Enjoy teaching my online student from Essex

I really love all my students including my online student who lives in Essex. She works so hard on learning the piano with me and is committed as my face to face students. We have been talking about a lot of piano playing techniques. How to make your hand like a jellyfish when playing "legato" and how to touch the piano to make your fingers move like an ocean wave when playing arpeggios up and down on the piano.

I hope my students can play the right notes as well as knowing how to appreciate music and improve on making nice sound.

Music Scholarship Award at Ratcliffe College

I have just got my student’s music scholarship interview results from Ratcliffe college today. Eashaan has passed his 11+ entrance exam and was also awarded the musical scholarship. He has been learning the piano with me for 6 years since he was 5. He is now 11 years old and doing grade 6 on piano. He always practices hard and learns independently with me since he was little. Before the interview, we worked a lot on his listening, sight reading and his grade 6 piece. I am so happy he has stood out to the school.

I have many students who enroll for piano exams every month. Also I have a few pupils who will attend the piano competition in the next few weeks. I wish them the best of luck.

My student's Grade 2 performance

Ross has confidently performed his Grade 2 exam piece, Daydream, in a church christmas event. Both his mum and I are so proud of him ♥

A lot of my students play so well and are super talented. A lot of credit goes to their supportive parents who are amazing to work with. They have never given me any problems, and also encourage my students to learn the piano. We always hope to have good progress, but also hope the child can enjoy playing at the same time without giving them pressure. It's so important to find that balance.

Merry Christmas

Can't believe its been another year. I really really love all my students and appreciate all the parents. Every week my students have good results on their piano exams. They always make loads of progress. One of my students was invited to play for the Charnwood carol service; his school is so proud of him for being able to play the piano. His school has been putting his piano exam achievements on their social media. As his piano teacher, I can't be more proud.

I teach individual students as well as sibling groups. Some of my students can play a duet together. They all have fun and love our lessons. A few more days of teaching and then we will be closing for the Christmas break. I hope all my students have a nice break, and I look forward to seeing you all in the new year.

I'm a lucky teacher

My students' mum brought me a little gift today without any specific reason. They said they are just so happy to learn the piano with me. They put my name on the mug which has music notes on. They have been learning with me for nearly 6 years, and are still as supportive as when they started. I really appreciate their loyalty. I am so happy that my students are happy with our lessons :)

I have the best job ever

Today I had 3 students bring me a little something on the same day. It's so rewarding to see that they are thankful for my work. These families have all been with me for many years. Due to being at full capacity, and my family commitments, I haven't been able to take on new students for a while. Most of the students that I have at the moment have been with me for a long time. Seeing them every week is part of my life and routine now. It really isn't about what you teach, its who you teach. All the parents I'm working with are like my forever friends, they are nothing but supportive and caring, which really helps me do my job. I have the best job ever :)

Busy end of the term

The end of the school term is so busy for my students and myself. There were a few students who were so close to completing their piano exams, working very hard to get it done before the summer holidays. I had to work extended hours to give some extra lessons for those 5 students who wanted to pass their exams in the last 2 weeks of the term. Thankfully with supportive parents, and also my intense pace of teaching, we were able to get the job done.

I have finally got the results for the last student today. 2 students got a merit in Grade 2, 2 students got a pass in Grade 1 and 1 student got a pass in Grade 5 (a 9 year old girl). I am so happy all our hard work paid off.

Students Pass Grade 5 Music Theory Exam with Distinction

I am so proud of my 2 students for passing their ABRSM Grade 5 Music Theory exam, both with a Distinction. We have worked really hard for the past 2 years, and that hard work has paid off.

I love teaching children as well as adults

The Piano

There is a new series called "The Piano" on 4oD. It is filming pianists in the UK playing the piano in a train station. There was a girl who was sight impaired playing the piano very well. Can you believe I have one student like this, too. Cameron is 19 years old, and has only learnt the piano with me for 6 months. He learns everything by listening to me play. He can memorise immediately and find the keys without being able to see the piano. He told me he really wants to be famous and play in public in the future. He is doing his piano Grade 3 exam now. I am so proud of him for achieving so much in a short amount of time.

I also have an 8 year old student who works very hard and is currently preparing a duet piece to play with me at a competition. I really enjoy teaching both of them every week.

This time of the year

As we enter this festive season again, I have been busy teaching students halloween pieces. I have also been using heat shrinking paper and making some personalised musical notes keyrings to give to my students as a little christmas gift. These are the first few I have made. I failed many times after placing them in the oven. I am sure I will improve as I go along :)

They are super cute

I love my sibling group students. We have learnt this Yankee Doodle duet piece in just 1 lesson. They are not perfect, but they played well and in sync with each other. They have good ears and listening ability, they wait for each other and count the beats while playing the piano. My students are always so happy when they come here for their lessons. I always look forward to seeing them every week xxx

Happy playing in summer

I have never taken time off work in summer. This year I had decided to take some time off teaching to recharge myself. I can never be happier to be able to teach my students again after a holiday.

Today I had the most touching lesson this week; my 8 year old student practiced her Grade 4 exam pieces so hard, even during our piano summer holiday. However she had been playing a few notes wrong by practicing at home on her own without our lessons. Now I am trying to correct her, she had tears in our lesson today, and just wanted to get all the notes right immediately. She genuinely loves our music and plays the piano not for me or her parents, but for herself. Her pursuit of perfection for herself just touches me so much. It makes my job the most enjoyable job in the world.

Piano exams are available anytime from August !

