5-day Spring School for Advanced Pianists with Graham Fitch

2023 sees the addition of three very different 5-day courses for advanced pianists. The first is dedicated especially (but not exclusively) to those preparing for a diploma performance, providing a concentrated boost for those attending – to study, practise, polish and improve performance skills and experience.

Preparing for a diploma or special performance is an excellent way to provide focus and structure to your piano practice as you work towards a goal. This provides an ideal opportunity for continued professional or personal development. On this course you can receive tuition and coaching on your programme. There will also be opportunities to practise performing your programme (or selections from it) to others in a safe and supportive environment, either in the class or more informally in a small group. In addition to masterclasses, there are workshops on how to prepare for performance, strategies to cope with performance anxiety, as well as clinics where we aim to solve practice and technical issues. Whether you are just embarking on the path, about to sit your diploma or simply preparing for a recital at advanced level, this course is for you.

Our 5-day courses are a well established highlight of the Finchcocks calendar. To ensure a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere, places are open to those who have attended at least one weekend Finchcocks course previously.

Like our weekend courses, formal tuition takes place in workshops, performance classes and one-to-one lessons.

This course’s focuses will be:

• Preparing for a Performance: Strategies for Structuring Your Practice
• Overcoming Performance Anxiety
• Clinic: Solving Technical and Musical Problems in Your Pieces
• Memorisation and Deep Learning Techniques
• Practising a Performance: Building Stamina and Resilience into your Programme.

This 5-day course aims to offer guests as much performance experience as possible. The opportunity to play on the family Bosendorfer in the main hall is a highlight of the diploma course and leaves the whole group on a real high afterwards!

As usual, everyone will have access to their own grand piano for the week including our new Steinway, and have plenty of time to practise in our vaulted piano cellar.

We’ll also have a bit of fun! We’ll explore the private gardens at Finchcocks, experience a local wine tasting, be able to go for beautiful Kentish countryside walks to Scotney castle and enjoy a session or two in the family’s new heated swimming pool, weather permitting.

And of course, it goes without saying that you can expect the usual!

Guests will:

• Have the chance to play in and observe multiple performance masterclasses.
• Will receive one-to-one lessons with Graham.
• Enjoy access to play on our 9 grand pianos anytime between 7am and 8pm. (There are enough pianos to go round that everyone can play a piano at any given time.)
• Have the chance to take part in a recital on the Bosendorfer in the main hall of the family home.
• Join and socialise with a group 8 fellow piano enthusiasts during lunch and dinner.
• Dine in style with lunches and three course dinners prepared by our fabulous chef.
• Experience the Finchcocks bubble, hailed as a “paradise for pianists” by BBC Music Magazine and stay in a grade 1 listed country manor.

Plus ones are very welcome on our courses, with a room surcharge dependant on whether they are a playing or non-playing guest. Please ask for further details.

This is a unique, luxury UK-based piano gem and an experience that you won’t forget anytime soon. Many guests continue friendships made on these courses, encouraging each other on in the piano playing on Whatsapp, organising private piano meet ups further down the line… and bumping into each other again on future courses!

For booking enquiries, please contact Jenny on 01580 428080 or fill in the form below.