Haycroft Cottage, Checkley, Hereford HR1 4NA, UK
Piano Lessons | Singing Lessons, Violin Lessons | Aural Lessons, Song Writing Workshops, Theory Lessons, Composition Lessons, Online Lessons
Bio
As an experienced teacher; I recognise the power of bringing enthusiasm and patience to the lesson; creating a safe space for people to learn with kind guidance. I like to balance a methodical approach; ensuring all areas of what is needed to be covered as well as room for flexibility. Allowing students to ask questions as well as giving them positive feedback helps them grow in personal and musical confidence. I have taught sporadically over 30 years on a private basis; but my main bulk of teaching 1-2-1 has been within the last 7 years. Previous to that I have a lot of experience working with groups of differing abilities, ages and interests within various community and school projects.
Performance and composition experiences include music for short film and live theatre, arranging for four part harmony and small ensembles, singer-songwriter and playing and recording with several bands.
Teaching Info
I am a firm believer in giving regular positive feedback as well as constructive criticism, and as and when needed, will discuss and evaluate short and long-term achievements, progression and future targets.
Other ways I motivate students are to share audio recordings so they can hear back their successes, sometimes with parents too. I notice and apply preferred learning styles (e.g. imitation versus reading, interactive or with a metronome) and explore repertoire interests such as a current TV theme tune.
Towards upcoming exams, recordings, concerts or auditions I do my best to prepare students with ‘mock’ experiences or discuss strategies for performance nerves. I will often adapt resources to align a sense of achievement (e.g. time stretching an extract for them to play along with accurately).
I strive to empower students, allowing a joint approach to choosing resources that inspire or address a relevant focus. I sometimes mix up the structure of the lesson, Depending on the main aim, where appropriate, lessons will incorporate Sight-Reading and Aural, Listening and Theory or musical games, playing as a duet with me, or with a metronome or backing track.
I aim to keep the lesson fun and informative, and expect the student to match my desire to be there in a learning environment.
“I’ve had the extreme pleasure of experiencing singing lessons from Bernardine. We called them singing lessons but in reality; what I got out of them was so much more – an understanding of how to not just hit a note (which isn’t always easy for me) but how to use your voice to portray different emotions. The lessons also extended to song writing, how harmony works, chord replacement, vocal styles, and a whole lot more. All this whilst being the most fun I’ve ever had in a classroom. Bernardine is a highly talented, technically proficient multi-instrumentalist and singer – when combined with an ability to explain concepts and ideas in the simplest of ways, you end up with one of the best music learning experiences one can ask for”
Nityabh Mishra
“My 13-year-old daughter has thoroughly enjoyed her lessons with Bernardine and is sad that she is moving away from the area. Bernardine helped my daughter through Grade 5 Theory, Grade 6 piano and has seen her doing well with her Grade 7 pieces. She is very thorough on teaching and reinforcing scales which has been great. Bernardine is warm and friendly, and my daughter says she has a great sense of humour. She gives lots of positive feedback and this has helped build up my daughter’s confidence. Bernardine has a lovely calm, kind manner and has always taken an interest in my daughter’s piano playing outside the boundaries of gradings which has been lovely. She has helped my daughter brush up on pieces she has learnt herself at home and has encouraged her to learn to play other music away from her grading pieces. This has helped keep my daughter interested and enjoying the piano - it is nice to have a teacher who inspires love of music, not one who drills the grading songs all the time. My daughters favourite lesson was when Bernardine got her guitar out and accompanied her on a Nirvana song she was learning for a concert at school. I would thoroughly recommend Bernardine to anyone who is looking for a piano teacher”.
