SE22 Piano School

Performance Opportunity at Steinway Hall, May 12th 2012

SE22 Piano School — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:10:46 +0000

Do you enjoy playing the piano? Do you wish you had the opportunity to perform and meet more like minded souls? If so the Saturday Piano Salon is designed especially for you. We welcome adult pianists age 18+.

The Saturday Piano Salon was founded by Melanie Spanswick and Lorraine Liyanage for all those who love to play the piano. We are a friendly group who regularly at Steinway Hall to enjoy piano playing and good conversation over a glass of wine. You will be able to listen to your fellow pianists too and enlarge your circle of musical friends.

Our aim is to give adult pianists of all standards and ages a chance to get together in the heart of London and play to each other. You will have the opportunity to explore Steinway’s wonderful piano studio at each event before performing a piece for your fellow pianists. We want it to be a completely different experience from the competitive feel of an examination or music festival. If you are preparing for an exam however, then this may be a very worthwhile platform for you in order to build your confidence and get some vital performing practice.

If you wish, your performance will be video recorded to give you the chance to watch and hear yourself in action. We can either send you a private link to a Youtube video that only you can see, or if you prefer, we can add it to our Youtube page so that you can send the video to your friends and family.

How long will it take to learn to play the piano?

SE22 Piano School — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:07:28 +0000

Reblogged from ClassicalMel's Piano and Music Education Blog:

How long will it take to learn the piano? This is a very difficult question to answer and its the one question that most prospective students always ask! Here are 5 key points to remember: 1. How much time do you have to dedicate to studying the piano? A child who is just starting to learn may only be able to concentrate for 10 minutes per day especially if they are only 5 or 6 years old. So progress may take time for youngsters; it can take a couple of years for them to grasp the basics. An adult on the …

A question that I am often asked is: “How long will it take to learn to play the piano?” Piano teacher, performer and author Melanie Spanswick answers this question!

Composer of the week: François Couperin

SE22 Piano School — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:41:13 +0000

François Couperin (10 November 1668 – 11 September 1733) was a French Baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was known as Couperin le Grand (“Couperin the Great”) to distinguish him from other members of the musically talented Couperin family.

I have dabbled a bit on the piano with Couperin pieces in the past, but it is really since acquiring a spinet that I have started playing a great deal of his music, including this lovely piece called Les Baricades Misterieuses performed by one of the greatest harpsichordists, the late Scott Ross:

Visit BBC Music for a podcast about this composer.

Captured on the Rye Lamp Shades

SE22 Piano School — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:09:20 +0000

The Lamp Shades in the music room are available from Captured on the Rye, a Peckham-based screenprinting company.

A limited selection are on sale at Jane Newbery in Dulwich Village, Toutes Directions on Bellenden Road and Bookseller Crow in Crystal Palace.

Contact Lou Smith at Captured on the Rye.

SE22 Piano School – Performing on stage at Cadogan Hall

SE22 Piano School — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:56:58 +0000

Boo and Lorraine rehearsing Yellow Submarine

Today we visited Cadogan Hall in Sloane Square for our yearly performance on stage with the Southbank Sinfonia. We had lots of our musicians on stage: Boo on the piano, Hannah on the cello, Millie on the violin and Tom, Maggie-Anne, Iris and Ti-Jean on percussion. The family Saturday Spectaculars are the highlight of our year – we get to meet the orchestra, perform on stage with them and take part in a fun arts and craft session before the performance. We will return again in 2013 but if you would like to perform on stage, then the next event is 16 June. Join the Family and Friends Scheme for only £5 per month and you can go on stage too!

Here’s some pictures and videos of the day:

Ti-Jean and Iris making 'fish masks'

Millie playing Yellow Submarine on the violin

Iris playing "Under the Sea"

: Boo and Lorraine rehearsing Yellow Submarine

Southbank Sinfonia Family & Friends Scheme:

Family Friends receive a unique musical experience for the whole family to enjoy. Through joining this membership scheme you can receive these exclusive benefits:

Receive a personalised membership pack for the whole family with a membership card, name badges and games to welcome you to the Southbank Sinfonia family.

Priority booking for our Saturday Spectacular series – enjoy these wonderful family concerts from the best seats in the house!

Opportunities to appear on stage with our musicians at the famous Cadogan Hall during at least one Saturday Spectacular a year.

Take part in at least one pre-concert workshop a year with our musicians

Attend open rehearsals and get to know our brilliant young players. Let them inspire you!

Recieve an invitation to the Family Friends’ annual music party

To join the Family Friends for £60 annually please complete a Family Friends Form or contact our Projects Administrator Hannah Horsburgh on hannah@southbanksinfonia.co.uk or call 020 7921 0378

Now booking for our school trip to Handel House – come and perform in this historic venue in Central London.

SE22 Piano School — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:03:20 +0000

Yesterday, I went to the Handel House Museum on Brook Street, W1 to arrange our next school trip and harpsichord masterclass which will be a morning visit to this wonderful Georgian house, one of London’s best kept secrets. We will be visiting during the October half term on Monday 29 October 2012.

My students will have the chance to tour the house, learn about Handel’s music, see the rooms where he lived and composed, dress up in Georgian clothing, hear a harspichord recital and take part in a masterclass on a harpsichord!

The sessions lasts around 1.5 – 2 hours. Parents are welcome to accompany children to the venue and drop them off – there’s plenty to do around here as it’s just a stone’s throw away from Oxford Street. Handel House Museum is a small venue that is not suitable for young children so we ask that only performers over the age of 6 attend this masterclass. Performing is optional but do bring a Baroque piece to play if you would like to participate. Your teacher can advise which piece is suitable to play. If you are doing ABRSM grades, this is usually your A list piece. Composers such as Hook, Scarlatti, Bach, Rameau etc are all suitable.

