Explore the music of four piano greats with a 5-day course dedicated to Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt and Debussy. Do you love playing Chopin, but lack confidence to play Beethoven? Would you love the challenge of learning a Liszt piece when you usually stick to "impressionist" repertoire? Spanning almost a 100 years from the birth of...
Back by very popular demand, this will be our sixth 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...
We've had a lot of interest from Beginner pianists who weren't quite ready for a Lower Intermediate course, but who are very keen to come on a course at Finchcocks! This course is just for those very pianists. If you're a beginner, perhaps 6-9 months into learning, through to grade 2, this weekend is the...
Fancy a UK based, luxury weekend away in a grade 1 listed country manor, surrounded by grand pianos? Join us for our extended, 3-day piano retreat! Our piano retreat is designed for anyone who just wants to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It would suit those who want a bit of time...
Come, emerse yourself in the sound world of one of the most significant composers of Western classical music! On this Advanced - Diploma+ ability three-day course dedicated to the music of Beethoven, Graham Fitch will guide you in exploring the physical, emotional and intellectual challenges of the great composer's music, paying particular attention to the...
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 David Hall, FRCO MA Cantab, this mixed ability weekend aims to explore Christmas music written or arranged for piano, accompanied by carols, mince pies and of course mulled wine! 17507|https://www.finchcocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/2019-04-06-Finchcocks-Piano-schoolEd-Ovenden-004-Copy-1024x683.jpg|large Get your festive party pieces...
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...
Upper intermediate players have a treat in store with three days' learning from the wonderful Florian Mitrea. Immerse yourself in piano heaven packed full of piano lessons, classes and concerts. But first, start your day with an interactive presentation involving slides, demonstrations, and exercises to set your theme for the day. 21330|https://www.finchcocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/IMG_6341_ERC-1024x682.jpg|large During your stay,...
Our 3-day course for Lower Intermediate pianists is designed to allow a bit more space to take things at slower pace and in more depth. Led by our Music Director and author of There's more to playing piano David Hall, guests can expect his signature inspiration alongside an encouraging and flexible teaching style. 28012|https://www.finchcocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Georgia-Ann-Dave-1024x683.jpg|large During your stay,...
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...
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,...
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...
Our 5-day summer schools are a well established highlight of the Finchcocks calendar. To ensure a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, priority is given to those who have attended at least one weekend Finchcocks course previously. This 5-day piano retreat for intermediate players offers pianists grades around grades 4 to 6, the chance to fully emerse...
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...
Join us for a triple treat of an English country garden, live music festival and nab an exclusive chance to make a weekend of it in one of 9 of our luxury bedrooms for the duration (with access to our pianos too). A chance to immerse yourself in the musical magic of Finchcocks, without having to...
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...
It's not often we are able to schedule a weekend for Upper Intermediate players with internationally renowned pianist, piano teacher and practice guru Graham Fitch. But we were determined to do so for 2025! Aimed at around grades 6-8, the weekend course offers an insight into the foundations needed for effective practice and performance, as...
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...
Our 3-day course for Intermediate pianists is designed to allow a bit more space to take things at slower pace and in more depth. It also offers chance for our Lower Intermediates to progress onto the next step if they've been considering it a while! Aimed at pianists around grades 4-6 playing level, the course...
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...
Come, immerse yourself in the sound world of one of the most significant composers of Western classical music! On this Advanced ability three-day course dedicated to the music of Beethoven, Graham Fitch will guide you in exploring the physical, emotional and intellectual challenges of the great composer's music, paying particular attention to the interpretation of...
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...
A course for upper intermediate pianists - or those who teach them! - with Penelope Roskell. Professor of Piano and award winning author of the Complete Pianist Penelope Roskell will be leading this weekend course on Essential Piano Technique. It is aimed at not only pianists of an upper intermediate level (including adult returners), but...
Our 3-day course for Intermediate pianists is designed to allow a bit more space to take things at slower pace and in more depth. Aimed at pianists around grades 2-4 playing level, the course is led by our Music Director and author of There's more to playing piano David Hall. Guests can expect his signature inspiration...
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...
