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...
This course is designed for people who are at grade 8 standard or working towards their diploma. It is also suitable for piano teachers. We're very lucky to have Charlotte Tomlinson as our Course Director for this weekend. Charlotte's theme for the weekend course will be "Freedom in piano playing"; covering some of the key...
UPPER INTERMEDIATE 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. In advance of the course, each student is encouraged to practice a few pieces so that, over the course...
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...
UPPER INTERMEDIATE 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. In advance of the course, each student is encouraged to practice a few pieces so that, over the course...
17627|https://finchcocksstg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/2019-04-07-Finchcocks-Piano-schoolEd-Ovenden-268-1024x683.jpg|large Join pianist Tom Poster and violinist Elena Urioste for a three day weekend of mindful practising, empowering movement, breathing, and exploring the spirit of camaraderie within music-making. Tom and Elena met in 2013 at a recording session for BBC Radio 3 where they were both members of the New Generation Artist scheme, and have...
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...
We're very lucky to have Warren Mailley-Smith running our advanced weekend course. In 2016, Warren became the first British pianist to perform Chopin's complete works for solo piano from memory at a series of concerts at St John Smith's Square in London, a feat which involved memorising 3.5 million notes, and otherwise can be regularly heard on...
UPPER INTERMEDIATE COURSE WITH GRAHAM FITCH The focus for Graham's course is on developing performance skills, including memorisation, practising towards a performance, aspects of style (of any repertoire you choose to bring), technique and overcoming nerves and anxiety. In advance of the course, each student is encouraged to practice a few pieces so that, over...
FREE ZOOM WORKSHOP WITH GRAHAM FITCH: PRACTISING TOOLS FOR ADVANCED PLAYERS The art of practising is rarely taught, and yet knowing exactly what to do in the day-to-day practice session is essential for pianistic progress. In this online workshop, Graham Fitch demonstrates a variety of different ideas that will give you noticeable results. Among the topics he...
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...
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...
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...
17527|https://finchcocksstg.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/2019-04-06-Finchcocks-Piano-schoolEd-Ovenden-041-Copy-1024x683.jpg|large 5 DAY SUMMER SCHOOL WITH GRAHAM FITCH AND PENELOPE ROSKELL We're very excited to have secured the services of Graham Fitch with expert additional tuition from Penelope Roskell for a 5 day summer school for Advanced and Teachers. The course will include workshops, masterclasses, an evening recital and provide time to explore the grounds...
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 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...
