News and Meetings

Calling all Club pianists! Entries are now being accepted for the Bristol Festival of Music, Speech and Drama, 7 – 31 March 2026. There are lots of classes for adult pianists playing a wide variety of types of music – something for everyone. So, if you’ve been inspired by the recent Chopin Competition, now is your chance to get in the limelight. More details on the website.

Bristol Piano Club held a Masterclass day run by International Concert Pianist Nurry Lee at Leonora and Paul’s home in Keynsham on Sunday Oct 19th.  https://www.nurrylee.com

A very interesting selection of pieces were played that included an ensemble for piano and euphonium.

Nurry listened intently to all the pieces and gave valuable feedback, so everyone now has plenty of practise to do!

The whole day was most enjoyable, full of shared music, along with expert tuition and mutual support. Not to forget our  shared lunch and social time meeting with friends old and new. 

Playlist:

Natalie  G  Flat Impromptu by Schubert .

Leonora – Paul Lovatt- Cooper – With Hs First Breath – Piano accompaniment for Baritone piece. Leonora (piano) Chris UW (baritone) 

Richard W.-  Brahms –  Intermezzo Op 119.

Jean W. – Bach  – Chromatic Fantasie in D minor.

Fran – York Bowen – Prelude in E flat.

Simon H. Debussy   – Arabesque No 1.

Chris UW  Handel  – Allemande and Courante 2nd and 3rd Movts. from Suite in D minor ABRM grade 7.

Robin  – Chopin  – Polonaise ) Op 26 No 1.

  

Club members gave a two hour recital to residents at the St Monica’s Retirement Home on Cote Lane near the Downs. The recital included a variety of works from the 18th to the 20th centuries, baroque to light. All introduced and performed with aplomb to an enthusiastic audience on the Petrof concert grand recently used by no less an artist than Peter Donohoe. Following excellent feedback from the residents we have been invited back to give another concert next year.

The programme, a photo of (most of) the Club members who played, and the St Monica’s poster are shown below:

Many congratulations to Bristol Piano Club member Nancy who has just gained a MMus with distinction from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Her examination recital included Ravel’s Sonatine, Chopin’s Barcarolle and Schumann’s Humoreske. We look forward to hearing one or more of these at a meeting in the near future!

I’m very sorry to have to inform Club members of the death of Ernest Woolford. Ernest died in hospital on Tuesday following a fall. He was ninety nine and had been one of the first members of the Club some twenty years ago. I recall reading about his performances at Liszt Society meetings over fifty years ago, never imagining that I would meet him many years later at a residential Chopin weekend, then at an EPTA conference and, latterly, over several years at the Piano Club. He achieved a level of playing that very few amateurs ever manage and had played many major piano concertos with orchestras as well as much of the solo literature from memory in recitals. Following a stroke a couple of years ago he had to restrict his playing to his left hand alone. I’m sure that those who heard him will always remember the astonishing courage and character displayed in those performances. I’ll post more about Ernest at a later date. His funeral is likely to be in early November. I’ll pass on details when I get them. He will be sorely missed at our meetings.

Simon S.

Recital

Local concert pianist and founder of the Schubert Ensemble William Howard is giving a recital at the Victoria Rooms, Whiteladies Road, Bristol on Friday, October 24th, 1:15 – 2:00 pm.

The programme consists of Janáček’s 1905 Sonata, Judith Weir’s The Art of Touching the Keyboard, Chopin’s Mazurka in A minor and  Ballade No.4 in F minor. 

£5 admission charge (UoB students and staff can attend free of charge, with presentation of valid UCard). The admission charge can be paid in advance via the University online shop page or in person on the day of the concert, via card payment.

Please note, cash payments are not accepted.

Doors close promptly at 1.15 pm. Latecomers will not be admitted.

Masterclass

Sunday, 18th January, 2026, 10:00 – 5:00. An informal piano masterclass workshop day with William Howard, one of Britain’s leading classical pianists, open to all piano enthusiasts. Up to nine places are available for intermediate and advanced pianists who wish to perform prepared repertoire. Non-playing observers are also very welcome.

The teaching sessions will be approximately 30 minutes long. Each will focus on interpretation, performance and technique although participants are welcome to offer other topics for discussion during the day.

Performing participants £75 (plus booking fee) to include tea and coffee.

