Thank you.

Thank you very much for the many good wishes, cards and presents I have received. You are all very kind and thoughtful.

Grade Exam Congratulations!

Congratulations to my ABRSM grade exam pupils who took their piano exams this term. They all achieved a pass with Merit or Distinction:

Zoë Grade 2 Distinction 132

Kirstie Grade 3 Distinction 132

Alison Grade 3 Merit 127

Bethany Grade 5 Merit 123

They all did exceptionally well but special mention goes to my two adult pupils Alison and Kirstie. It is not easy being an adult learner and exam entrant ( as I know from my cello lessons ), but they have not been learning for long and bravely faced the examiner and came away having learnt much and gained very good results. Zoë managed to pass not only her Grade 2 piano with distinction but also her Grade 3 cornet this term! Bethany sat Grade 5 which is in my opinion a significant level. She achieved her result whilst studying music at Colchester Institute and focussing on her singing. 

In addition to these formal exams,Sarah sat a Performance Assessment of her Grade 8 pieces and got some very positive feedback from the examiner about her performance.

So very well done to all, excellent results all round.

Change of plans for Cathedral School pupils!

Due to the Bradwell Pigrimage and the production at Boswells, the last year 6 lesson will be on Thurs 16th July. We will get there!

Piano Adventures app!

Piano Adventures now has an app to accompany the Primer, Level 1 and Level 2a and 2b books. At present it is only available for iPad and iPhone. 

You download the app and receive a few free pieces and then pay between £3-£5 per level, for all the pieces in all the books for that level. Each piece has a full score and can be played with the tune, with a metronome or with an accompaniment or with all three! You can vary the speed too, starting slowly and then increasing the speed as fluency and skill develop.

The app will make practice more fun, and improve security and fluency.

More details here:

http://pianoadventures.com/player/

Summertime Piano Playing.

Summer Piano Ideas. - you only need to practise if it rains but you can play anytime!

·        Play a concert; choose an easy piece, a well-known piece and a fun piece. You can invite family and friends and 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!

.    Get ahead with your exam pieces and scales.

·        Compose your own simple piece, 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.

·        Teach your parents or your younger brothers and sisters an easy tune from 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!

·        Video yourself playing a piece and upload it to YouTube or send it to me and I will put it on my blog!

·        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!

 

Mrs Lau Summer 2015

Chelmsford Competitive Festival of Music and Drama 2015

I have started to talk to pupils about entering this competition and learning some of  the pieces. Entries are due in by Sat 26th September in September and parents will need to enter their children, I will not be doing it for you. I have given pupils the details and the entry forms.The piano classes will be held on the evening of Nov 13th and throughout the whole of Saturday 14th Nov,at Trinity Methodist church and the Quaker Meeting House in Chelmsford city centre.

This is a great opportunity for pupils to play their piece for an audience and receive a round of applause, a certificate and maybe even to win their class! It's also really interesting and often inspiring to listen to

other pianists play and to hear the comments of the adjudicator. 

Summer concert

Thank you so much for everyone who came to our Summer concert and well done to all the performers. Congratulations as well to all those who received trophies for gaining 50 or more Piano Points in the Points Mean Prizes, well done! Here are a few photos from the evening.