Author: mrkwr

Piano masterclass with Helen Reid

Our first masterclass of 2025 repeated the successes of last year’s events. It was led by pianist and teacher Helen Reid, who showed again that she was not just an excellent pianist but also an inspiring, engaging, and insightful teacher. As participants put it afterwards:

“[there was] lots of excellent musical/piano wisdom” – “[Helen] was great – gentle but intentional, sincerely encouraging and with lots of very useful practical and inspirational tips for teaching and playing alike.”

The workshop was held on Thursday 10 July at the home of Simon and Jill Scott, where we benefited from being able to play their superb, and newly restored, Bösendorfer 225 grand piano.

As usual at Club meetings, participants offered a varied programme, with works by composers ranging from Bach to Florence Price and her pupil Margaret Bonds:

Fran – Bach: Invention No.8 in F; Galuppi: Sonata in D, 1st mvt (Adagio)
Ruth – Schubert : Sonata in A minor Opus post. 164 D 537
Kay – Debussy: Reverie
Robin – Margaret Bonds: Troubled Water
Simon S – Fauré: Nocturne No.11 F♯ minor
Jean W – Florence Price: Fantasie nègre No. 1 in E minor
Jean A – Beethoven: Sonata in A♭ Op.26, 1st mvt (Andante con Variazioni)

About Helen Reid

Helen Reid (see https://helenreidpiano.com](https://helenreidpiano.com/) is a former BBC Young Musician of the Year keyboard finalist, and currently pursues a busy career teaching and performing around the UK. As well as performing as a soloist, she is in demand as an accompanist, and regularly performs with the Bristol Ensemble and other chamber groups. Helen works with advanced piano students, both privately and at the University of Bristol. 

Helen has given recitals all around in England, at venues including the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, Fairfield Halls and Blackheath Halls, London, St. George’s, Bristol, Cheltenham, the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester and the Aldeburgh and Buxton Festivals. She has performed in Spain, Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. Performances have included Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and the world premiere of David Matthews’ Piano Concerto at Dartington International Summer Festival, a work written for Helen.

Future events

The Piano Club is planning another masterclass in November, with details to be announced soon – watch this space!

William Howard, who has also led a masterclass for the Club, will be running his course “Creative Practising – How to Keep Your Piano Practice Fresh” again this year on 25–27 October at Jackdaws – see https://www.jackdaws.org.uk/events/3705/

Music for Hope concert

Helen Reid, the pianist who has led a masterclass for Bristol Piano Club (and has a forthcoming masterclass with us in July), will be playing at a concert at Henleaze URC with mezzosoprano Rebecca Chellappah, in aid of Trailwalker UK 2025 supporting the Gurkha Welfare Trust and community projects in Nepal.

The programme will include music by Chopin, Debussy, setting of Tagore poems, and contemporary song.

The concert is at 7:30 on Saturday 28 June. Tickets are available from Ticketsource or on the door

New Piano Club Masterclass with Helen Reid for 2025

Join other Bristol Piano Club members for an informal masterclass to be led by Helen Reid, one of Bristol’s leading teachers.


When: Thursday 10 July 2025, 10:00–16:00
Location: Stoke Bishop, Bristol (venue details provided on booking)
Fees – Members: £45 (playing), £10 (observers);
Fees – Non-members – £55 (playing), £15 (observers). The non-member fee includes a complimentary BPC membership for the rest of the year.
Lunch: participants should bring a packed lunch


Up to eight places are available for pianists who will perform a piece of prepared repertoire. The teaching sessions will be approximately 30 minutes long per pianist, and will focus on interpretation, performance, and technique, but all participants are welcome to offer other topics for discussion during the day.


In addition to the participants, there will be places available for a small observers at £10 for the day.


Helen Reid (see https://helenreidpiano.com) is a former BBC Young Musician of the Year keyboard finalist, and currently pursues a busy career teaching and performing around the UK. As well as performing as a soloist, she is in demand as an accompanist, and regularly performs with the Bristol Ensemble and other chamber groups. Helen works with advanced piano students, both privately and at the University of Bristol.


