for our Paper Wedding Anniversary. Has it been a year already?!

It's been a challenging year in no small way, but we're so grateful to everyone for sticking by us with patience and cruising with us when we are able to!

21/04/2023

If you've been waiting until warmer days to join us on board, now's your chance! We're delighted that, due to popular demand, we've released some cruise dates at the end of May and beginning of June. Just 4 cruises, and limited availability left on a couple of the dates!

One of the first things you will see coming on board is our stunning duo of bespoke windows created by hand, by the incredible glass artist Kathryn Webley - The Pod - Floating Studio Gallery. We commissioned the door before the boat was even built! Rhiana saw her stand at the Crick Boat Show and we put a deposit down the next year when we returned with a plan.

Cruise availability: https://buytickets.at/thepianoboat

13/04/2023

'one of the best days out available in London for piano, cake and canal enthusiasts...'

That does pretty much sum us up 😄

Thanks so much to all our lovely guests so far this week! Two more cruises coming up this weekend. Experience the silence of electric cruising through the beautiful Colne Valley Regional Park, followed by an enveloping musical experience and indulgent afternoon tea.

11/04/2023

Another day, another cake tier! Today featured a lime and ginger cheesecake with lime jelly, moist clementine cake, a light Victoria sponge with a raspberry buttercream, and Rhiana’s take on Eaton mess.

All dietary requirements catered for! We’ve done vegan, gluten-free, chocolate-free (see photo!), nut-free*, vegetarian, pescatarian - all welcome!

*Though we do our best to avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen, we cannot guarantee the absence of allergens in food as it is all prepared in the same area.

Only two tickets left for this month… grab them whilst you can!
https://buytickets.at/thepianoboat/861087

08/04/2023

What a treat to share this view with today’s wonderful guests! The sun was shining, it was 16 degrees C (so basically tropical in London…), and we have a newcomer on the cake tier! Guests who have been before - any ideas which one?

Some last-minute availability due to cancellations has come up for next week if you fancy a musical afternoon on the canal! Dates: https://buytickets.at/thepianoboat