Piano Tuition

I have worked as a piano teacher for over 25 years. I enjoy working with pupils at all stages from beginner to advanced, including adults returning to piano studies after a long gap. I teach to Grade 8 and beyond, but have most experience teaching from complete beginner to Grade 7.

In 1993, following my interest in practical and holistic music education, I began training with the British Kodály Academy. This led me in 1998 to change fundamentally my approach to teaching the piano. I began following Kodáy principles with my pupils, and started to use piano teaching materials developed by Gillian Earl, based on Kodály principles. Ihave since been designing my own teaching materials for pre-instrumental musicianship training and piano study. Here's what one parent said about the Kodály approach. Her daughter is using the materials I have developed for piano teaching.

"I have not experienced the Kodály method in action before. I have to say I am impressed at the way it seems to be working, bringing so many of the basic (and more complicated) concepts together quite rapidly in a painless and enjoyable way".

Click here for more information about the Kodály approach.

Piano Lessons

Children generally have a half-hour piano lesson every week during term-time, but some young beginners enjoy shared lessons at first. As they get older and more advanced, some students attend for 45 minutes or longer.

I usually start piano lessons with children at age 6/7, but have had success with many older beginners. Prior to starting lessons some children attend my Sound Roots To Music classes (singing-based pre-instrumental musicianship classes), designed to develop skills relevant to all aspiring musicians. These classes are an ideal foundation stage for piano, introducing repertoire which children will also meet in my piano books.

As well as teaching children and teenagers, I work with adults, some new to music and the piano, and some resuming or continuing piano studies. I usually see adults every fortnight or 3 weeks rather than every week − many adults find this a more manageable frequency. Some adult students also have musicianship lessons.