Non-performing participants £40 (plus booking fee) for the whole day, or £20 per half day session (10am-1pm or 2pm to 5pm).

To book your place please email office@tetburygoodsshed.co.uk or telephone the office on 01666 505496 directly.

Please note places are limited to nine participants for the day.

When booking please give your age, approximate level of ability (e.g. Grade 6 to 8, Diploma, Professional) and the work that you would like to play (this can be done nearer the time if you have not yet decided).

If you are under 18 years of age, an accompanying adult can attend the day free of charge.

Da Hee Kim, a friend of a Piano Club member, is giving a lunchtime recital at St George’s on Thursday, October 23rd, 1 pm. Her recital includes music by Liszt and Ravel. Looks like an exciting programme from an up-coming star of the piano world!

A record number of us, thirty-one actually, met in Cheryl and Bryan’s lovely Failand house for the September meeting. This was a very special event because we were saying a big thank you to Leo for becoming our president in January 2023 and then guiding us through a sometimes difficult transition period as the increasing popularity of the club forced a move to use the occasional external venue with all the extra administration that that involved.

And as if that wasn’t enough Leo initiated highly successful Club Masterclasses with mainly local concert pianists and teachers as tutors; community engagement events with Club members playing in Keynsham High Street, at Southmead Hospital and St Monica’s Cote Lane retirement home; and Keynsham Concerts – classical concerts in Keynsham locations with internationally known performers such as Nurry Lee and Leon McCawley.

Wow! what a huge achievement! We are immensely appreciative of Leo for all she has done, and for her huge personality, exuding warmth and welcome. And of course to Paul, her husband, who has been such a quiet bedrock of support throughout all these changes.

Leo and Paul will remain members of the Club and continue to attend and host meetings for which we are very grateful indeed!

And now a huge thank-you to Cheryl and Bryan and family for making such an enormous effort to host our mammoth meeting – providing their beautiful Kawai grand for us to use, finding thirty-one sitting places, and catering for the bring and share meal afterwards. A truly memorable afternoon and evening.

Bristol Piano Club September 2025
Performer	Composer	Piece
Chris	James Horner	For the Love of a Princess
Graham and Margaret	G. Hengeveld	Langzame Foxtrot and March
Cheryl	Manuel Ponce	Intermezzo no. 1
	Francis Lai	Emmanuelle II  theme
Peter	Debussy	La Terrasse des Audiences du Clair de Lune, no. 7 from Bk 2 Preludes
Kathryn	Janacek	The Barn Owl Has Not Flown Away (From An Overgrown Path)
Simon S	Reginald King	Tropical Moonlight
Simon H	F. Weatherly	Danny Boy
	Stanley Myers	Cavatina
Jean A	Albeniz	Sous Le Palmier
	Grieg	Halling
Gerard	Rachmaninoff	Elegie op. 3 no. 1
Brian	S. Lyapunov	Berceuse in F# major, Transcendental Studies no. 1
Boyang	Chopin	Nocturne in C# minor, no. 20 (post.)
Juliana	Chopin	Ballade in G minor, no. 1
Richard	Brahms	Intermezzi nos. 1 & 2 from Op. 119
Jonathan	Brahms	Intermezzo Op. 118 no. 2
Simon S	Reginald King	Song of Paradise

Following the success of BPC members and families/friends playing in the atrium of Southmead Hospital earlier this year, Matthew G. has booked the grand piano for us again from 13.00 – 17.00 hrs on Saturday 29th Nov 2025.

We are planning for the music to have a Christmas theme. 

Come for the day or just drop in and play!

Further details will be sent at the beginning of Nov and names taken of the people who are planning to come.

It’s never too early to start practising those Christmas pieces ! 

Leonora

Nurry Lee the Concert Pianist will be holding a day of masterclasses on Sunday October 19th 2025 at Leonora’s house in Keynsham.

If you would like to book a place please email Leonora at leonora.bristolpiano@yahoo.com by 28th Sept. If you have a preference for a morning or afternoon slot please state this when booking and this will be accommodated as possible. – Participants are welcome to stay all day. Tea and coffee will be provided and lunch will be ‘bring and share’.

Payment in full (£45) will be required by 5th Oct together with details of the piece you will be bringing to play. Payment details and venue address will be sent with confirmation.

Best wishes,

Leonora and Simon H.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurry_Lee