This course is designed for people who would like to brush up on their music theory. It will aim to cover the major topics found in the ABRSM grade 5 theory syllabus. But unlike ploughing through a book on your own, our tutor - David Hall (FRCO, MA Cantab) - will show you how music theory can be...
This course is designed for anyone who just wants a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It would suit anyone who wants a bit of time away to practise or wants to fall in love with playing the piano again! It would also be ideal for anyone one who has made...
Rachmaninoff's fearsome reputation as a composer, has sometimes put his repertoire out of reach of the amateur pianist, but his lyrical late romantic style and mastery of counterpoint make him a firm favourite amongst pianists and listeners alike. The challenging nature of his compositions warrant their own course, so we've organised a weekend course dedicated...
PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP WITH GRAHAM FITCH - JUST RELEASED The focus for Graham's course is on developing performance skills, including memorisation, practising towards a performance, aspects of style (Baroque and Classical styles especially), technique and overcoming nerves and anxiety. This course is designed for people who have reached a grade 8 standard. It would also suit...
This course is designed for people who have made a good start at the piano and got to between grade 2 and grade 4 standard. It's ideal for players keen to return to the piano after a gap of a few years, or indeed for anyone practising regularly working up through the grades. This course...
17573|https://finchcocksstg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/2019-04-07-Finchcocks-Piano-schoolEd-Ovenden-167-Copy-1024x683.jpg|large This course is designed for people who have are between grade 4 and grade 6 in standard. It would also suit players who reached a reasonably high standard but haven't played for a few years, and indeed players working their way through the grades and playing regularly. Each day typically starts with a workshop...
17356|https://finchcocksstg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Spring-at-Finchcocks-1024x768.jpg|large This spring retreat is designed for anyone who just wants a UK-based weekend away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, emails and the boredom of 2020s lockdowns. Give yourself the gift of some time away to practise and reconnect with your piano playing on this luxury piano retreat: If you made a...
The piano music of the French impressionists has a special place in the development of any pianist’s repertoire. The music of Debussy, Satie and Ravel in particular calls for very special control of tone, texture, colour and use of pedal. The amazing scope of musical pictures painted by these composers calls for a course dedicated...
ADVANCED WEEKEND WITH GRAHAM FITCH The focus for Graham's course is on developing performance skills, including memorisation, practising towards a performance, aspects of style (Baroque and Classical styles especially), technique and overcoming nerves and anxiety. This course is designed for people who have reached a grade 8 standard. It would also suit piano teachers and...
FROM HEALTHY TECHNIQUE TO NATURAL ARTISTRY: ADVANCED COURSE WITH PENELOPE ROSKELL This course is for pianists who are interested in exploring a new approach to piano playing, and who would like their playing to feel effortless, be more expressive and avoid tension and injury. Pianists will receive guidance on their current repertoire, as well as...
Finchcocks is keen to join in the global celebrations of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. In this course dedicated to the music of Beethoven, Graham Fitch will guide you in exploring the physical, emotional and intellectual challenges of the music, paying particular attention to the interpretation of the numerous markings for dynamics and articulation...
Liszt and Rachmaninoff were two pianist-composers of extraordinary reputation. Their performances quickly became the stuff of legends and both left a body of compositions that have captured the imaginations of audiences and pianists ever since. Whilst both composers revelled in pianistic brilliance, their works present different challenges to those brave enough to play them. The...
15201|https://finchcocksstg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_3096-1024x682.jpg|large This course is designed for anyone between grade 3 and grade 7, and will be run over a 5 day period. This course is being run by David Hall (FRCO, MA Cantab), who is one of our most popular tutors at Finchcocks, and was recently described by the Sunday Times when they joined us on a...
18917|https://finchcocksstg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Warren-2-683x1024.jpg|large This course is being run by Warren Mailley Smith, who hit the headlines recently for performing the entire works of Chopin from memory in a series of concerts in London. He appears regularly on Radio 3 and Classic FM, and is one of our most popular tutors at Finchcocks. The formal sessions will include...
This course is designed for people who have made a good start at the piano and got to between grade 2 and grade 4 standard. It's ideal for players keen to return to the piano after a gap of a few years, or indeed for anyone practising regularly working up through the grades. This course...
UPPER INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED WEEKEND COURSE WITH GRAHAM FITCH The focus for Graham's course is on developing performance skills, including memorisation, practising towards a performance, aspects of style (Baroque and Classical styles especially), technique and overcoming nerves and anxiety. This course is designed for people who have reached (or are working towards) a grade 8 standard. It...