If you would like more information on taking part in this event, please email Lorraine.

SE22 Piano School Exam Entries for 2012 – 2013

SE22 Piano School — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:47:20 +0000

Spring 2012 (March):

Grade 1:
Merlin
Boo (5th of March)
Alice
Tom (Rockschool)

Debut:
Agnes (Rockschool)

Summer 2012 (May 28th – June)

Grade 8:
Peter G.

Grade 3:
Amalia
B. (Trinity)

Grade 2:
Safiya
Jonathan
Rumbie
Grace (Rockschool)

Grade 1:
Scarlett (tbc)
Kyle
Carla
Inigo (Practical Musicianship)

Trinity Rock & Pop Initial:
Peter

Autumn 2012/Winter 2013 (November – January 2013)

Grade 1:
Gracie Dot
Aram

Grade 1 (Theory), Wed 7 Nov at 5pm:
Safiya
Finlay
Merlin
Scarlett
Tom
Jaya

Grade 2:
Columba
Maggie-Anne

Grade 2 Theory, Wed 7 Nov at 5pm:
Boo
Inigo

Grade 5 Theory, Wed 7 Nov at 5pm:
Jonathan

Prep Test:
Nat R.
Toby

Winter ABRSM Exam Success!

SE22 Piano School — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:17:45 +0000

Congratulations to our students on their recent exam success.

Grade 1 ABRSM:
Safiya (Distinction, 144/150)
Lindsay (Distinction, 132/150)
Jaya (Merit, 125/150)

Lindsay and Safiya both played Babiole by Naudot from the alternative list and received full marks (30/30) for this piece. The examiner was delighted to hear this piece as she had never heard it presented by examination from any other Grade 1 students. It is always worth preparing at least one piece from the Alternative List. The examiner hear the same pieces played repeatedly, so a change from the run of the mill pieces is always welcome!

Babiole - Safiya (Full marks 30/30)

Babiole - Lindsay (Full marks 30/30)

The examiner commended that Lindsay’s piece had rhythmic buoyancy and life with effective and stylish phrasing and elegant dynamic shapes. Safiya’s performance of Babiole was described as having well defined articulation and a lively rhythmic sense.

All three students presented another piece from the alternative list, this was Quasi Adagio by Bartok, an introspective, melancholy little melody. The examiner praised Jaya for the ‘haunting quality of the piece’. Safiya had ‘a delicate and well controlled touch’ and Lindsay’s comment was ‘musical playing with a convincing projection of the character’.

Safiya achieved an overall mark of 144/150 and an excellent 21/21 in the Sight Reading test. Well done to all our students on their fantastic result at their first graded examination!

Safiya - Distinction (144/150)

Congratulations to Albert on receiving a merit at his Grade 1 Rockschool exam.

Piano Festival, March 11th – Entries

SE22 Piano School — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:07:51 +0000

The following students are entered for a piano festival on March 11th in Marble Arch, W1.

1) Inigo (Grade 5)

2) Susanna (Pre-Grade 1)

3) Kyle (Grade 1)

4) Safiya (Grade 2)

5) Jonathan Wilmshurst (Grade 2)

We have space for 3 more students to enter. The deadline for entry is the end of February. Email your teacher for further details.

Music Festivals – A platform for your child

SE22 Piano School — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:24:47 +0000

This article is written by guest blog author, Melanie Spanswick. Melanie is an experienced teacher and examiner and has entered many students for piano festivals.

Melanie has just written her first book about piano playing which will be available soon. She writes an excellent blog about all things music-related.

I spent a few hours listening to vocal classes at the Chesham Arts Festival this evening. As I live a stone’s throw from The Elgiva Theatre it seemed a good idea to support my local festival. I thoroughly enjoyed it and all the young singers (mostly girls) gave their best, some producing admirable performances. Sadly though, there were about twenty people in the audience (most of them competitors).

Music Festivals are an ideal platform for young musicians to learn their trade. There are hundreds around the UK – so there is bound to be one near you. If you have a child who is preparing to take a music exam then a music festival is the best place for them to get used to giving a performance in public. Performing is a stressful business and everyone who does it needs practice especially when they are just starting out.

If you enter your child for a festival, they will usually be placed in a class of similar age and ability (you can choose which class on the entry form). All competitors will be invited to perform their piece or pieces to a small audience and an adjudicator. At the end of the class, after everyone has played, the adjudicator will give comments and feedback on every performance and then announce a winner. The atmosphere at these events is both friendly and relaxed, quite different from an examination.

The old adage is true here; it really isn’t the winning, its the taking part that counts. The one major benefit of performing in public is to build confidence. The more confidence a person has the better they will act under pressure. Learning to perform really is a useful tool for so many situations in life. Its the reason why I feel that every child should have the opportunity to learn an instrument (more on this subject in future blogs!).

If you wish to investigate Music Festivals as a possible activity for you (if you are learning an instrument – there are many adult classes too!) or your child, here are a few suggestions:

Make sure your child really knows the piece they are going to perform (its a good idea to get them to play it through to a few relatives first before the big day). If a competitor is unprepared it could knock their confidence and stop them trying to play in public ever again. Preparation is the key to success.

Make sure your child has plenty of family support on the day (its a good idea to watch the whole event).

Always give your child plenty of praise afterwards – you have no idea how difficult it is to get up and perform in public.

You can get lots of information about Music Festivals all over the UK (and abroad) from the following website:

http://www.federationoffestivals.org.uk/