Come along and entertain the residents in their retirement home with light-hearted musical fare on Sunday afternoon, December 20th, 2026. Contact Leo for further details nearer the time.
BPC Christmas Booking @ The Chocolate Factory, Keynsham
Author: psychicalwaysa53a93fa7b
Bristol Piano Club – May Meeting
Twenty of us attended the Club meeting at Brian and Dorette’s for another afternoon and evening of music making and socialising. We welcomed two potential new members – Jeff and Ilaha, enjoyed the playing of newish members Julie, Natalie and Nickie as well as the contributions of other seasoned veterans! Many thanks to Brian and Dorette for their amazing warmth and hospitality.
| Bristol Piano Club Playlist – May 2026 | ||
| Performer | Composer | Piece |
| Mark | Debussy | Sarabande from Pour le Piano |
| Charles | Fauré | Nocturne No.4 in E♭ |
| Peter | Strayhorn/ Ellington | Take the ‘A’ Train |
| Jason Rebello | Dark Avenger | |
| Anne | Haydn | Adagio in G major from Piano Trio No.2 |
| Julie | Bach | Fugue in G, BWV 902 |
| Samuel Wesley | Waltz from Sonata in B ♭ Op.5 No.2 | |
| Fran | Lennon | Imagine |
| Bach | Prelude in D major, BWV 925 (from 18 Kleine Praeludien) | |
| Natalie | Debussy | Clair de Lune |
| Richard | Brahms | Intermezzo in A, Op.118 No.2 |
| Nickie | Nickie Hart | Flight of the Eagle & Dancing Butterfly* |
| Brian | Rachmaninov | Prelude in E♭ Op. 23 No.6 |
| Strayhorn | Chelsea Bridge | |
| Brian & Charles | Richard Strauss (arr. Otto Singer) | Der Rosenkavalier, Concert Waltz |
| * http://www.nickiehartmusic.com | ||
New Piano Club Masterclass with Helen Reid for October 2026
Join other Bristol Piano Club members for an informal masterclass to be led by Helen Reid, one of Bristol’s leading teachers.
When: Friday 16 October 2026, 10:00–16:00
Location: Stoke Bishop, Bristol (venue details provided on booking)
Fees – Members: £50 (playing), £12 (observers);
Fees – Non-members – £60 (playing), £12 (observers). The non-member fee includes a complimentary BPC membership for the remainder 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.
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 number of observers at £12 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 is provisional, 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)
April 2026 Meeting
Leo and Paul’s kitchen/ music salon was at peak capacity yesterday afternoon for an amazing afternoon of piano music on their magnificent Yamaha grand. We welcomed Kim to the Club for a trial meeting and are pleased to announce she will be joining. Thanks to everyone who brought food and drink to the buffet and, most of all to Leo and Paul for being such warm and generous hosts!
| Bristol Piano Club Playlist April 2026 | ||
| Performer | Composer | Piece |
| Simon S | Alban Berg | Sonata op. 1 |
| Eric Coates | Green Hills of Somerset & The Sleepy Lagoon | |
| Anne K | Mozart | Fantasia in D minor |
| Field | Nocturne no. 16 | |
| Kathryn | Chopin | Barcarolle, op. 60 |
| Richard | Tchaikovsky | April from The Seasons |
| Jean W | Wild/ Gershwin | ‘Somebody Loves Me’ from Seven Virtuoso Etudes after Gershwin |
| Kay | Fauré | Andante Moderato, no. 5 from Eight Short Pieces, op. 84 |
| Simon H | Gibran Alcocer | Idea no. 10 |
| JS Bach | Sarabande from Partita in C minor | |
| Nicky M (Nickie Hart) | Nicola Melanie Manning | ‘Charlotte’s Web’ & ‘Soulful Echoes’ |
| Boyang | Pachelbel | Canon in D |
Presented by Keynsham Concerts
Programme:
Solo Piano
Rachmaninoff Prelude in G minor
Chopin Andante Spinate and Grande Polonaise Brilliante Op.22
Hamelin en Avril a Paris
Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue
Piano and Violin
Zimmer Pirates of Caribbean Arr. Bramwell
Shore Lord of the Rings
Horner Avatar Arr. Bramwell
Powell How to Train your Dragon Arr. Bramwell
Djawadi Game of Thrones Arr. Bramwell
Tickets available at
https://buytickets.at/keynshamconcerts1/2142260
£20 & £1.25 booking fee
Or from Leonora, Simon and Chris. Tickets also available at the door on the evening of the concert.
Bar Available.
Club Meeting, March 2026
The meeting of the Bristol Piano Club was a lovely musical occasion. We welcomed potential new member Nicky who delighted us with a couple of her own compositions! Musical performances ranged from Handel and Bach through Beethoven and Chopin to Gershwin and Bartok – to name but a few! Followed by congenial conversation and tasty savoury and sweet dishes – to the accompaniment of an entertaining selection of on-the-spur duet pieces.