Having Graham Fitch on our staff, it seemed too good an opportunity to miss scheduling a weekend of Baroque and Bach! Graham studied harpsichord as a second instrument with Ruth Dyson at the Royal College of Music, and was runner-up in the intercollegiate harpsichord competition, The Raymond Russell Prize in 1981. Thereafter he was awarded...
21298|https://finchcocksstg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Florian-10-1024x681.jpg|large 5 DAY AUTUMN COURSE WITH FLORIAN MITREA In this course, Florian Mitrea will teach the pianists to produce their most beautiful sound by marrying technique with expressivity: "I will always match my artistic suggestions with possible technical means to achieve them, not in a prescriptive way, but rather in a manner that will give...
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...
This course is designed for people who would like to brush up on their music theory. It will aim to cover the major topics found in the ABRSM grade 5 theory syllabus. But unlike ploughing through a book on your own, our tutor - David Hall (FRCO, MA Cantab) - will show you how music theory can be...
Chopin's lyrical and elegant Nocturnes and Preludes are firm favourites with our intermediate and advanced players, and so we're very excited to announce the return of our very popular first composer-specific weekend. We're incredibly lucky to have secured the services of Warren Mailley-Smith for this course. In 2016, Warren became the first British pianist to...
This course is designed for people who are now confident in the basics of the piano, want to deepen learning before trying an Upper Intermediate course or grade, and who are between or around grades 4 and 6 standard. It's ideal for players keen to return to the piano after a gap of a few...
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...
Preparing for a diploma can feel like a large mountain to climb, and a lonely one as a pianist! Many of our advanced pianist guests are keen amateurs setting themselves a performance goal of a diploma to work towards. This weekend course is dedicated especially to those needing some extra tools to help them along...
Chopin; where he came from, and where he went! - an exploration of some of the music that led to what we call the ‘Chopinesque’. Many consider Chopin to be a composer who stands alone in music history and indeed piano repertoire - a beautiful melancholic enigma almost in a genre of his own. In...
This course, run by Finchcocks Musical Director David Hall, is ideal for anybody who wants to develop their keyboard skills of harmonisation, composition and improvisation in a classical style It is a mixed ability course, aimed at the intermediate to advanced pianist. Grade 5 theory standard would also be helpful. Rather than the usual performance...
Our Upper Intermediate - Advanced weekend course is designed for pianists grades 6-8+. Whether you're a grade 8 player in need of a confidence boost, a former advanced player who has gotten a little rusty, or an accomplished upper intermediate player looking for a challenge, this is the one for you! Tutor for the weekend...
Beethoven's 250th birthday celebrations last year were a bit of a washout, so we're keeping the party going! In this course dedicated to the music of Beethoven, Graham Fitch will guide you in exploring the physical, emotional and intellectual challenges of the music, paying particular attention to the interpretation of the numerous markings for dynamics...
15202|https://finchcocksstg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IMG_3122-1024x682.jpg|large Many of us played the piano whilst at school, but didn't get quite as far as we'd hoped. Some of us missed out entirely. This course is designed for adult pianists returning to the piano after a gap of a few years (or decades!). It would also suit anyone who has recently taken up...
We are thrilled to be hosting concert pianist and keynote speaker Professor William Westney, as part of his visit to the UK, in this year's programme. This weekend course, for upper intermediate to advanced level pianists, focuses on musical communication, physical enjoyment, and addressing technical challenges in a healthy way. Principles from Dr. Westney’s best-selling...
In this course, with Professor of Piano Penelope Roskell, pianists will have the opportunity to receive expert guidance on their current repertoire, both from a technical and an artistic point of view. Penelope is the UK's foremost specialist in healthy piano playing, and she will share with the group how to put many of the...
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...
This course, run by Finchcocks Musical Director David Hall, is ideal for anybody who wants to develop their keyboard skills of improvisation, harmonisation and transposition. It is aimed at all abilities of piano player, but would best suit the intermediate pianist - from Lower Intermediate to Upper Intermediate. Why study music theory and harmony? You...
Our Intermediate weekend course is designed for pianists around grades 4-6 standard. It's a chance to improve on technique, hone your performance and playing style and deepen your musicianship, all in the company of 7 other piano enthusiasts who are likely to share in any nerves you may have! The driving mood of a weekend...
Our 5-day summer schools are a well established highlight of the Finchcocks calendar. To ensure a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, places are open to those who have attended at least one weekend Finchcocks course previously. This 5-day piano retreat for advanced players offers pianists grade 8, diploma and beyond, the chance to fully emerse themselves...