Helen has given recitals all around in England, at venues including the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, Fairfield Halls and Blackheath Halls, London, St. George’s, Bristol, Cheltenham, the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester and the Aldeburgh and Buxton Festivals. She has performed in Spain, Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. Performances have included Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and the world premiere of David Matthews’ Piano Concerto at Dartington International Summer Festival, a work written for Helen.


To reserve a place or for further details, do not reply to this email but contact Club member Mark Ware at mark@markwareconsulting.com or on 07973 824378.

(NB, the fee shown above has been calculated assuming the full number of 8 attendees; it may be slightly higher if demand is lower, and will be finalised as soon as numbers are known)

Bristol Piano Club meeting February 2025

The Club met at Kay’s in Clifton on Sunday 16 February. The pianos, venue, food and the company were all wonderful and we heard an interesting selection of music in varied genres.

Mark – Rachmaninoff: Etudes-Tableaux Op.33, No.5 in G minor
Anne – John Field: Nocturnes No.10 and No.13
Richard – Chopin: Nocturne No.20 in C♯ minor, Op. posth.
Kay – Debussy: The Little Shepherd
Graham & Jan – Edward Gregson: Interlude No.2 (duet for four hands)
Jan – Félix Le Couppey: Spanish Air No.29, from L’ABC du piano
Graham & Jean – Mozart: Sonata for Two Pianos in D major K448, Andante (2nd movement)
Chris – Scarlatti: Sonata K159
Simon H – Mussorgsky: Une larme (A Teardrop)
– John Barry: I Had a Farm in Africa (from the film Out of Africa)
Juliana – Manning Sherwin, arr. Nikki Iles: A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
– Joe Hisaishi: Il porco rosso
Chris – Handel: Fantasia
Juliana – Mélanie Bonis: Il pleut

Playlist for October meeting

The Piano Club met at Nigel’s house on Sunday 20 October 2024. The piano, venue and food were all wonderful and we heard an interesting selection of music in varied genres ranging from baroque to prog rock (yes, really!).

This was the first time we had held an all-day meeting with two sessions and a shared lunch between. Some members came for the morning, others for the afternoon and some stayed all day, which all worked very well.

Juliana – Bach: Prelude and Fugue in B flat major BWV 846
Anne – Scarlatti: K 208
Simon S – Bach: Prelude and Fugue in B flat minor (WTC Book 2) BWV 891
Kay – Haydn: Sonata in C major, 2nd mvt
Simon H – Bach: Prelude in B major (WTC Book 1) BWV 868
Nigel – Bartok: Allegro Barbaro Sz.49
Simon S – Billy Mayerl: Amber Leaves
Juliana – Chopin: Etude in A flat Op.25 No.1
Chris UW – Gustavino: Cantilena No.1
Matthew G. – Bach: Prelude and Fugue in E major (WTC Book 1) BWV 854
Mark – Bach: French Suite No.5 BWV 816, Courante
– Brahms: Intermezzo Op.117 No.1
Kathryn – Bach: Partita No.1 BWV 825, Prelude and Allemande
Fran – Trad, arr. Julian Jacobs: Deep River
Peter – Mozart: Sonata in A minor K310, 2nd mvt, Andante
Brian – Mozart: Rondo in A minor K511
– Mozart: Gigue in G major K574
Matthew – Barry Mason & Les Reed: The Last Waltz
Fran – Chopin: Valse in D flat Op.64 No.1, “Minute Waltz”
Mark – Messiaen: Preludes pour piano, “Plainte Calme”
Nigel – Billy Joel and Genesis

Playlist for the September meeting

The Piano Club met at Cheryl and Bryan’s house on Sunday 22 September 2024. As can be seen from the playlist below, the variety and range of pieces performed by Club members continues to dazzle, while the quality of musicianship and interpretation in the performances was as wonderful as ever.

