- Alton Chan’s piano course at Jackdaws is currently discounted from £336 to £252 with the use of the code ‘SPRING OFFER’. The offer expires on April 1st.
- The course runs from the evening of Friday August 23rd to the afternoon of Sunday 25th August
- Booking is made directly with Jackdaws – details below.
- Weekend Piano Courses – Jackdaws Music Education Trust
Latest Posts
An Empowering Approach to Continuing Musicianship Growth and Performing Skills at the Piano
- August 23, 2024 – August 25, 2024
6:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Level: All abilities
Fee: £336
An Empowering Approach to Continuing Musicianship Growth and Performing Skills at the Piano
with Alton Chung Ming Chan
Have you ever been intimidated by a composer’s piece and felt reluctant to study or perform it because you just didn’t feel competent or equipped enough to tackle it? For example, a favorite Chopin or Liszt’s Transcendental Etude or a very famous sonata or concerto.
Good news! the purpose of this short piano course is to focus on both the essential technical and musical skills that cannot be easily verbalized or articulated, which either you have not covered in your previous learnings, or simply do not know how to apply systematically. The emphasis is to empower the performers and pedagogues with practical tools for continual growth in musicianship and performing skills at the piano. The course is open to all levels and serious piano pedagogues.
Each learning session will focus on one or more individual topics such as tone productions, techniques, pedaling, phrasing, composers’ intentions, and performance practices. The contents will be organized and presented in a simple and easily understood manner that have not been elucidated anywhere before. Moreover, attendees will be given guidelines on how to approach and learn a new piece beyond their ability successfully, as well as to share the difficulties of pieces they are currently working on.
- Session 1: Tone Productions and Voicings
- Session 2: Technical Movements
- Session 3: Phrasing/Composers’ Intentions
- Session 4: PedalingPerformance Practice
- Session 5: Effective and Efficient Approaches to Learning a New Piece
- Session 6: Open Discussions on Attendees’ Current Studying Pieces
A £70 deposit is required to secure your place on this course. The balance of fees, including accommodation, is due 3 weeks before the course start date.
| DETAILS | PRICE | QTY |
|---|---|---|
| Attendee – Deposit | £70.00 (GBP) | Quantity 0 1 2 3 4 5 |
Venue: Jackdaws Music Education Trust
Venue Phone: 01373 812383
Address:Jackdaws Music Education Trust, Great Elm, Frome, Somerset, BA11 3NY, United Kingdom
Description:
Course Information
Is this Course right for me?
The answer is probably yes as we welcome musicians of all abilities and backgrounds on our courses but if you would like to find out more before you book please do email or call our office manager Karolyn on 01373812383 / music@jackdaws.org and she will be able to offer further guidance.
Observer places may also be bookable subject to availability call/email the office for more information.
Please see our General Course Information pages for further details and schedule information.
Our Courses are for adult musicians (except where stated) and take place at Jackdaws in Great Elm, near Frome in Somerset. The Course Fee includes all tuition, meals and refreshments at Jackdaws. Courses take place in the main studio, with Steinway piano, and generally follow a masterclass format. There are several practice rooms here, too.
Repertoire
For Voice, Piano & Wind courses; participants are usually requested to prepare 2 – 3 pieces in advance. We will ask you to provide a repertoire list for the tutor (& accompanist) ahead of the course.
For Ensemble courses; direction will be given by the course leaders.
Accommodation
If you require B&B, we can arrange that for you; accommodation fees are payable in addition to the course fee.
Meals and Refreshments
Lunch, Supper and morning/afternoon refreshments will be prepared on site by our dedicated Cooks. If you are vegetarian/vegan, or have a food allergy, you must let us know in advance, so that our cooks can plan the meals for the weekend accordingly. We are ‘allergy aware’, but we rely on participants letting us know if they have specific food allergies. Please also let us know if you carry any emergency medication.
By booking onto a Jackdaws course you agree to abide by our Terms and Conditions and understand the Privacy Policy regarding our handling of your data.
A Piano Masterclass.

Bristol Open Piano Platform.
Bristol Open Piano Platform is a regular informal performance opportunity open to any pianist – young or old, beginner or diploma level. Participants play one or two pieces of their choice (5 minutes maximum per player) on a grand piano. Family and friends are welcome.
admission
(includes light refreshments)
£2 per player
£1 audience
The venue for Bristol Open Piano Platform is
Bristol Music Club, 76 St Pauls Road,
Clifton, Bristol BS8 1LP
parking on many nearby streets is free on Sundays!