There are no more ABRSM exam booking sessions or so called exam periods anyumore. From Augsut students can enter an online piano exam anytime and get the results back in 7 days. I have prepared all of the new ABRSM syllabus books and can't wait to start teaching my pupils all of the new pieces.

I have just received my students restuls back who completed their exam lately. So proud of all of them. Feel very lucky and rewarding to have so many dedicated parents and students.

Extremely Thankful to all Parents and Students

I have just had my student's exam results this week. I am so happy to see that they all have passed with good marks. I can't say enough how much I love my job. All of the parents I work with are amazing. Even if it's half term, Saturday or Sunday, everyone gives up their time and takes their children to come to my studio to learn the piano with me. Even my adult students who are just so committed every week, I really enjoyed teaching my 50 year old lady student, Chopin Nocturne in E flat today.

Teaching goes both ways, when I see students work so hard it just makes me want to help them even more. I hope everyone has a good Jubilee Bank Holiday this weekend. Look forward to receiving more piano exam results next month.

Big Congratulations to my students

We had the most amazing time at Don Valley Festival this weekend. 8 students came in 1st place in their respective groups. (2 were 1st place in multiple classes). I also have a lot of other students which came 2nd and 3rd. Whether they are Grade 1 or Grade 7, I really give credit to them, as it can be really scary playing on stage. I really appreciate all of the dedicated parents who drove far to the venue this weekend; without your help we wouldn't have made it. It's been a long day for everyone. I hope all students have come home with a positive experience.

Love them so much

Last week I was working on a duet with my 5 year old and 6 year old girl students. They have only learnt the piano for a few months. They are so adorable and able to follow my instructions. It is so touching to watch them grow.

I am also proud of my 13 year old boy student. He has been working hard on a Grade 7 exam piece lately as well as juggling revision for his school tests. He still manages to practice the piano everyday :) I really love all of my students so much.

I enjoy playing as well as teaching

I have been teaching so many classical music pieces lately. I lost count. Last month we were working on Tchaikovsky Sweet Dreams, Debussy Reverie, Chopin Waltz, Mazurkas,Nocturne, Schumann Scenes from Childhood, Mendelssohn Song Without Words, Beethoven Fur Elise, Turkish March, Moonlight, Sonata, Mozart K545, Sonata Finale.... Grade 7-8 exam pieces etc.

I have often been asked to teach my teenage students Yiruma's pieces. I have taught "River Flows in You" to more than 5 students in the last 2 years. It is equivalent to ABRSM Grade 5 in piano level. This weekend I was digging out some pieces from Yiruma's piano book, which I'll be teaching my 13 year old boy student this week. A lot of people know "River Flows in You"; I find the piece Chaconne very nice, too.

I have also found a book of all pieces from the Korean Drama "Endless Love" which has been gathering dust on my bookshelf. I really enjoy playing these pieces and can't wait to inspire my teenage students. This contemporary music is a different style to classical music. A lot of Yiruma's pieces have repeated arpeggios and broken chords which are easy to get the hang of once you have played a few times.

Super Proud

Mia won first place at the Loughborough Grammar School piano competition yesterday. I taught her for many years from a complete beginner level. She started learning the piano since she was 5 years old. There are always many performers from different places and schools at the Loughborough schools music competitions. Seeing her win first place this time has made me very proud and touched. She is so grown up now. I wish her all the best and that she continues to pursue her interest in music which I am sure she will.

I enjoy accompanying my students and my son

I have 6 students which went to a piano competition today. Some have had very good news playing grade 6 standard pieces and I am very proud of all of them. Over the past few years I have been very busy with teaching; I went to many piano events with my students before Covid. This year my own son is finally old enough to take part as well. I really can't wait to see my students winning more prizes, as well as my own boy.

This month I have been busy, as I also had a few students preparing for their music scholarship audition. I've been telling my students to try playing more expressively and emotionally. It is such a hard skill to have, especially for young children. I hope everyone still enjoys the music, that's the main thing to me.

Never too late to start learning the piano

Can you believe I have a student who is 72 years old. She does not look like she is 72 years old at all. My student came to me before christmas and we have resumed lessons since this week.

She had been learning with an app for 1 year by herself, and she told me she was stuck and couldnt go any further as the app had some limitations. We have had 5 lessons so far, and they have been very enjoyable. I have given her many songs to take home for practicing; she has definitely improved her reading and she practices every day too and looks forward to learning more every lesson weekly.

I really admire her work ethic and studious attitude. I currently have a few adult students including some retired elderly students. I appreciate them for appreciating our lessons. It's never too late to learn a new skill, regardless of your age :)

Congratulations

Congratulations to students who have passed their ABRSM piano exam in November 2021
Practical Piano Exams:
Bella – Grade 4 merit
Sianna – Grade 2
Ivana – Grade 3
Elroi – Grade 2
Anaya – Grade 3

Music Theories Exams:
Yoyo – Grade 3 Distinction

Upcoming events

I am so glad some of the piano competition events have come back after Covid has prevented them for the last 2 years. The last festival I went to with my students was in 2019. I am so glad we have some competitions coming, which I will personally attend too, so I can support my students. I really appreciate a lot of my students parents who are enthusiastic to get their child involved in any performance opportunities.

Looking forward to seeing some of my students winning an award in their competitions.

Congratulations for students passing exams last month

I have many students entering for practical piano exams every month. Today I also entered a student doing her ABRSM online music theory exam. I am very proud of these students for passing their exams last month. Two of them have achieved a distinction. It is very rewarding thanks to all of my dedicated student's parents and my adult students.

