Although the piano has always been a huge part of my life, I can't say I ever added ‘piano teacher’ to my list of long-term career options when I was at school. Of course, piano teaching was a nice little earner when I was 16 with a Grade 8 and several family friends with young children. However, I have to admit I found teaching beginners a little uninspiring. Following a tutor book felt a little passive. I also felt like it wasn't ‘real music’, and I struggled to be excited by it. However, I continued this teaching with as much enthusiasm as I could muster, throughout my music degree.
I was intent on teaching as a career, but I was unsure if teaching only music was for me, so I opted for primary teaching and trained for my PGCE in Cambridge. At that point the piano teaching took a back seat, before being made completely impossible by the demands of a full-time teaching job and young children. Although exhausting, I loved my time in school. The challenge of meeting the needs of such a range of children, within a very demanding curriculum, was a steep but rewarding learning curve. On the other hand, there were huge compromises to make, and the big one was work-life balance. When I became pregnant with my third child, I knew my time in teaching was up. I handed in my notice, crossed my fingers and hoped I'd make enough from a couple of evenings’ piano teaching to pay the bills.
This time, however, I knew I wasn't going to be ‘just another piano teacher.’ My time in school had conditioned me to constant self-appraisal, and to being open to alternative, more progressive teaching methods. I was determined to find creativity and true musicality in even the youngest beginners, because this was now my main income, and I needed to feel positive about my work, as much for myself as for my students.
It was at this point I discovered the Curious Piano Teachers – an online, international community of piano teachers, all with the common goal of improving what they do through the sharing of ideas and regular online training. I felt there was something intriguing (curious, in fact!) about this community, and it turned out to be one of the best investments I've ever made. It was through the Curious Piano Teachers that I learned about the Piano Teachers’ Course UK. Several of the members had been on the course, and it sounded fantastic. What attracted me most was the sense of having colleagues, which appeared to be created between the students on the course.
Enrolling on the course
In 2016 I took another leap of faith and enrolled on the course. I was nervous on the first weekend, but I needn't have worried – the tutors were welcoming and my fellow students friendly. The Purcell School, where the residential part of the course is held, quickly became a second home, and I looked forward to our weekends there (especially as the food was better than at home!).
The year became a landmark in my teaching career. The opportunity to take time out gave me time to reflect on everything I was trying to achieve in my teaching. The days were long and intense, but the sessions were always relevant and inspiring. I found the residential weekends particularly useful, as there was time in the evenings to socialise, discuss ideas informally, or simply to have a quiet evening to process the new information gathered that day.
Group learning at Keys Piano School
The range of subjects covered by the course was vast, and consequently it is difficult to define any one area of study that had the most impact on my teaching. However, I was enormously influenced by the clear passion shown towards the piano, and the sharing of its music by all the highly skilled tutors on the course. Their enthusiasm was infectious! ‘Musical Moments’, a daily opportunity to hear one of the tutors play, was a highlight. These small windows were a chance to reflect on what playing the piano is really all about and what it is we are teaching our students to appreciate. And in turn, we were given the opportunity to share our own playing. The tutors challenged us to improve our teaching, but also nurtured us as pianists. The steadily increasing performance opportunities throughout the year enabled us to grow in confidence and support each other over each new hurdle. Returning to performing again after such a long break was liberating and allowed me to discover a new devotion to the instrument and therefore to my own students.
By the end of the course my student base was growing rapidly, and I was turning away more students than I was teaching. Thanks to the Piano Teachers' Course UK my aspirations had been raised significantly, and I was now seeing myself developing a successful second career. Having felt so inspired by the teaching on the PTC, I was keen to find a way of sharing this passion with my own students. I wanted a purpose-designed space for creative teaching, group work, masterclasses and performances, to give students the best chance at seeing the ‘bigger picture’, to have fun in their music-making from day one, and to motivate everyone to be the best they can be.
So, armed with a bucketful of determination and a handful of Excel spreadsheets I spent a few months devising a way to make it work. Finally I managed it, and Keys Piano School opened in September 2018.
Keys Piano School
I currently work with four other teachers who all bring ideas and energy to Keys in different ways. Our teaching begins with early years ‘FunKeys’, taught by my colleague who specialises in early years and additional needs education, before moving into our Foundation programme for ages four to eight. Through these sessions we focus on developing a love of creating and sharing music. Our curriculum aims to develop key aural skills, basic keyboard geography and the early stages of notation, before moving children into either a traditional classical or pop-focused pathway. We also make space in our timetable for adult students, which is the most rapidly growing area of our teaching. Keys aims to make piano lessons appealing, modern and engaging. As a result, the amount of interest in our school has been huge, and we are now providing tuition to over 250 students.
In September 2020, Keys will enter a new chapter with the addition of Romanian concert pianist Madalina Rusu to our team. She will enable us to develop our teaching and performance coaching to the highest level and provide a role model to all our students at Keys, as well as performing recitals in the community. At times, I have struggled to believe I can personally deliver on the high aspirations I have for Keys, but I have found that I can constantly learn and take confidence from others and their experience. Rather than leading the way forward, I now look forward to moving on as part of a team. The potential of our little business seems to be growing every day, and I will always be grateful that I have found others who believe in my dream of delivering high-quality opportunities in a grass-roots setting.
The Piano Teachers' Course UK is for pianists and piano teachers who wish to enhance their professional teaching skills, come together for inspiration and become part of a motivated, supportive and creative musical network.
For further information, visit www.pianoteacherscourse.org
Find out more about the Curious Piano Teachers at www.thecuriouspianoteachers.org
For more information about Keys Piano School, Bolton, visit www.keyspianoschool.com
