I had the pleasure of tutoring a second piano course at Jackdaws Music Education Trust over the weekend. Jackdaws offer residential and one-day instrumental and vocal courses. They also provide various education projects and a Young Artists Programme. Additionally, there are performances by world-class musicians.

Piano courses are becoming increasingly popular. This includes weekend courses and Summer schools. They attract pianists of all levels and abilities from beginners through to professionals. Jackdaws was recently voted second place in a UK Piano Course Ranking. According to the survey, those who attended such courses gave the following reasons as most important. They valued ‘the opportunity to work with leading teachers’. They also appreciated the chance to gain ‘useful, critical feedback’.

Jackdaws is situated in the village of Great Elm, just outside Frome, in Somerset (UK). The venue is picturesque, and the setting is beautiful. Wonderful food, all home cooked by our chef Loo, adds to the experience. An excellent Steinway enhances the enjoyment. Together, these elements make for a thoroughly enjoyable and, hopefully, informative few days.

My course focused on piano technique, sight-reading, and memorisation. These aspects are sometimes forgotten or side-stepped during piano lessons. However, there was also ample time for each participant to work on repertoire too. In all, the weekend courses, which begin on Friday evenings at 6.30pm and end at 4pm on Sunday afternoons, include around 12 hours of tuition. There is also a little time on Saturday afternoon to explore the surrounding area. It’s certainly a musically action packed weekend!

Participants ranged from teenagers to more mature individuals. They included various levels from elementary through advanced. It was interesting to observe how this variety didn’t affect or impede enjoyment. Elementary students seemed to respond well to hearing advanced students perform and vice versa. By focusing on specific aspects of piano playing, we can engage all standards and abilities. We can also provide some improvement ideas for every level. There were fewer pianists on my course this year. However, those who came savoured the opportunity for longer one-to-one teaching sessions.

A weekend course doesn’t necessarily aim to overhaul piano playing overnight. However, it can offer the possibility of change. It brings a realisation that certain elements can be tackled in a different way. Performance practice, that is, the act of playing through a piece from beginning to end in front of a small audience, can be a triumph for some, and courses are useful for this aspect alone.

One of the participants on my course last year realised she needed another approach, and has since come for regular lessons. We have worked hard to alter and improve her playing, and she has just taken an ATCL diploma and is now preparing for music college and university auditions.

The prospect of meeting new and like-minded friends makes this a perfect way to spend a weekend. There are a plethora of piano courses taking place at Jackdaws throughout the year featuring a cohort of leading piano pedagogues, so you’ll no doubt find one to suit you.

www.jackdaws.org.uk