Upcoming Release the Pianist Within with Stephen Marquiss

Level: All
Fee: £350

Release the Pianist Within

with Stephen Marquiss

Have you ever:

• practised long hours without seeing results?
• longed to play more fluently and expressively (at any level of experience)?
• longed to perform confidently, even from memory?

As a result of an adult journey from frustration to facility in playing, Stephen has formulated a gentle, creative, inspiring approach to playing, which:

• explores technique only within what pioneering pedagogue Abby Whiteside (1881-1956) called the ’emotional rhythm’ – an authentic, flowing connection to music, in the moment
• dissolves technical difficulties through deepening self-awareness, not dogma or drills
• spotlights oft-neglected elements of able players’ techniques, such as the crucial role of the torso and of playing by ear (over sight, rote or ‘muscle’ memory)
• addresses whole-body coordination at all stages
• invites critical thinking on technique
• draws on musical genres other than classical traditions
• draws on other fields such as sport, dance, art

This course will combine 1-2-1 explorations with group activities. It will draw broad, general principles from the challenges faced by each individual and engage everyone in exploring solutions appropriate to their experience. You will be invited to bring repertoire-in-progress that you find challenging, along with ideas for music in different genres that you aspire to play.

You’ll learn:

• fresh, transformational points of focus for your practice
• tools for diagnosing and dissolving difficulties through deepening self-awareness
• concrete tools for confident performing and memorising (should you wish)
• fresh tools for mastering the ‘holy grails’ of expert dynamic control, phrasing, articulation, balance, ‘simplicity’, ornamentation and more
• holistic alternatives to conventional exercises
• routes into other genres that you might’ve found inaccessible
• invigorating, enjoyable practice processes for fluent, expressive playing
• the value of exploring simpler music – for its own sake or in parallel to complex repertoire – even for Advanced players
• ways to integrate and enjoy elements of improvisation, transposition and creativity in your practice

Suitable for Elementary to Advanced players

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.