I enjoy teaching my advanced students

I recently have had a few lady students who are all Grade 6 or Grade 7 on piano. Last week I was teaching a new student who was 52 years old; we had a good look at both of these books. We really enjoyed studying a few Chopin pieces. Teaching advanced students is very different to teaching young child students. They both have their own challenges. I am very glad that my studio has a mix of all different types and levels of students. I welcome all adult students to learn the piano with me, whether you are a beginner or a more advanced student. We can always tailor your lesson according to what you are trying to achieve in learning the piano.

Super proud of my 5 year old boy

My 5 year old boy has passed his ABRSM Grade 2 Piano exam in August 2021. I have worked really hard on his sight reading skill. So many skills are transferable between instruments. He reads well, and this helps him learn playing the Violin more smoothly and faster.

I have enjoyed playing the violin and piano duet with him. He is now preparing for his Grade 1 Violin exam.

Congratulations to my student for passing his Grade 5 piano exam

I really enjoy playing duets with my 8 year old student

It was so fun, I had one of the most fantastic lessons with my piano student this afternoon. We love playing duets and listening to each other play. Playing a duet is definitely harder than playing a solo piece, as you have to synchronise with each other, and use strong listening skills. We really had so much fun today :)

My 5 Year Old Son Playing ABRSM Grade 2 Exam Pieces

Piano is such a good skill to have; it really helps build children's resilience and gives them a good learning attitude in all aspects of their life. My son is really into music, he started learning the piano from when he was 4 years old.

He can improvise on his keyboard and sit and play for a long time by himself. However, because he is only little, a lot of the practice routine needs to be set by myself as a parent. No matter how tired he is, I make sure he practices the piano every day, if not every other day.

It is a big commitment, and has taken persistence from him and myself for him to be able to get to where he is. I am so proud of him, he is only 5 and a half and is able to play Grade 2 exam pieces in the right tempo.

Congratulations to my student! Grade 4 Piano Exam Distinction

Very proud of my student, she has worked really hard for her Grade 4 piano exam. We recorded this before the lockdown and have recently got her results back from ABRSM. Very proud to announce that my student Yoyo is doing so well with the new ABRSM performance grade exams. We are now working hard towards her theory and ABRSM Grade 5 exam.

My 5 Year Old Son has passed his Grade 1 Exam with a Merit

I am over the moon; my eldest son has just turned 5 years old 2 months ago. I have just received his results from ABRSM this week. He passed his first piano exam with a Merit. Super proud of him for achieving a grading at this young age. He coped very well under the exam pressure, and I feel this is a very important life experience for him. I hope he can keep up his resilience :)

Students certificates arrived today

So proud of all of my students who have completed their piano exam after ABRSM launched their first ever online exams this year. I have just received the rest of the certificates today and am looking forward to entering my students for their second online piano exams in the spring term.

Music is transferrable to other instruments

My older son has just turned 5 last month, he plays the piano and has just started learning the violin. Piano is the most fundamental instrument in learning music. It is mentally challenging and comes with lots of reading. Now he is learning the violin, he has found the notes easier to learn and is able to control his tempo well from the skill he has learnt from learning the piano. I can't wait to see more of his progress and keep accompanying him with his 2nd instrument. I would definitely recommend learning the piano first if you have not learnt any other musical instruments before.

My son has improved so much

My older son has just turned 5 last month; his piano play has a much more steady tempo and his rhythm is a lot more accurate too. A lot better than when he was 4 earlier this year. In the first video he was 4 years old, in the second he was 5. We always sing as we play the piano, which really helps. Singing is a powerful tool I use to teach my students, as well as my children.

I adore all of my students, and I absolutely give me best when I'm teaching my child students. I sometimes transfer my strict parenting style to my students, and am glad they have taken it very well and that they progress effectively when they learn the piano with me. Children develop so much in a short amount of time, every week lesson and everyday practice counts. Thanks to all my student parents' support and hard work to ensure their children progress consistently.

Tempo and Rhythm

All my students are taught the difference between the 2 words tempo and rhythm. I am so proud of this student who has an inner metronome in his head. He plays this ABRSM Grade 3 exam piece while counting beats in his head carefully. We always play the piano with a metronome in our lessons. Getting the swing rhythm of the Jazz style of music for a young child student can be tricky. So proud of him for being able to get the hang of it and trying hard to achieve the exam tempo and rhythm standard.

I always feel music and maths compliment each other. My student apparently is very good at maths in school too :) very proud of him :)

Merry Christmas

Since the lockdown in November this year due to Covid-19, we have restarted piano lessons now. Normally we would have business closure in December. But to catch up student's progress on piano and some students have their exams coming up soon in the spring term. I've only closed for a few days this month. I have really enjoyed making special christmas baubles for all of my students. I have made 5 boxes of these so far, and have been giving one to each of my students as a present. So pleased to see they love it. Especially for my younger students. We have been learning lots of christmas carols and pieces this month, including a Grade 4 piece - Santa Claus is coming to town, Jingle Bells, and Silent Night. I will be doing some recordings with students next week so the parents can share their children's videos with their family on christmas day.

Trinity Digital Exams

I am so pleased to be able to teach my adult student her Grade 6 exam pieces today. I really adore my adult students that are able to commit piano lessons on top of their full time job. ABRSM has launched a permenant online piano exam. Trinity College London has offered the same from August 2020. My adult student is very keen to get her Grade 6 exam done with Trinity.

