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Piano
Nancy began piano lessons at age six and by nine she had won an exhibition to Kent’s Junior Music School, the Saturday school for talented young musicians. She learnt with Christopher le Fleming until age thirteen when she received an Arts Council award to study with Julius Isserlis in London. At age sixteen she entered the Royal Academy of Music, London, on an open piano scholarship, winning prizes while there. Her professors were Leslie England and Max Pirani, with Rex Stephens for piano accompaniment. Later she took lessons with Nellie ben Or to learn about the Alexander Technique applied to piano playing. She is a solo, chamber music and orchestral pianist, and piano accompanist. She specializes in teaching those of grade 8 and diploma level. She has been on the Management Committee of EPTA UK (the European Piano Teachers’ Association) since 2009, and is also the chair of EPTA’s Kent branch, which she founded. As an arranger and composer she has contributed to ABRSM publications, such as Piano Mix, Piano Star and grade anthologies. |
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Violin
The violin was taken up at age nine and she studied with Bela de Csillery and Gillian Sansom at the Junior Music School and later with Clarence Myerscough at RAM, gaining the Licentiate diploma. From age thirteen she played in the Kent County Youth Orchestra, benefiting from the tuition of Lionel Bentley (of the Amici quartet). During a teacher training year she had lessons on the cello and organ, and taught herself the viola. She has worked as a freelance orchestral violinist, leader of a string quartet, and chamber music coach. A string quartet she coached at Folkestone School for Girls twice reached the finals of Music for Youth, and represented Kent in Brussels. Together with Sharon Goodey she has collaborated on tutor books for violin, Playing With Colour, published by Alfred UK in June 2016.
The violin was taken up at age nine and she studied with Bela de Csillery and Gillian Sansom at the Junior Music School and later with Clarence Myerscough at RAM, gaining the Licentiate diploma. From age thirteen she played in the Kent County Youth Orchestra, benefiting from the tuition of Lionel Bentley (of the Amici quartet). During a teacher training year she had lessons on the cello and organ, and taught herself the viola. She has worked as a freelance orchestral violinist, leader of a string quartet, and chamber music coach. A string quartet she coached at Folkestone School for Girls twice reached the finals of Music for Youth, and represented Kent in Brussels. Together with Sharon Goodey she has collaborated on tutor books for violin, Playing With Colour, published by Alfred UK in June 2016.
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Keyboard
During the 1990s, Nancy was asked to group-teach electronic keyboard by her county music service, and in 2000 she set up a Keyboard Orchestra for Kent, concerned that the players were not getting the same ensemble opportunities as other instrumentalists. Her composing and arranging skills were needed as very little music is available for this medium (fortunately she had learnt orchestration with Eric Fenby, while at RAM.) She was founder and director of National Electronic Keyboard Courses from 2005-2012, running many events for keyboard players and teachers, including two national summer schools. As an electronic keyboard consultant, she has worked with the Federation of Music Services on the ‘Common Approach’ (Faber 2002), the ABRSM on the development of Music Medals, and Trinity Guildhall, developing the 2011 syllabus (grades 1-5) and the 2013 syllabus (grades 6-8). Many of her pieces also appear in the current 2015 syllabus and pieces from her keyboard tutors, Keyed Up, are listed as alternative repertoire. |
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General
Teaching has involved many different establishments including Benenden School and the Kent Centre for Young Instrumentalists, where she has taught her instruments, chamber groups, choirs, aural and musicianship. Nancy became an ABRSM examiner in 1998. She wanted to know more about vocal technique, and took singing lessons with Kate Fish and Jenny Miller, gaining an ATCL in performance in 2001. Since then she has taught singing and conducted choirs of all ages, including the Kent Choir for Instrumentalists, music centre ensembles, and The Dawn Chorus, an adult chamber choir. Her book Choral and Vocal Warm Ups for Pianists gives pianists advice on singing techniques, keyboard harmony and accompanying skills. She is now working on her next book, 'Choral and Vocal Sight Singing for Pianist to Accompany'. |
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Nancy adjudicates for the British and International Association of Festivals, her specialisms being piano, keyboard, and strings. She often speaks at conferences; subjects she has addressed include aural training, piano playing, piano accompaniment, vocal warm-ups, and electronic keyboard teaching. She has written articles for many magazines, including Music Teacher Magazine and contributes reviews in EPTA’s Piano Professional magazine.
Nancy is married, with children and grandchildren. Her hobbies include sketching, portraiture, photography and botany.
Nancy is married, with children and grandchildren. Her hobbies include sketching, portraiture, photography and botany.
Nancy conducts piano teachers in a keyboard orchestra at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (EPTA conference 2011)
