Get Playing

 

My teaching method for beginners nurtures developing musical talent right from the start. It echews tedious method books and their emphasis on repetition and slow note acquisition and has you playing pieces from the first lesson.

 

I extend intemediate students (Grades 4-6) with increasingly challenging repertoire, structured graded exams, ear training and an analytical approach to the pieces being studied. An understanding of a work's harmonic structure and structural framework extends a musician from being merely a player or agent of a composer's work through to being a collaborator. Compositions serve as models for further exploration and an understanding of how their structures work not only stimulates an interest in composition but greatly enhances their interpretation and realisation.

 

Students in the later grades (Grades 7 and above) have quite often arrived at a good understanding of the music they are playing, demonstrate a preference for particular genres of music and have started to develop their own unique musical personality. With these students the emphasis is less on directed instruction and more on choosing repertoire that will suit their temperament, building confidence in presenting recitals, stimulating inquiry that leads to further exploration and sharing many of the piano teaching tools (i.e. fingering, practice techniques) that will ultimately make them independent learners.

 

For students wishing to move beyond written scores I can share my wealth of experience as a jazz musician – teaching chord comping, piano voicings (and practice routines to aquire these), improvisation, scales (traditional and jazz oriented) and their relationship to chords, arranging from lead sheets and arrangement techniques. All of these can either complement a study of notated music or provide a new path of discovery.

 

 

Music Theory

 

I believe students should study Musicianship (the theory of music such as learning to read notation, etc.) concurrently with their practical studies. I generally spend one third of each lesson on music theory.

 

 

Technique

 

A good technique starts with small exercises and scales and develops into a routine that both informs and nourishes ones playing. It plays a key role in understanding those musical figures and sequences that underpin most music.

 

Technique is unfortunately often usually addressed as a requirement of participating in AMEB exams. My teaching of technique includes creative passagework practice (turning passages from pieces into meaningful technical exercises) and tailor-made, easy-to-learn patterns that develop fluency or further enhance an understanding of the music. This wholistic approach fully locates technique in the repertoire learnt, thereby  rendering it a meaningful and creative endeavour.

 

 

A Sound Framework

 

I believe that public examinations provide motivation, structure and ultimately a sense of achievement for younger players. The AMEB offers graded examinations in traditional classical piano, Piano For Leisure (repertoire  similar in standard to the traditional course but incorporating jazz and popular pieces) and its CPM (Contemporary Popular Music) course. I acknowledge that exams don't suit everybody and I do cater for those students as well.

 

 

Playing Experience

 

I encourage students to play in front of other people. Learning and instrument shouldn't be a lonely persuit but one that should ultimately brings joy to others. Once a student is up and running with their core repertoire I incorporate duets into lessons. I sometimes use pieces that have backing CDs. Once a year I hold a recital for my private students – an oportunity to showcase what has been learnt and gain performing experience in front of audiences. I also encourage participation in Eisteddfods.