The new digital piano exam requires candidates to upload their pieces and technical work. The digital exam is available from Grades 1 to 8. It follows the normal Trinity piano exam syllabus. These two exam boards' certifications are worth equally the same in terms of UCAS points from Grade 6 to 8. I am pleased to say I can help students enter exams with different boards depending on the individual's preference.

ABRSM Piano Exams for this term

This is the first time ABRSM has launched online piano exams for all Grades. The application has started from Monday the 28th of September. This only gives us one week to complete the application. I am very thankful to all my student's parents that have acted quickly. I have 24 students entering for their exam this term, including my 4 year old son.

We have all mentally and physically prepared for these exams since this summer. I have been talking about it all the time with my students and their parents. I appreicate my adult students for taking the time to do the recordings with me, too. I have tried my best and hardest to help those who may not be as confident as others to complete their recordings this term. I will always want to go out of my way to help my students complete their exam if I believe they are very close to passing, rather than waiting until next term.

I hope all of my students will have a good result. This is such an unprecedented time and this is a new ABRSM exam assessment method which no-one has any experience with. So even for teachers it is also daunting, but with my experience I am confident that all my students will pass their exams with flying colours.

So proud of one of my Grade 5 students

My student has just turned 8 last month, she will have been with me for 3 years this summer. Mia is looking to study at a music specialised school when she is older; I am trying to train her as hard as I can at the moment to ensure she will meet the school's entry requirements.

Mia told me today she has started to practice the piano for 3 hours a day independently. I am super touched by how much work she is putting in to learning the piano; I am very pleased with her play. A lot of cleaning, mask wearing, and an isolated setting have made it possible to ensure she keeps developing and is also staying safe.

Some normalcy for students

As per the government's announcement on the 1st of June, an amendment was made to the COVID-19 restrictions to allow educational lessons, including piano lessons for students to attend one on one with a tutor. I have started to give face to face lessons this week. I am so pleased my students can return for lessons to give them some normalcy and so their learning gap does not get any bigger without lessons.

I am extremely grateful for all my of student's supportive parents, including my adult students who have adhered to my strict COVID-19 safety measures. I am very touched by all of my hard working students and all their parents who still take piano lessons as a priority.

A new pedal extender

I am so excited to have received this new pedal extender. Along with the new ABRSM exam preparation, I am getting ready to ensure we have the most adequate equipment here to help students with their recordings for their piano exams.

A lot of my young students have progressed quickly; some of them are learning pieces that require the use of the sustain pedal. It is very difficult for them to reach the pedal without compromising their hand posture. I am very pleased that they will be able to do their exam recordings in my studio without having to struggle with using the pedals, as they would at an exam center.

Really enjoy accompanying my students

I had a wonderful lesson with my student today. She brought in a violin and asked me to accompany her. We played a violin piano duet of Ode to Joy, which is something she will need to show to her school. This is not the first time my students have asked me to accompany them. I really enjoyed working with them together as a team, it certainly feels very different to just teaching the piano as the music brings us together.

I have recording and video editing facility in my studio room. I am always happy to help assisting my students as much as I can. I welcome any accompanying requirements.

4 Year Old Son Plays Grade 1 Exam Piece

My older son has just turned 4 and a half. We have been recently learning this Grade 1 exam piece. Nearly all of my students can perform this piece better than shown in the video, but I am still proud of him for being able to learn some of it.

He has a really strong sense of pitch accuracy. If he hits an incorrect key, he is able to correct himself. I definitely encourage children to start learning the piano as young as possible. By the time children's school work becomes more important (around GCSE level) they will hopefully have achieved Grade 8, which is a nice bonus for A level UCAS points.

My Videos

Over the years that I have been teaching; I always welcome students to request any songs they would like to learn. Sometimes I have adult students who bring Grade 7-8 standard pieces and hope I can show them on the spot.

Even if I'm a piano teacher myself, sometimes I haven't heard all of the songs that my students request to learn. But having good sight reading ability allows me to have a try at playing pieces that I haven't seen before. If you are interested in watching some of the songs that my students request; you can view them in the media section here.

I am hoping to add more videos of my piano playing when I have more time in the future.

Important news about ABRSM online exams for all Grades

Dear Parents and students, Hopefully you all are well. This is certainly a very fast changing time right now, everything seems to move on including the piano exam boards rather than waiting for the virus to go away. The majority of the exam boards do exams online now, even ABRSM who is well known for being the most inflexible but biggest music exam board has now made a dramatic change.

From August, they will open online piano exams (remotely-assessed graded music exam). They are both worth equally the same UCAS points. Rather than taking the traditional structure of music syllabus for the exam. Students now can submit a recording of 4 pieces to the board. All 4 pieces must be recorded back to back as one video. Students can use 3 exam pieces from the current exam pieces book and choose one more piece that provides the same level. Each piece is 30 marks and the remaining mark is called “overall impression” to make up a total mark of 150.

Passing criteria will probably be the same. Waiting for more information. (100-pass, 120-merit,130-distinction). Students no longer need to do sight reading/aural/scale work at the remotely-assessed music exam. This is the first hand news I have obtained from ABRSM. For those whose exams were cancelled, you will be likely to use this assessment in August.

This will also become an ABRSM permanent option of assessment along with traditional exams when the centers open again. It means once we have restarted lessons next month, we will focus on learning the 4th piece for those whose exam is planned for this year. It’s some good news for students who have never liked practicing scales/sight reading. Now it’s the time you will do well for your remote exam.

