It's the end of the piano teaching year!

Just because it's the end of the piano lesson year doesn't mean that you should stop playing. Please don't! You might not practise so much but keep playing!

Here are a few ideas to keep you- and me- going over the summer:
Summer Piano Ideas.

·        Play a concert; choose an easy piece, a well-known piece and a fun piece. Practise and then invite family and friends then design and print a programme for it.

·        Find out about one of your favourite composers. Write a potted biography of them.

·        Learn a piece you haven’t played before- surprise me! There are lots of free pieces on www.susanparadis.com or in the Petrucci library.

·        Compose your own simple piece, base it on one of your favourites, it can be long or short, you can write it down or memorise it. Give it a name and play it at our next lesson.

·        Find a piano playing friend or family member and play some easy peasy duets with them.

·        Choose a composer to focus on and explore some of his pieces: Bach, Chopin, Amy Beach, Einaudi, Mozart, Yiruma etc.

·        Take my job from me:Teach your parents or your younger brothers and sisters an easy tune from one of your first books.

·        Go to a concert- maybe a BBC Prom or a Prom in the Park.

·        Find some new piano apps, try them out and come back and tell me all about them.

·        Teach yourself to play a favourite TV or film theme tune by ear, or learn Happy Birthday!

·        Explore a new style of piano music: pop, jazz, rock.

·        Watch the Piano Guys on YouTube with your parents.

·        Play the piano every time you are wearing your pyjamas!

·        Visit Handel House, Brook Street, London, it’s very child (and adult) friendly.

Enjoy your summer!

Retirement thanks.

I retired from my two school teaching jobs at Moulsham High School and The Cathedral Primary School this term. After 21 years it was quite a wrench to leave!

Thank you very much for the lovely cards, letters, presents and flowers that I received. I will miss you all but hope that you will continue with your piano lessons with my replacements.