The NEXT Open Piano Platform …
… will start at 10am on Sunday March 24th 2024
Please email Daniel Lloyd by midnight on Wednesday 20th March giving your name and the name of the piece you would like to play (including a rough guide to its grade level). Each player has a maximum of 5 minutes and may play a maximum of two pieces.
A running order will be sent out a day or two beforehand. Please arrive in good time for your performance. Remember, some pianists may play for less than 5 minutes!! The concert format is simple – beginners at the start and diplomas at the end. Players who miss their allocated time (or apply after the deadline) are welcome to play but must wait until the published list of performances has been completed. The event will finish no later than (high!) noon.
If you arrive or need to leave while the concert is in progress please move as quietly as you can, choosing a moment between performances.
Anticipation of performance encourages pianists to practise more often and more effectively
Watching other performers and hearing other pieces can inspire and motivate
Seeing a period of intense preparation through to a conclusion builds self-esteem
Performing builds confidence to perform both socially and for graded assessments
Regular performance helps dispel performance anxiety
Regular performance teaches players to play through mistakes
Regular performance helps players (eventually!) to enjoy the moment and take a gracious bow
Jackdaws Music Education Trust
An Empowering Approach to Continuing Musicianship Growth and Performing Skills at the Piano
- August 23, 2024 – August 25, 2024
6:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Level: All abilities
Fee: £336
An Empowering Approach to Continuing Musicianship Growth and Performing Skills at the Piano
with Alton Chung Ming Chan
Have you ever been intimidated by a composer’s piece and felt reluctant to study or perform it because you just didn’t feel competent or equipped enough to tackle it? For example, a favorite Chopin or Liszt’s Transcendental Etude or a very famous sonata or concerto.
Good news! the purpose of this short piano course is to focus on both the essential technical and musical skills that cannot be easily verbalized or articulated, which either you have not covered in your previous learnings, or simply do not know how to apply systematically. The emphasis is to empower the performers and pedagogues with practical tools for continual growth in musicianship and performing skills at the piano. The course is open to all levels and serious piano pedagogues.
Each learning session will focus on one or more individual topics such as tone productions, techniques, pedaling, phrasing, composers’ intentions, and performance practices. The contents will be organized and presented in a simple and easily understood manner that have not been elucidated anywhere before. Moreover, attendees will be given guidelines on how to approach and learn a new piece beyond their ability successfully, as well as to share the difficulties of pieces they are currently working on.
- Session 1: Tone Productions and Voicings
- Session 2: Technical Movements
- Session 3: Phrasing/Composers’ Intentions
- Session 4: PedalingPerformance Practice
- Session 5: Effective and Efficient Approaches to Learning a New Piece
- Session 6: Open Discussions on Attendees’ Current Studying Pieces
A £70 deposit is required to secure your place on this course. The balance of fees, including accommodation, is due 3 weeks before the course start date.
Please contact Jackdaws direct to book.
A Piano Recital by Concert Pianist Nurry Lee being held in Keynsham on 25/05/23.
Bristol Piano Club Playlist 16.02.24
Len Porz Goret Yann Tiersen
Chris UW In the Groove Mike Cornick
Mark Romance Op.21No.1 Clara Schumann
Steve Venetian Gondola Song Op. 19 No 6 Mendelssohn
Tea in the Sahara G. Sumner
Gareth Nocturne in E flat Chopin
Richard Prelude no. 1 Lennox Berkeley
Kit Rainbow Connection Williams / Ascher (arr. Randy Kerber)
Peter Arabica (Danzas Espanolas) Granados
Simon H Intermezzo 118 no.2 Brahms
Matthew G A little hope and light Matthew Griffiths
Debbie B Adagio in G Minor Albinoni
A free concert
David is running a zoom information session on use of the Bristol Piano Club website to include Subscription and use of the Forum.
Thursday 25th Jan at 19.00hrs
All welcome
Please contact Leonora if you would like to join and to receive the zoom link

Play List for Meeting on 20th January 2024
Ann G. – Piazzolla: Chanson de La Naissance
Cheryl – John Pitts: Air 3 On an Anagram
Jean – Albeniz: Sous le Palmier (from Cantos de Espana Op.232)
Ruth – Schubert: Drei Klavierstucke
Kathryn – Bach: Gigue from Partita No. 4
Chris UW – Heinrich Hoffmann: Minnelieder, Op.24
Simon H. – Lied by Levy
Mark – Schumann: Papillons (No.s 1–5, 10–12), and Chopin Etude in E♭minor Op.10/6
Simon S. – Bach: Prelude in B♭ minor from the Well Tempered Clavier Book 2
Fran – Billy Taylor (arr. Pete Churchill): I wish I knew how it would feel to be free
Kay – Beethoven: Sonata in G Op.49 No.2, 2nd movement