But as a teacher I still would like to give my students knowledge of a broad curriculum to build good overall musical skill. I will incorporate some sight reading and scales into our lessons from time to time. But we will adapt our lessons to meet the exam board’s requirements. I will be in touch again soon once I have more updates regarding the exam requirement and the next registration opening date.

Please refer to the offical ABRSM website for further information.

Online Piano Lessons Available for Everyone from the 15th of June

This is a very uncertain time and everything is changing fast. ABRSM has carried out online exam assessments this month for grade 6 and above, it’s mainly for students who need UCAS points for A level this term. They have only updated recently that there will also be online exams available for grade1-8 students from August too. More details will be given from ABRSM at the end of this month. The piano exam registrations will re-open in July. I will definitely do my best to assist my students with the online exam requirements and help checking all recordings.

I feel that everything is moving along, including the exam boards. I have finally made an announcement about my plans and how we will move forward with piano lessons, so students do not have a big learning gap while waiting for the virus to end.

Once the schools have re-opened in June, I am planning to give face to face lessons with extremely strict safety measures in place. For those who feel the measures taken are too strict or don’t feel safe about coming here there will also be an option of Zoom piano lessons available.

Regarding the safety measures I will take for face to face lessons; please refer to:
COVID-19 Face to Face Lessons

If you prefer to have online lessons, please read:
COVID-19 Online Lessons

Successful Online Piano Lessons

I have been giving zoom piano lessons to a 9 year old student (Grade 3). He has a very strong musical background knowledge. He follows my instructions and responds very well when prompted to during our online lesson. We were even learning a new Grade 3 piece through zoom this week; we did half of the piece in just one lesson. I really enjoy teaching him through online piano lessons.

Successful Zoom Recitals

I'm extremely thankful for all parents who help set up devices for their child/ren and facilitate the zoom recitals we have had over the past 4 weeks. During the lockdown I have stopped teaching completely, but I really miss my students and hope they can keep practicing the piano at home. During the last 2 recitals I was touched by how much effort everyone has put in.

We had 21 students who took part in the first zoom recital, and 23 who took part in the 2nd recital today. I hope all my students which took part in these recitals have enjoyed listening to all sorts of different music pieces from others. For those who haven't been able to take part in our zoom recitals, including my adult students, I will be thinking of you.

Next zoom recital will be 2 weeks from today. Hopefully we will be able to resume lessons soon.

Some good news in these sad times

I hope everyone is coping well with the new way of living and life adjustments during the sad coronavirus time. All UK ABRSM exams have been cancelled.

There will be no new exam bookings available until the 1st of July. I have also postponed all of my lessons at the moment. However, two of my 7 year old students have both got their exam results back recently. They took their exams right before the government lockdown was put in place. One passed their grade 1 exam and one passed their grade 3 exam. Both acheived high marks. The student which has just passed her grade 3 exam is now working on their theory exam and grade 5 preparation.

I am also hosting my first ever online recital. So far, 20 students have confirmed they will be taking part. I am so looking forward to seeing everyone's face pop up on the screen on the 18th of April. Hopefully everyone stays safe and healthy.

Imperfection makes perfection

My eldest son has just turned 4 years old recently. We have been learning this famous traditional Italian tune named 500 Year Old Melody for a couple of days now. The right hand does not sit in the middle C position anymore; it is harder than it looks for a 4 year old. The video I took today is not 100% perfect, but I can tell he is gradually picking up the right tempo by playing this duet with me together. He takes cues for when to play from when I play my part.

I am very pleased with his reading too; I always encourage students to not look at their hands and focus on the notes when learning a new piece. This will help with sight reading and allow for more stable play.

Some of my very young students are working towards their Grade 5 ABRSM piano exam this year. Over the past few years I have always formed a strong bond with my students that have been with me from a beginner level. I have seen them work so hard and I have learnt a lot from them, as well. I really can't wait for my son to reach the level that my students have achieved in the years to come.

26th September - Piano Recital 2020

This is a free event for all my students' families and friends. It will give everyone an opportunity to perform and encourage them to work hard and keep practicing the piano. Something to work towards :)

More details will be sent out to students soon.

Everyone loves Cats and Dogs

I have very much enjoyed playing this song with my 5 year old student who has only had 4 lessons with me. I also have a few older students who all can play this song within 2 lessons. I would also like to thank the parents who have helped my 5 year old student learn the piano; without their support we would not have been able to progress this fast.

The Solfa method is such a powerful tool to help reading notes effectively. Singing Do Re Mi while reading notes is definitely the most understandable and efficient way to teach young children. Especially for students who cannot read letters yet. I aim to make my students, including my children, sing Do Re Mi and gradually introduce them to the letter names while we play the scales. Seeing them progress so fast at this young age is very rewarding.

Happy New Year and Congratulations

Happy new year everyone.

Congratulations to my students who have passed their ABRSM piano exam in Autumn 2019.

My 3 students who took their grade 1 and grade 2 exam this autumn have achieved very high marks. I am very proud of them. (Above is one of my student's certificate pictures) I will have 8 students attend their piano exam in March this year and a few students attending piano competitions in February and March. There will be more events to come following these; it's going to be a very busy year and prosperous year. I am looking forward to it :)

Merry Christmas To Everyone

I sometimes try to teach extra pieces to suit occassions on top of a student's current books that they are studying. I discovered this simple and easy festive duet that students and their parents can easily play together for fun. Here is a video of one of my very bright students and I playing together in our lesson; I hope that you will enjoy listening to this beautiful music made by Alison Mathews.

