The last few months have seen some huge changes for me. After 30 years of 100% commitment to teaching in independent schools (Channing, Pangbourne, Rugby, Wycombe Abbey, Monkton, Downside), including 20 years as Director of Music, I have decided it’s time to focus on the thing which I have always loved the most – teaching the piano.
It’s also a long time since I added to my blog, but I hope to change that too, starting right now!
It has taken some courage to step away from the security of a salaried job, but it seems I needn’t have worried. Having started teaching my first piano pupil in the middle of May, I now have no fewer than twenty three pupils on my books for September, and the very genuine problem of how I’m going to fit them all in. I have been amazed at how quickly word spreads.
For the meantime I have decided to take the classic ‘peripatetic’ approach, which means that I spend my afternoons driving from house to house around Bath. Time (and petrol) consuming, but actually really enjoyable. From my perspective it does feel like I am offering a premium service, arriving at each pupil’s house at their own convenience, sampling their coffee (a real perk of the job) and above all being able to take the time to give each pupil my full attention. And yes, most lessons run over time, but who’s counting?
I also have the full range of ‘ages and stages’, from a super-bright 5 year old to teenagers working on diploma repertoire, and several adult pupils too. Lots of challenges ahead, including learning some of more advanced repertoire myself, and all of which makes me very happy!
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