The PTC UK
Student Stories: 10 years of The Piano School
PTC graduate Catherine Cossey shares her journey from wondering whether piano teaching is a viable job, to 10 years of The Piano School.
.jpg)
Search
The PTC UK
- Sep 2
- 1 min
Finding Your Silence: The importance of wellbeing as a piano teacher
Kris Worsley discusses wellbeing as a piano teacher and the importance of seeking and experiencing 'your' silence.
The PTC UK
- Aug 25
- 5 min
Student Stories: From primary school teacher to piano school director
Jeni Warder recalls her journey from taking the leap to quit her day job to becoming a successful piano teaching business owner.
The PTC UK
- Jul 18
- 2 min
Technique Series: 6. Independence of hands, 'pushing off' and 'hugging'
Do your forearms ever stiffen up when playing? Or do you sometimes feel you can’t produce the quality of tone that you would like?
The PTC UK
- Jul 18
- 2 min
Technique Series: 5. Three fundamental points
Whilst it should never be a means to an end, the pursuit of developing further technical facility at the keyboard is of paramount importance
The PTC UK
- Jul 18
- 1 min
Technique Series: 4. Playing with relaxed arms and strong fingers
PTC Principal Tutor Jill Morton discusses the importance of developing the pupil's awareness of playing with relaxed, whole-arm movements...
The PTC UK
- Jul 18
- 2 min
Technique Series: 3. Developing agility at the piano
One of the main aims we have for our pupils in setting them up with a good technique is to give them piano AGILITY.
The PTC UK
- Jul 18
- 1 min
Technique Series: 2. How do we really play softly?
How can you cultivate a secure technique in students which enables them to play softly with confidence at the piano?
The PTC UK
- Jul 18
- 1 min
Technique Series: 1. Starting at the beginning
The development of technique starts at the very beginning - quite literally. It is important to be aware of correct hand position,...
The PTC UK
- Jun 16
- 1 min
Dealing with Performance Anxiety: 5. Steps to Tackle the Problem
When we perform, we call on a different part of ourselves from when we practise or play for ourselves, because these are different...
The PTC UK
- Jun 16
- 1 min
Dealing with Performance Anxiety: 4. Breathing, stretching and practice strategies
Any musician can be affected by performance anxiety and what we have to learn is how to deal with it. The first step is to accept that...
The PTC UK
- Jun 10
- 1 min
Dealing with Performance Anxiety: 3. Looking at the word "Anxiety"
Beate Toyka, Principal Tutor of The Piano Teachers' Course UK ‘Getting to the heart of music’ is Beate’s teaching philosophy. Exploring a...
The PTC UK
- Jun 5
- 1 min
Dealing with Performance Anxiety: 2. Feeling Secure During Performance
My two tips on feeling secure during a performance are: first, prepare your repertoire to a level that “you truly know that you know”,...
The PTC UK
- May 26
- 2 min
Dealing with Performance Anxiety: 1. The Importance of Sound Preparation
Performance anxiety is something that all musicians, thespians, in fact anyone who goes on stage to give a performance experiences. I...
The PTC UK
- May 16
- 1 min
Sight-Reading for Piano Teachers: 5. Quick Study skills
Quick studies are an excellent way of speed learning new pieces two or three grades below our student’s ability. They will be expanding...
The PTC UK
- May 16
- 1 min
Sight-Reading for Piano Teachers: 4. Think as an accompanist
We can learn from accompanists some of the most useful tips on sight-reading. They have to master this skill to perfection, so how do...
The PTC UK
- May 16
- 1 min
Sight-Reading for Piano Teachers: 3. Guess, simplify or improvise
Sally Cathcart, Principal Tutor of The Piano Teachers' Course UK Sally is a musician who just happens to be fascinated by the piano and...
The PTC UK
- May 16
- 2 min
Sight-Reading for Piano Teachers: 2. Structure and endings
How do I make sense of a brand-new score as quickly as possible? I opt for a mix of playing and understanding at first sight by using the...
The PTC UK
- May 16
- 1 min
Sight-Reading for Piano Teachers: 1. Prioritising the pulse and musical spirit
Do you have any doubt about whether it’s best to prioritise the pulse when sight reading, or to play all of the correct notes? If so,...
The PTC UK
- Jan 30, 2021
- 2 min
Online Teaching - Recommendations from the PTC UK
The following recommendations come from our International Director and Head of Diplomas at the PTC, Lucinda Mackworth-Young.