Practice Makes Perfect

My eldest son has just turned 4; I have only started to teach him recently. We practice a little bit at a time each day. He has made some progress, as a teacher myself I do not seem to be able to prioritise my son's lessons as much as my students'; but I will try my best to ensure he practices everyday, even for just 5 minutes. Hopefully he will turn out to be as good as my students when he is older.

Congratulations to students which attended the piano competition in Leicester

I would like to share some good news; we had a wonderful day at the Leicester Music Fesitival held recently. All of my young students are doing so well, including two of my 5 year old students.

Aaron: Grade 3 own choice solo – 1st Place
Received Peter Crump Memorial Trophy
Sara: Grade 3 exam pieces class – 3rd Place
Mia: Grade 3 own choice solo – 2nd Place
Grade 3 own choice piano program, two contrary pieces – 1st Place
Received the Vera Riley Cup
Grade 3 exam pieces class – 1st Place
Received Judith Gunn Challenge Cup
Bella: Grade 1 exam pieces class – 1st Place
Received Robert H Carter Memorial Trophy
Grade 1 own choice pieces – 2nd Place
Adrian: Grade 1 exam pieces class – 2nd Place
Jameela: Grade 1 exam pieces class – 3rd Place

Fingers need to stay curved from day 1

I'm very proud of my son; he has just turned 4 two weeks ago. He can read 5 notes. But deep in my mind I knew that I should correct his finger pose from the start. He used to play with his fingers sticking up in the air; I have spent a lot of time in one evening reminding him to keep his fingers curved. We have made it, and I am sure in another three months he will be able to play some simple songs. I really can't wait to see his progress.

Very proud of all my students

I am very proud of all of my students; especially those who work very hard. Some of them will be taking two piano exams in one year, while some of them skip early grade exams to challenge themselves. Everyone that has taken an exam has received either a merit or distinction.

One of my very bright student's parents are very supportive; they fully trust my judgement and recommendations. The student is highly interested in music and practices the piano every day for 1 hour since she was six.

I have been looking at some music specialised high schools in London for this student to attend. The school has high standards for entry, but I will do my best to support her whatever the school's requirements may be.

I am attending a piano competition with some of my students next week. I cant wait to share some good news here as I am sure some of them will win a prize!

Piano has been tuned!

I love my piano, especially when it has just been tuned. All the keys were removed and dusted. My tuner has also adjusted and regulated my piano to make the keys more responsive.

I have my piano tuned every 6 months as it is used a lot by myself and my students. Can't wait to practice more fast tempo pieces and feel the difference!

Very proud of my hard working student

A year ago I had a student which came to me, full of passion about learning the piano. Her parents are one of the most supportive parents I have ever met. They have encouraged her throughout her journey and have always given her a lot of praise for each improvement that was made every week.

Millie's progress means a lot to me as a teacher as I know how hard it is to be able to play on a Grade 1 level from a being a complete beginner. We have been through some challenging periods, but I am very pleased Millie was able to perservere and is now preparing for her grading.

I made this small video demonstrating Millie's progress over the last year. Looking at videos of past lessons makes me feel very touched and rewarding; it's always nice to look back and see how much a student has progressed after she began taking lessons.

Very rewarding teaching my son the piano

I teach the piano by using the Yamaha solfa method alongside the C D E names. Singing while playing is a very powerful tool when learning to read music notes, especially for young children. It will also help develop their listening skills, which will be required if they are to take any piano exams. I started teaching my son the piano, only doing the 5 finger independance awareness exercise when he was 3 years, 6 months old (bottom video). At that point he wasn't able to read any music notes; now he is 3 years, 8 months old and is able to distinguish the difference between the different notes on a music sheet.

The progress is still slow at the moment, but I am very proud of him for each small step he takes in relation to learning the piano.

Congratulations

Congratulations to my students who have passed their ABRSM piano exam in Summer 2019.

My 3 students who took their grade 1 exam this summer entry all achieved very high marks in their first piano exam. I am very proud of them. A piano exam covers many aspects and it might be harder than people think. Thanks to my students and their parents’ continued support and commitments to make this happen.

Upcoming event - 16th of November 2019 - Leicester Festival of Music and Drama

Parents, please download the Schedule Classes PDF and take a look at the class options. I will also discuss with you individually to see which class is suitable for your child. Please complete the Entry Form PDF if you wish to enter your child in the Leicester festival of music and drama. The form must be sent with a cheque/postal order for the relevant fees and be received by the festival no later than the 21st of September 2019. The address can be found in the entry form. Click here to visit their website.

For reference, there is another file which highlights the rules for attendance.

Piano Competition

Loughborough schools foundation held a piano competition on the 12th of May. It was such a great experience for my students and I. The competition was held in a recital hall at Loughborough Grammar School. It was the second time this competition has taken place; I was told it will take place every year now, instead of every other year as it has done in the past.

My 6 year old student, Mia, performed a classical music piece 2 movements of Clementi - Sonatina op. 36 no. 1. My 14 year old student, Sara, performed a contemporary music piece Yiruma - River Flows In You. Although they didnt win, it was a valuable experience for them. They both did so well for the short amount of time they have been learning with me. I am very proud of them. We will definitely keep working hard and attend many more competitions in the future.

