Learn to play piano and have fun doing it! I teach fun and inspiring piano lessons in Ripley and the surrounding area for all ages – it’s never too late to learn. All abilities are welcome, whether you’re a complete beginner, more advanced or returning to the piano after a number of years.
When I taught my first pupil back in 2005, I was teaching the way I was taught. However, I soon began to realise just how much of music had been left out of my own piano lessons. Yes, I could play classical pieces as written and knew all the theory, but I was never encouraged to play pop or jazz, improvise, compose or play tunes by ear.
A Personalised Learning Process
What I want to pass on to others is as wide a musical education as possible, so as well as note-reading, technique and theory (which are fundamental), I encourage playing and listening to a wide variety of styles, having a go at improvising, trying to pick out the melody of a favourite pop song and having a go at making up a chord progression.
Of course, every student is different and what suits one will not suit another. I make sure that I tailor my lessons to the individual based on their personality and learning style, and use a variety of method books as well as spending time on more creative tasks.
Some students want to be able to play rock and pop songs by learning the melody and basic chords. A couple of my students were classically trained when they were younger and now retired, have picked up where they left off. Some beginners are keen to progress through exams, others are learning purely for pleasure. I will teach you in the most appropriate way for what you want to be able to play. I can’t wait to see what you’re capable of!
Exams
All my students are welcome to sit piano exams with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, Trinity or Rock School. Exams can be a great motivator for some students, but they’re not for everyone.
If exams are not something a student is interested in, I would not push them to do one. Exams should always be a positive and rewarding experience, not something to be anxious about.
The most important thing for me is that my students enjoy their lessons, develop a lifelong love of music and feel they are progressing.
Lessons at my Studio
Piano lessons are held at my home studio in Ripley, Surrey. If you would like a free trial lesson, please get in touch here.
If you are looking for lessons for a child between the ages of 5 and 10, I recommend that they do my Introduction to Piano course prior to face to face lessons to give them a taste of what learning the piano is all about. More information on the course can be found here.
I also teach theory lessons up to Grade 5.
Lessons at your Home
If you would rather have lessons in your own home, I have a couple of teachers representing me who can come to you. They are passionate, experienced and are aligned with my teaching philosophy. Please contact me for more details and to arrange a trial lesson.
Fees
For full details on how the payments work, please see my studio policies here.
- Fees are to be paid monthly by bank transfer, on the 1st of each month.
- The monthly payment amount is divided evenly over 12 months. However many lessons there are in a particular month, the monthly fee remains the same.
- Fees cover the cost of tuition and extra materials such as worksheets, handouts and digitally sourced music. Tuition books and optional events such as exams and festivals, will be paid for by the student/parent.
Fees for 2024 are here.
For younger children, 30 minute weekly lessons are sufficient. For older children and adults 45 minutes is recommended.
Calendar
Piano lessons are organised into three terms over the year. Dates for the current term are as follows:
Current Term
Thursday 5th September 2024 to Friday 13th December 2024
October Break
Monday 28th October to Friday 1st November
Christmas Holidays
Monday 16th December 2024 to Friday 3rd January 2025
Lessons start back after the Christmas holidays on Monday 6th January.
Please see the calendar for the full schedule.
