Non-Residential Courses

Ovingdean Piano Weekend
November Saturday 2 - Sunday 3 2024
See below to read about the autumn 2024 piano weekend.
November Saturday 2 - Sunday 3 2024
See below to read about the autumn 2024 piano weekend.
Ovingdean Piano Weekend Saturday 2 - Sunday 3 November 2024
For the first time we held a Piano Weekend in Ovingdean, near Brighton.
Yuri Paterson-Olenich and Evgenia Startseva gave lessons in two houses with Steinway grands and three other neighbours lent pianos for practising. 12 pianists gathered for individual lessons, a recital, workshop and talk as well as the chance to play with other painists on one or two pianos.
As well as their individual lessons, Yuri and Zhenia played and talked about the music of Nikolai Medtner on the Friday night. On the next day, the jazz pianist Owen Eastwood introduced everyone to jazz in scintillating fashion and on Sunday Peter Copley continued his fascinating series of talks on the piano music of composers connections; this time Vaughn Williams.
Elizabeth, Sue and Eva produced great lunches on both days and everyone went home well fed and inspired yet again by Yuri and Zhenia's teaching.
Feedback was very positive - thank you, pianists - so we will be looking at how we can hold more events like this. Watch this space!
Some comments from the pianists:
Thank you so much for a great time; the recital on Friday - wow! The neighbours who lent us their pianos were amazing. The food as always was great and of course Yuri and Zhenia were fabulous. The jazz talk just added that little extra challenge; I'm working on getting my thirds and secenths in line.
Thank you for hosting such a lovely and stimulating event! It was great fun and I thought worked really well with the venues.
It was a terrific weekend and very stimulating.
Thanks for a wonderful piano event. It was a happy weekend, useful and successful. Great food especially!
Many thanks for an enjoyable and jolly weekend of music and feasting. It was particularly interesting to meet the neighbours who lent their pianos and to have another opportunity for valuable lessons.
Click here to see photos from the weekend.
For the first time we held a Piano Weekend in Ovingdean, near Brighton.
Yuri Paterson-Olenich and Evgenia Startseva gave lessons in two houses with Steinway grands and three other neighbours lent pianos for practising. 12 pianists gathered for individual lessons, a recital, workshop and talk as well as the chance to play with other painists on one or two pianos.
As well as their individual lessons, Yuri and Zhenia played and talked about the music of Nikolai Medtner on the Friday night. On the next day, the jazz pianist Owen Eastwood introduced everyone to jazz in scintillating fashion and on Sunday Peter Copley continued his fascinating series of talks on the piano music of composers connections; this time Vaughn Williams.
Elizabeth, Sue and Eva produced great lunches on both days and everyone went home well fed and inspired yet again by Yuri and Zhenia's teaching.
Feedback was very positive - thank you, pianists - so we will be looking at how we can hold more events like this. Watch this space!
Some comments from the pianists:
Thank you so much for a great time; the recital on Friday - wow! The neighbours who lent us their pianos were amazing. The food as always was great and of course Yuri and Zhenia were fabulous. The jazz talk just added that little extra challenge; I'm working on getting my thirds and secenths in line.
Thank you for hosting such a lovely and stimulating event! It was great fun and I thought worked really well with the venues.
It was a terrific weekend and very stimulating.
Thanks for a wonderful piano event. It was a happy weekend, useful and successful. Great food especially!
Many thanks for an enjoyable and jolly weekend of music and feasting. It was particularly interesting to meet the neighbours who lent their pianos and to have another opportunity for valuable lessons.
Click here to see photos from the weekend.