The meeting began, however, with the recorded performance of two pieces by Ernest, who is currently recovering from an injury. Ernest had recently discovered the cassette recordings, which probably dated from from the early 1980s. The recordings were played via a CD transfer after a message from Ernest was conveyed to the group by Cheryl. All present were hugely impressed by Ernest’s virtuosic playing and musicianship, and wished him a speedy recovery.

Playlist:

Ernest (via CD recording, see above) – Saint-Saens (transcribed for piano by Leopold Godowsky): The Swan from Carnival of the Animals
– Verdi, arr. Liszt: The Rigoletto Paraphrase 

Gerard – Rachmaninoff:  Prelude Op.3  No.2

Cheryl – Remo Giazotto (misattributed to Albinoni): Adagio in G minor

Mark – Bach: Allemande from French Suite No. 5  in G major BWV 816
– Mendelssohn: Songs without Words Op.38 No.6, “Duetto”

Chris – Billy Taylor & Dick Dallas: I wish I knew how it would feel to be free

Steve W – Chopin: Prelude Op.28 No.15 “Raindrop”

Brian W – Rodgers & Hart (arr. André Previn): Blue Moon
– Grieg: Lyric Pieces Op.38 No.1 Berceuse (At the Cradle)
– Ralph Burns & Herman Woody: Round Midnight

Simon – Ernest Fischer: A Little Piece of Lace

Simon H – Debussy: Album Leaf (Page d’album) L.141 (133)
– Elissa Milne: Indigo Moon

Margaret – Isabel Morrison: Comme Vous Voulez (Improvisation for Antoine) – this piece was the winner of the 2024 Pianist magazine Composing Competition

Jean – Clara Schumann: Scherzo in C minor. Op.14

Graham – Debussy: Arabesque No.2

Richard – Tchaikovsky: August and October, from The Seasons Op.37

Juliana – Trad. arr. Keith Jarrett: Danny Boy (Londonderry Air)
– Moszowski: Etude Op.72 No.2

Peter – Bach: 3 Part Intervention in G minor BWV 797
– Bach: 2 Part Intervention in F major BWV 779
– Bach: 3 Part Intervention in F minor BWV 795

Ruth – Mozart: Sonata No.13 in B♭ K333, 3rd movement Allegretto grazioso (Rondo)

Piano Club Masterclass with Helen Reid

Join other Bristol Piano Club members for an informal masterclass to be led by Helen Reid, one of Bristol’s leading teachers.


When: Sunday 10 November 2024, 11:30–17:00
Location: Failand, Nr. Bristol (venue details provided on booking) Fee: £47 (playing); £10 (observers)
Lunch: participants should bring a packed lunch


Up to eight places are available for pianists who will perform a piece of prepared repertoire. The teaching sessions will be approximately 30 minutes long per pianist, and will focus on interpretation, performance, and technique, but all participants are welcome to offer other topics for discussion during the day.


In addition to the participants, there will be places available for a small observers at £10 for the day.


Helen Reid (see https://helenreidpiano.com) is a former BBC Young Musician of the Year keyboard finalist, and currently pursues a busy career teaching and performing around the UK. As well as performing as a soloist, she is in demand as an accompanist, and regularly performs with the Bristol Ensemble and other chamber groups. Helen works with advanced piano students, both privately and at the University of Bristol.


Helen has given recitals all around in England, at venues including the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, Fairfield Halls and Blackheath Halls, London, St. George’s, Bristol, Cheltenham, the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester and the Aldeburgh and Buxton Festivals. She has performed in Spain, Slovakia, Hungary, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. Performances have included Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and the world premiere of David Matthews’ Piano Concerto at Dartington International Summer Festival, a work written for Helen.


To reserve a place or for further details, do not reply to this email but contact Club member Mark Ware at mark@markwareconsulting.com or 07973 824378.

(NB, the fee shown above has been calculated assuming the full number of 8 attendees; it may be slightly higher if demand is lower, and will be finalised as soon as numbers are known)