Love teaching my pre-school students

One of my four year old students, Rachel, has only had 20 lessons so far. She is one of my most talented students. I feel so privileged to be able to teach such a bright young girl. She is very mature and always engaging with me in our lessons. I would like to thank her parents and grand parents for being so supportive of her lessons. Her parents are always monitoring her practice at home while her grand parents love to listen to her play.

Above is a video of a song we were learning a few weeks ago. Now she is working on some Grade 1 standard pieces. I can only imagine how well she will be able to play when she gets older.

Congratulations

Congratulations to my students who have passed their ABRSM piano exam in Spring 2019.

Mia – Grade 1 Distinction
Sara – Grade 1 Distinction

My hard working early teens student

I would like to give lots of praise to my hard working 11 year old student Aaron. Aaron has only learnt the piano with me for a few months. He said that he was happy to attend the piano competition. His bravery and persistent attitude is so rewarding and touching. Arron has practiced the piano every day, because of this he was able to play this grade 3 standard piece in a few months from a beginner level.

Aaron was learning this song with me while he was busy preparing for his 11+ entry exam. Juggling between academic schoolwork and piano practice is a big challenge for this age group of students. Aaron managed his time well and was able to pass his 11+ entry exam and also made it to play this song “Time to catch a Train” before the piano competition. He is now also aiming to enter his piano grade 3 exam this year after skipping the exams for grade 1 and 2. Normally I wouldn’t encourage students to skip grades, but I can see that Aaron has huge potential to achieve this goal.

I'd also like to thank his parents and his sibling who have given Aaron their full support at learning the piano at home. Aaron’s mother told me that even if his dad and her are busy with work, they make sure that they spare time to listen to his piano playing every evening. I really appreciate them for taking our piano lessons seriously. I very much enjoy teaching this young and bright pianist.

Congratulations

Big congratulations to Mia for winning many prizes at the music festival. Mia is 6 years old and she has managed to practice nearly 10 pieces in the last 2 months. 2 of them are grade 3 level. All credit to her dedicated parents. Without Mia’s mum this wouldn’t have been possible. Mia arrived early today at the venue and was doing a warm up playing ABRSM grade 3 exam piece. (We are not allowed to take pictures and videos during the competition, but we were told we are allowed to take videos outside of the competition sessions).

Congratulations

So proud of my student Millie who did well at the piano competition today. Big thanks to the parents for driving this far to attend to the music festival and the sibling who was waiting patiently the whole afternoon. I am so proud of her for having the courage to perform in front of a group of strangers and the adjudicators.

Millie started learning the piano from the age of 6. We have been preparing for the festival for a few months. She has skipped a few bits and jumped to learn a song which is harder than her current level. I am so pleased that she was able to learn this song before the festival and do so well. Performing a piano solo on stage is a nerve-wracking experience. How could she manage to stay calm at a such young age?!

Congratulations to Enay for passing her 11+ music scholarship auditions

One of my students has just received her 11+ music schloarship results. Enay has successfully been chosen for 2 different all girl schools in London and the parents are now making the final decision to see which school to attend. I spent many nights creating a very intense lesson plan for Enay over the Christmas break as a final push before her audition dates. Our hard work has paid off :)

I enjoy teaching, but I also enjoy playing

Thank you to all my students and student's parents who take our lessons seriously. All of my students practice very hard. I make sure I keep improving myself too. Above is a Grade 8 Trinity College of London music piece. I really like this song made by Schumann. Hopefully everyone keeps progressing and practicing. If you would like to watch more videos please check the Media section.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

This Christmas holiday I have had a business closure apart from a single student I took on from London for an intense 10 hour course. We are preparing for her 11+ music scholarship audition which she will attend in January 2019 at her prospective schools. It has been very enjoyable teaching her; in our lessons we have covered many subjects in music. She gave me a card (above) before she left. Although this is only a one off crash course we have still built a good relationship. We will definitely keep in touch.

Congratulations

Rohan started learning the piano with me when he just turned 7 years old. He has passed his Grade 1 piano exam with flying colours and within 1 year of taking lessons. He is one of the most resilient students I have ever seen. He put in a lot of hard work this year and never complained when the learning curve became steeper and more difficult. He is very talented and currently working on making his own music. He is also not scared of reading difficult music sheets and trying to figure them out by himself. He is truly an amazing student for his age.

To the right is a table from oliveland.com which shows that the difficulty in achieving ABRSM Grade 1 is equivalent to the difficulty of passing a GCSE subject from D-G. The average time taken to pass Grade 1 is 1.5 years. Rohan passed in under 1 year, I am very proud of him. Rohan’s parents are one of the most supportive parents I have ever met. They travel very far to my studio every week and also have given him loads of support at home. All credit goes to his parents for this achievement.

Congratulations

Grace Cole got 2nd place at the Grade 1 exam class competition at Leicester Music Festival 2018. There were 9 competitors in total, Grace came second. She performed “The Echo”, one of the piano grade 1 2019-2020 exan pieces.

Mia Gu got 3nd place at the Grade 1 own choice class competition at Leicester Music Festival 2018. There were 10 competitors in total, Mia came third. She performed Beethoven, Moonlight, arrargement by John Thompson.

New Piano Room is Open!

Successful Autumn 2018 Piano Recital

Thank you everyone who attended the recital, it was such a lovely morning. All of the performing students did very well. The church venue was very beautiful.

I have uploaded some pictures in our media section. You can find them under the "Recital 2018" menu option under the Media tab. I'd also like to thank my very good friend Yitsen Har who accompanied me on all my performances at the recital. Above you can watch opening piece to our recital.

