Peter's Page
Here you will find information about my background and my approach to teaching piano.About my Teaching
I enjoy working with students at any level and any age from around 6 years.
Beginners, advancing students and restarters are equally welcome.
Depending on the individual interest I can offer different study 'streams', with a tailored approach. Obviously it is possible to switch or mix but the main strands will be:
Traditional Piano
Based in classical style and technique with focus on tone, rhythm, fluency and logical progression. My beginner/revision course has had a great deal of success over many years and I have also ample experience helping more experienced pianists.
Modern Piano
A structured approach to keyboard harmony which adapts to pop, rock and jazz styles. This can also lead into:
Song writing and Composing/Arranging
Electronic Keyboard
The arranger keyboard is whole study in itself: fluent use of the controls is as important as playing the notes. I use proven methods and materials to get the best from any keyboard, whether for pleasure or performance.
Pro Keys
The modern keyboard md/band player uses a wide range of skills, generally with a 2 instrument setup. The advancing student interested in pro commercial work will want to get to grips with this approach sooner rather than later . .
About Me
I have been a working musician and music teacher for the past 40 years, having studied music at York University under Wilfred Mellers.
My piano teacher from the age of 16 was Mr Alan Vicat of Shoreham, a pianist and teacher of enormous knowledge and wisdom, fortunately still with us. I continued to work regularly with Mr Vicat for some years after University.
Following post graduate teacher education at Kingston University I taught piano in private and maintained schools in Sussex as well as privately in East Grinstead. More recently (2002-7) I taught piano and electronic keyboard in East Sussex Schools: also directing the keyboard ensemble and acting as centre accompanist at the Lewes Music Centre.
I also have a particular niche interest and involvement with the Double Keyboard Piano invented by Emanuel Moor and am one of a handful of pianists who have played the Moor Piano in public,
Beside music teaching, I have worked in a variety of fields as a pianist, trombonist, composer/arranger and teacher, covering a wide range of styles and periods from early music to jazz and rock, as well as developing a parallel career in holistic re-education. As a pianist I have given many successful recitals and chamber performances.
I now teach mainly at my home studio in Portslade, Brighton.
About the Alexander Technique
20 years ago I took time out to train as a teacher of the F M Alexander Technique and this forms an important strand in my thinking about the piano and performance.
Alexander teaches us to recognise that many of our learning difficulties are due to unconscious habits which we apply to everything we do. Very often something which feels very difficult will become easy if we can only stop doing the thing that makes it hard!
I am very happy to be able to offer my skill in this technique to my piano students. Mostly it is employed in the background ie I am not teaching Alexander explicitly, but the 'Alexander awareness' will inform many of my comments and suggestions.
I do also work in a more specialised way with pianists and other musicians who have experienced great trouble, pain and even illness through misuse in playing, and it is an enormous pleasure to help someone in this situation regain freedom and pleasure in making music.
More information on the Alexander Technique
Otherwise, take a look around the rest of this site for more information!
