This weekend course is designed for pianists who are playing at or above grade 8 standard, working towards a diploma or beyond. It is also suitable for music graduates and piano teachers who would like a refresher boost of inspiration! Run by the ever popular Graham Fitch, these courses sell out quickly. As well as...
This course is designed for classically trained pianists (intermediate - advanced) who would love to delve into or brush up on their jazz skills! David Hall (FRCO, MA Cantab) will help you combine solid piano technique, aural skills and jazz music theory to help you explore a sound world perhaps different to the one you...
Fancy a UK based, luxury weekend away in a grade 1 listed country manor, surrounded by 9 grand pianos? Our piano retreat is designed for anyone who just wants a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It would suit those who want a bit of time away to practise, or to...
We are very excited to welcome British classical concert pianist and composer Beatrice Nicholas for a weekend of musical exploration, inspiration and discussion on the theme of Black Renaissance Music for piano. Beatrice enjoys an international career as a solo concert pianist, performing works by Bach through to the present day, with notable performances at...
We are delighted to be offering a course with brilliantly talented keyboard player and Early Keyboard Consultant to the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Royal Welsh Colleges, Steven Devine. During this weekend course Keyboard Music from the Baroque, Steven Devine will explore this incredibly fertile period of keyboard music, looking at style, technique, repertoire and instruments. Although...
We thought it was high time our upper intermediate players had the opportunity to study with the wonderful Graham Fitch for five whole days! This summer piano retreat offers pianists grade 6 - approaching 8 the chance to fully emerse themselves in all that Finchcocks has to offer. The course aims to provide a luxury...
Our 5-day summer schools sold out in record time this year! So, by popular demand, we've added one more! And this one is different. This is our most relaxed 5-day course ever and a pianist's dream Finchcocks stay: a 5-day 5-star Piano Holiday! This extended piano retreat offers the chance to spend mornings at the...
Fancy a UK based, luxury weekend away in a grade 1 listed country manor, surrounded by grand pianos? Our piano retreat is designed for anyone who just wants a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It would suit those who want a bit of time away to practise, or to fall...
We're really excited to be welcoming piano educator Andrew Eales to lead his first course at Finchcocks and start 2025 off with an interactive dive into his highly acclaimed practice guide How to practise. On How to practise by Andrew Eales "The essential, pocket-sized companion for every musician. Accessible and authoritative, How to Practise Music is...
Developed by the esteemed 19th century pianist Ignaz Moscheles and pedagogue François-Joseph Fétis, Méthode des Méthodes is one of the most ambitious of the 19th century music methods. The Etudes, by composers as famous as Chopin, Mendelssohn and Liszt, also include less familiar names such as Eduard Wolff, Amadée Mereaux and Julius Benedict, and provide...
28112|https://www.finchcocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Spring-Finchcocks-1024x769.jpg|large 2025 offers Advanced pianists three very different 5-day courses to choose from. The first is dedicated to those preparing for a special performance, providing a concentrated boost for those attending - to study, practise, polish and improve performance skills and experience. And at the helm leading the process is the hugely popular and inspiring...
We are thrilled to welcome multi-award winning jazz pianist Nikki Iles to Finchcocks for a weekend devoted to jazz piano. “A formidable UK jazz presence ...” “Iles is one of the most refreshing figures to have emerged in the UK scene in recent times" The Guardian (John Fordham) “Formidably creative.... “The Heroine of British Jazz...
This course, run by Finchcocks Musical Director David Hall, is ideal for anybody who wants to go beyond grade 5 theory to further develop their keyboard skills of interpretation, improvisation, harmonisation and transposition. It would best suit the Upper Intermediate pianist who has good understanding of grade 5 music theory upto Advanced players. David will...
The keyboard music of Mozart is seen as a model of perfection; the sleek lines of the melodies and exquisite harmonies ideally suited to the modern grand piano. However, Mozart’s own instruments and those around him offer a dramatically different sound world and thanks to researches in performance styles, our understanding of how Mozart’s music...
24557|https://www.finchcocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Dave-at-the-Bosendorfer-1024x683.jpg|large A weekend dedicated to enjoying sight-reading which, for the busy or practice-challenged pianist, requires no preparation at all! Why do we always talk about aural tests and sight-reading tests? Finchcocks musical director David Hall advocates a systematic approach to sight-reading that does not involve weekly high-pressure tests. He believes that sight-reading should feel more like curling up...
We are thrilled to be welcoming back concert pianist and keynote speaker Professor William Westney, as part of his visit to the UK, to 2025's programme - this time extended to three days! His previous visits have been extremely special for all involved so we can't wait for more. This 3-day course, for upper intermediate...
Upper Intermediate players have the fantastic opportunity to study with the wonderfully inspiring Graham Fitch for five whole days on this summer school! This summer piano retreat offers pianists grade 6 - approaching 8 the chance to fully emerse themselves in all that Finchcocks has to offer. The course aims to provide a luxury break...
This 5-day piano holiday went down a storm last year so we've added it to our regular offering. This is our most relaxed course ever and a pianist's dream Finchcocks stay: a 5-day 5-star Piano Holiday! This extended piano retreat offers the chance to spend mornings at the piano in a 30-minute one-to-one lesson with...
