November 22, 2021December 18, 2023

Do you belong to a piano club?

by in Pianos
0
Do you belong to a piano club?

Piano clubs

Piano clubs are scattered all across the country, but what are they?

Piano clubs or meetups are clubs for pianists to get together. They offer the opportunity to play to others in a safe environment, the chance to discuss all things piano, and provide encouragement for players of what can otherwise be quite a solitary instrument! Members usually meet once a month at a public venue or private home with a grand piano. A small entrance fee is sometimes asked for, but it is often free to attend. Those who wish, prepare a piece in advance and perform to the group. Tea, coffee and cake is usually, and very importantly, involved as well.

Coach House dinner

Encouragement

Many of Finchcocks guests attend our courses for a piano boost, an injection of concentrated teaching and encouragement. But there’s a fantastic social side to our courses too. Conversation at mealtimes always returns to piano, pianists, favourite recordings, repertoire, learning techniques… you name it!

Piano clubs also offer this social opportunity, a regular check-in with a trusted audience of fellow piano-lovers and -learners.

To help encourage you along your piano journey, wherever you currently are, we have begun to compile a list of the clubs that guests have told us about – and members of Piano Network UK on Facebook have recommended!

Happy piano-ing from us here at Finchcocks Piano. And who knows? Perhaps joining a piano club will give you the confidence to attend a piano course sometime!

Piano clubs in the UK

London

  • London Piano Meetup Group Run by volunteers Claire Hansell and Rob Foster, monthly LPMG is a friendly and supportive group for adult amateur pianists; over 18s only, but there are no limitations on the (perceived or actual) standard of pianist, or style of playing. Currently held at the 1901 Arts Club, Waterloo.
  • London Amateur Piano Meetup All are welcome. All levels welcome and they use a “Safe Circle” approach to create a comfortable and enjoyable environment for all.
  • Central London (St John’s Wood), a wonderful resource for amateur pianists with two pianos (Yamaha Baby Grand piano GB1K retrofitted with a 6-inch octave keyboard (and a Kawai Novus NV10S hybrid piano) on location! Run by Miguel Angel de Blas. Space is limited to a maximum of 6-8 attendees. Pieces should be limited to less than 10 min per participant. Standard of playing should be Grade 5 and above. £10 GBP contribution per attendee.
  • North London, Playthrough for Amateur Pianists at the Red Hedgehog

South

Southeast

East

  • Let’s Play Piano “Meet up” groups in Cambridge. All abilities/styles welcome and no previous performance experience required.
  • Let’s Play Piano “Meet up” groups in Norwich. All abilities/styles welcome and no previous performance experience required.

Midlands

Northeast

Northwest

  • Clitheroe, Lancashire run by clitheroepiano @ gmail.com Open to adult pianists of any level offering supportive performance space.
  • Manchester Piano Hub run by Amy Wakefield Taylor: A place for piano enthusiasts, pianists, teachers and pupils to celebrate and share music that can be accessed from Manchester and surrounding areas.
  • Let’s Play Piano “Meet up” group in Manchester.
  • Morecambe, Lancashire run by morecambebaypiano @ btinternet.com Open to adult pianists of any level offering supportive performance space.
  • Let’s Play Piano “Meet up” group in Liverpool.

Yorkshire

  • Let’s Play Piano “Meet up” group in Sheffield, South Yorkshire
  • “Positively Piano Club” run by Anita Aslin every other month in Stokesley, North Yorkshire. All ages, abilities and styles welcome. anita @ harping-on.co.uk
  • The Yorkshire Piano Hub, run by Heather Hammond and Karen Marshall
  • Let’s Play Piano “Meet up” groups in Leeds.

Scotland

This list will be added to as new clubs pop up! Please do contact us to add yours.

Last updated 17th December 2023.