We look forward to the April meeting at Leo and Paul’s in Keynsham.
| Bristol Piano Club March 2026 | ||
| Performer | Composer | Piece |
| Peter | J S Bach | Two-part Invention no. 13 in A minor |
| Piazzolla | Milonga del Angel | |
| Julie | Dussek | Rondo from Sonatina in Eb Op. 19/20 |
| Anne | Alanna Crouch | Nocturne |
| Diabelli | Sonatina Op. 151 no. 4 | |
| Brian | Chopin | Waltz in Ab major, Op. 69 no. 1 |
| Natalie | Chopin | Waltz in B minor, Op. 69 no. 2 |
| Steve | Gershwin | ‘Do It Again’ |
| Jean | Bartok | Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm nos. 1 – 3 |
| Nicky | Nicola Melanie Manning (Nickie Hart) | Fond Farewell and Summer Meadow |
| Richard | Beethoven | Sonata Op. 10 no. 2 F major |
| Chris | Handel | Suite in D minor, Allemande and Courante, HWV 437 |
| Simon H | Martha Mier | Red Rose Rendezvous |
| Charles Tebbs | Airships | |
Fully restored 1980’s Steinway A grand piano
One of the UK’s foremost piano technicians and restorers (a friend of our chairman) expects to have a 1980’s Steinway model ‘A’ grand piano ready and available for sale in about a year’s time. It will be ‘as new’ mechanically. The piano is 6′ 2 ” long. Not sure what the price will be but it will certainly be a lot less than new. If you think you could be interested contact Simon Scott for more details (or use the contact address on the website).
February 2026 Meeting
Fifteen of us made it to Leo and Paul’s for an afternoon and early evening of music and fellowship. Leo’s six foot Yamaha grand (tuned for the occasion by Simon H) was in sparkling form and much enjoyed. A huge variety of music was performed and congratulations to Julie for playing to us so beautifully for the first time.
| Performer | Composer | Piece |
| Leo and Chris | Paul Lovatt Cooper | With His First Breath |
| Julie | Stephen Storace | Andante from Sonata no. 2 in G |
| Dussek | Rondo from Sonatina in G | |
| Margaret and Graham | Chaminade | Pastorale |
| Graham | Chopin | Nocturne No. 1 in Bb minor, op. 9 no. 1 |
| Anne | Franz Xaver Mozart | Polonaise Melancholic |
| Granados | Eva and Walter | |
| Fran | Korngold arr. Yunchan Lim | Die Schönste nacht |
| Brian | Fauré | Barcarolle No. 1 in A minor |
| Simon S | Fauré | Nocturne No. 6 in Db major |
| Jonathan | Bach | Prelude and Fugue in Eb major, No. 7, Bk 11 |
| Simon H | Martha Mier | Misty Night Blues |
| Ravel | Prelude | |
| Yann Tierson | Amelie (Tribute to Len Miller) | |
| Richard | Grieg | Poetic Tone Pictures, op. 3, nos 1 – 3 |
| Jan | Bach | Little Prelude in D major |
Two places left in residential course for advanced pianists, Le Maillard, Edon, Charente, France, May 2026. Tutors Ann Martin-Davis and Helen Leek.
…. looking to 2026 – we have participants coming from New York and from Hong Kong and we have a new gîte, just opposite the Marie in our beautiful village of Edon. This is currently having a complete refurbishment and will offer four spacious en-suite guest rooms in addition to our beautiful accommodation at the Presbytery.
The number of pianist participants will continue to be limited to seven – this is the magic number that enables everyone to play on a daily basis to either Helen or myself and which keeps our courses bespoke and personal.
There has been a small increase in the fee for next year by £100 in order to reflect the increase in food costs and travel for our guest performers. Course fees for participants will be set at £1700 and partners are welcomed at £425.
Once you arrive at Le Maillard everything is paid for which includes accommodation, food, wine, two private lessons, trips out, restaurant dinners, yoga, concerts and, new for next year, ‘conversation cafe’ with Sofie (not our Daschund, although her French is coming along) but our new resident French teacher in the village.
We are accepting deposits of £850 for participants and £200 for partners and will need this to secure your place.
We look forward to welcoming you in 2026!
January 2026 Meeting
With seasonal illnesses affecting not a few of us, a select group of seven met at Jan and Jonathan’s for our first meeting of the new year. We enjoyed the real warmth of their welcome and the log fires after the cold and wet outside. We remembered Len Miller who died last week and some of the music was played in tribute to him. Our thoughts are with Marion and Jack at this very sad time.
Despite our limited numbers there was a lot of music played on the Danemann grand and the meeting lasted over four hours. A great start to 2026 and our thanks again to Jan and Jonathan for being such wonderful hosts.
| Playlist – January 2026 | ||
| Performer | Composer | Piece |
| Simon S | Fauré | Nocturne in Db, op. 63 |
| Ernest Fischer | A Little Piece of Lace (Foxtrot) | |
| Eric Coates | Last Love | |
| Trad. arr Harold Potter | Two Guitars | |
| Brian | Joseph Kosma | Autumn Leaves |
| Arr. Pete Churchill | Abide with Me (in memory of Len Miller) | |
| Pam Wedgwood | Forgotten Dreams, Wild Poppies & Flinders St | |
| Richard | Chopin | Study in E major, op. 10, no. 3 |
| Jonathan | Fauré | Romance sans Paroles, op. 17 no. 3 |
| Copland | No. 2 from Four Piano Blues | |
| Jan | J S Bach | Gigue from English Suite No. 2 in A minor |
| Jean | Earl Wild | The Man I Love No. 3 from Seven Virtuoso Etudes after Gershwin |
| Panrace Royer | L’Aimable | |
| J S Bach | Chromatic Fantasy | |
Bristol Piano Club 