Fancy a UK based, luxury weekend away in a grade 1 listed country manor, surrounded by grand pianos? Our piano retreat is designed for anyone who just wants a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It would suit those who want a bit of time away to practise, or to fall...
Back by very popular demand, this will be our seventh Chopin weekend here at Finchcocks, this time with new, permanent member of our Finchcocks team - international concert pianist Sam Haywood! Chopin’s lyrical and elegant Nocturnes and Preludes are firm favourites with our Upper Intermediate, Advanced and Diploma+ players, and so we’re very excited to...
We know advanced pianists will be absolutely delighted to have another opportunity to spend five days learning from and being inspired by the inimitable Florian Mitrea. Below, he describes his plan for the Finchcocks 2025 autumn school course for advanced pianists (beyond grade 8, preparing for - or at - diploma standard, or higher). Our...
We are delighted to be offering a course with brilliantly talented keyboard player and Early Keyboard Consultant to the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and Royal Welsh Colleges, Steven Devine. During this weekend course Keyboard Music from the Baroque, Steven Devine will explore this incredibly fertile period of keyboard music, looking at style, technique, repertoire and instruments. Although...
21861|https://www.finchcocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Finchcocks26075-1024x1024.jpg|large Experience the magic of Finchcocks during the festive season and escape Christmas craziness with this special retreat! Run by the wonderful Beatrice Nichols, this mixed ability weekend aims to explore Christmas music written or arranged for piano, accompanied by carols, mince pies and of course mulled wine! 28914|https://www.finchcocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Christmas-wreaths-1-768x1024.jpg|large Get your festive party pieces ready...
Fancy a UK based, luxury weekend away in a grade 1 listed country manor, surrounded by grand pianos? Our piano retreat is designed for anyone who just wants a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It would suit those who want a bit of time away to practise, or to fall...
Join virtuoso pianist and composer Pavel Timofeyevsky for a dynamic weekend exploring what it means to be a Versatile Pianist. Covering a broad range of piano repertoire, late baroque to the 20th century, two interactive workshops, two performance classes and a one-to-one lesson, this course for upper intermediates - advanced players is not to be...
We are very excited to welcome back British classical concert pianist and composer Beatrice Nicholas for a weekend delving into the rich repertoire of American piano, "classical swing" and boogie woogie. The mixed-ability weekend will explore the crossover genre of notated jazz, blues and boogie woogie through the lens of 20th century Broadway, Hollywood and...
28112|https://www.finchcocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Spring-Finchcocks-1024x769.jpg|large Our first 5-day course of 2026 is now an established favourite for Advanced pianists. Dedicated to those preparing for a special performance, it provides a concentrated boost for those attending - to study, practise, polish and improve performance skills and experience. And at the helm leading the process is the hugely popular and inspiring...
Back by very popular demand, this will be our eighth Chopin weekend here at Finchcocks, this time with incredibly knowledgeable and talented virtuoso UK concert pianist Daniel Grimwood. Chopin’s lyrical and elegant Nocturnes and Preludes are firm favourites with our Upper Intermediate, Advanced and Diploma+ players, and so we’re very excited to announce the return...
This exciting weekend course offers students the chance to explore the rich vein of music not only from Russia per se, but also from the countries that were once part of the Russian Empire or Soviet Union. Their many common features will be shared - in particular the influence of Chopin - but also many...
This thought-provoking course focuses on the strategies that root your musical performances in more confident foundations. We explore and apply a diverse range of psychology-related ideas including ’the flow’; and concepts of body-mechanics from piano, theatre and dance to discuss and experiment with strategies that promote a more natural awareness of how our mind, body,...
Beyond the Notes: Exploring Harmony, Structure & Style is a weekend designed to transform how you hear, understand, and interpret the music you play. Through a mix of hands-on sessions and guided exploration, you'll gain practical tools for decoding harmony, recognising structural patterns, and shaping musical texture with clarity and confidence. Ideal for upper intermediate...
Recognising the Influence of Italian Music: A way to reimagine keyboard works from the Baroque to the Classical Period. Spend a sunny weekend in Italy with Italian and London-based pianist Margherita Torretta, and explore the extraordinary influence of Italian keyboard music in the Baroque and Classical periods. Revitalise your spirits and experience music inspired by...
Invigorate your piano playing and take ownership of your music with this new course, developed by Dr. Michael Low! This course focuses on the technical and musical foundations that underpin effective piano playing. Through a combination of workshops, performance classes, and individual feedback, it addresses common inefficiencies in practice and technique, and challenges widely held...
This 5-day piano holiday has proved so popular, we've added two to summer 2026's offering. This is our most relaxed course ever and a pianist's dream Finchcocks stay: a 5-day 5-star Piano Holiday! This extended piano retreat offers the chance to spend mornings at the piano in a 30-minute one-to-one lesson with the wonderful Sam...
This 5-day piano holiday has proved so popular, we've added two to summer 2026's offering. This is our most relaxed course ever and a pianist's dream Finchcocks stay: a 5-day 5-star Piano Holiday! This extended piano retreat offers the chance to spend mornings at the piano in a 30-minute one-to-one lesson with Musical Director David...
