This course is designed for people who are between grade 4 and grade 7 in standard.

We’re very lucky to have Melanie Spanswick as our Course Director for this weekend. Melanie is a composer, performer and writer and has run piano courses throughout Europe, the USA and the Far East.

Melanie’s sessions will cover some of the key topics that bridge the gap between intermediate and advanced players; exploring physical technique, developing sight-reading skills and creating a strategy for memorisation.

Physical flexibility is an important aspect of piano playing, and Melanie will be exploring ways of alleviating tension and stiffness whilst developing strong fingers. This will be done via a series of simple but useful exercises, both at and away from the instrument!

Each day typically starts with a workshop in the Finchcocks cellars. Techniques are discussed, demonstrated and developed with everyone encouraged to participate. No preparation is required, and the exercises will be carefully adapted to the particular experience level of each participant.

Shortly afterwards, we convene for a masterclass in the recital room, which involves a little bit of (very relaxed) performance in front of your classmates and perhaps a duet or two.

In the afternoons, there is time for private practice on one of our beautiful acoustic grand pianos including our new Steinway and with regular burst of individual supervision from Melanie.

At 7pm we’re very lucky to have secured the services of Jong-Gyung Park and Anthony Zerpa-Falcon who will be playing an except from Holst’s own arrangement of the Planet Suite arranged for four hands, which is a chance to relax and be inspired, before returning to the Coach House for dinner.

For booking enquiries, please contact Emma on 01580 428080 or fill in the form below.