I'm so in love with my pre-school students

I have just completed another seminar course about teaching pre-school students. I have had a few new preschool students recently; they have surprised me with what they are capable of. Young children are like a sponge when it comes to learning.

My youngest student as of now is 3 years 10 months old; her ability to copy what I play is amazing. We have also started reading notes today. I aim to teach all of my students to read music as early as possible. When students start from a young age with me we are able to build a strong bond.

Inspiring classical music for teenager and adult students

This week I have come across a book which is full of Beethoven classical music that has a pop theme to each song. The author (Andrew Dow) describes the songs as "pop-infused piano solos inspired by the music of Beethoven". I understand that one book that works for one person may not be best for another, so I am always on the look out for new books that might be better for certain age groups of students.

Exploring new piano books is like getting Christmas presents; I can't wait to teach my students songs from this pop/classical mixed book. Above you can see a short video of one of the songs from the book. The book is called "Beethoven sessions classical pop piano solos".

Preparing for piano exams

If you're looking for a piano teacher to help you pass your piano exams, I can make my lesson very exam focussed and help you to pass your exam as quickly as possible. I have a few students who will be taking their grade 1, grade 3 and grade 4 exams this year. I am feeling very excited for them and am looking forward to go to the exam with each of them.

Piano lessons for pre-schoolers (3-5 years old)

I have just completed a one hour online training course on preschooler piano teaching. I can't wait to carry out all of the wonderful ideas that I have learnt in the lessons with my 3-4 years old students :) Teaching this age group of students is challenging, but it doesn't need to be a conventional way of teaching, it can be full of fun and learning at the same time.

If the student is not able to sit still for 5 minutes on the piano chair, or the child's concentration span is low, this is not a problem for me at all. But if he or she is not able to copy the rhythm I have made, or follow simple instructions, I would say that he or she is not quite ready to begin learning the piano just yet. It is a good idea to come to me for a trial first. It's never too early to start, in fact, children who start early will have a better sense of music tempo and rhythm comparing to children who start later.

Upcoming event - 17th of November - Leicester Festival of Music and Drama

Parents, please download the Schedule Classes PDF and take a look at the class options. I will also discuss with you individually to see which class is suitable for your child. Please complete the Entry Form PDF if you wish to enter your child in the Leicester festival of music and drama. The form must be sent with a cheque/postal order for the relevant fees and be received by the festival no later than the 22nd of September. The address can be found in the entry form. Click here to visit their website.

For reference, there is another file which highlights the rules for attendance.

Recital - 22nd of September 2018!

If you would like to allow your children to have the opportunity to perform a piano solo on stage in a local church, sign up for piano lessons now! There is still time, take the opportunity to learn an extra skill this summer! This recital is a big deal for many of my students who have been preparing for months. I put a lot of heart and effort into all of my lessons to make sure everybody progresses fast. If you are looking for a neighbourhood teacher that lives close by and is inexpensive I'm not the right teacher for you. But if you are looking for a teacher who goes the extra mile, teaches with passion and gives high quality lessons as well as providing a competitive price please contact me :)

What was your first piano teacher like?

Since I have opened this studio luckily I have acquired many young students. They are all different and everyone is progressing well. Some of my student's parents told me that I am very patient. I believe that every student has the potential to learn the piano as long as they can be guided in a way that they can understand, especially for very young children (4-5 years old). I received a message today from one of my student's parents saying "Teachers affect eternity. No one can tell where their influence stops. - Henry Brookes Adams".

I am thankful that I have the privilege to be your child's first piano teacher. I am aware that I am playing an important role in regards to the children's early year musical education.

My Piano

What does your piano room look like? I like my piano room to be neat and tidy for all my students. I was practicing my scales yesterday while enjoying a bit of sunshine and thought I would write a quick message.

Half term and summer break are coming up soon, but Abby's piano school runs all year round. Don't forget to keep practicing, we will have our autumn recital on the 22nd of September. You still have plenty of time to master your favourite song which you'll be performing on stage.

Congratulations to 5 year old Mia for winning 1st place!

Mia entered the Don Valley Festival and attended class 68 where she took first place earning herself a medal and the Annie Green Shield. The adjudicator Sam Dunkly had lots of positive feedback for her, too. Well done Mia!

Don Valley Festival Re-scheduled Timetable

Please find the rescheduled timetable at the Don Valley Festival website here.

Student Notice: All lessons on the 14th of April will be cancelled due to the rescheduling of the Piano competition at the Don Valley Festival.

Music Lessons were the best thing your parents ever did for you, according to science

Last week we had an article talking about adult students learning the piano. This week I have come across this article, which may inspire you if you are thinking about signing your children up for piano lessons. I always tell my student's parents, the earlier they start, the better. The article can be found here.

Challenges of adult students

It's never too late to learn the piano. This article discusses some of the challenges adult students face which you can relate to. Please have a read. Hopefully this will motivate you and keep you going on the journey of learning the piano. The article can be found here.

New waiting room

A door has been fitted to separate the piano room from our waiting room. This helps students by giving them less distractions and allows the next student to wait in a relaxed environment while the current one finishes their lesson. It also allows student's parents a room to relax if they are travelling from further away. Refreshments are provided.

Upcoming event

Click here for details

Upcoming event

Click here for details

Useful Hand Exercises

These exercises will improve finger dexterity and will help when playing more complex songs. Click here for more details

Awards for young musicians

Scholarship for covering the cost of instruments and tuition fees. Click here for details